The Best of John Sladek

Humor is not what science-fiction is noted for, but Sladek managed to do it with great wit and energy. The first half of this book features some of his dizzyingly delightful short stories, but the real reward for long-time sf readers comes in the second half, where he parodies the style and substance of the golden-age sf writers: H. G Wells, Robert Heinlein, and (most memorably) Isaac Asimov, among others. One book for the short-shelf of science fiction's most delightful books.

I last read this book in 1980 but what I remember about it the most is the consistently high quality of the stories and the humor. There are 2 or 3 short stories which spoof Philip K. Dick and are written in a parody of his style. This book is worth searching out, not only for SF fans.