Future Perfect: American Science Fiction of the Nineteenth Century: An Anthology
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Book Overview
Winner of the 2008 American Studies Association's Carl Bode-Norman Holmes Pearson Prize "for lifetime of achievement and service" This selection of unusual storeis by important American writers-Hawthorne, Melville, Poe, Bellamy and Twain-and by less well-known tellers such as Ambrose Bierce, S. Weir Mitchell and Fitz-James O'Brien, challenges the commonly held belief that science fiction is a twenthiethcentury phenomenon, or that it began with Jule Verne and H, . G. Wells. Here are tales of marvelous inventions, automanta, biolgocial and psychological experiments, utopias, extra-sensory perception and time and space travel. Many of them have been out of print since before World War I, but they remain high in intrinsic interest of the general reader and for the specialist. The accompanying critical essays explore the relationships between science fiction and other financial modes, and illuminate the nataure of the bonds betwen science and society and fantasies and social aspirations. Professor Franklin also offers an original, theoretical definition of science ficiton. This book comes as a revelatin. One of the best-edited anthologies I have ever encountered...Mr. Franklin's critical introductions, containing much valuable information about many works not included in this book, are as interesting as the stories he prints.
Format:Paperback
Language:English
ISBN:0813521521
ISBN13:9780813521527
Release Date:January 1995
Publisher:Rutgers University Press
Length:408 Pages
Weight:0.30 lbs.
Dimensions:1.0" x 6.1" x 9.0"
Customer Reviews
2 ratings
Fantastic as a textbook or casual read
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 17 years ago
I found this at a used-book store, and was excited at the notion of reading short-story 19th century visions-- of the fantastic and of the future. The author gives a very interesting commentary/criticism which I feel adds much value to this book, not only as an anthology, but as a critical study (given this book was published so long ago, the criticism itself is an interesting look back. However, I do feel it was odd that attention was given either to a specific author (there was a very long Hawthorne section, for example) or to a sub-genre (e.g., automata)--making the topic of commentary seem at times a bit arbitrary. Overall, I enjoyed this book immensely--it was extremely engaging and entertaining (and the format made it a perfect read on my commute). I thank the author for introducing me to science-fiction by authors I wasn't aware of (or by those who I had not previously considered sci-fi authors--e.g., Melville). The sophistication and logic (and surprisingly accurate projections in many cases) have made for some interesting dinner-table discussion with my husband (who is now reading it). I'm giving this book 5 stars, as I believe it to be a must-read for those interested in the history of the future.
Excellent Selection, wish there was more!
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 24 years ago
This book brings together short stories by largely canonical American authors--people we all read in school such as Hawthorne, Poe, and Melville. What Franklin has done brilliantly is shown, by the way he has collected the stories, how much they share a developing science fiction sensibility. Franklin also offers introductions to the stories and authors that are well written and intelligent, but here is also the source of my only complaint: I wish the introductions were slightly shorter, leaving room to include a few more stories. Still, this is an excellent anthology, one that will interest both converted science fiction fans and those who restrict themselves to reading that counts as "virtuous."
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