Tales from the Planet Earth
Encyclopedia
Tales from the Planet Earth is a 1986 anthology of science fiction
stories edited by Frederik Pohl
and Elizabeth Anne Hull
It presents 18 stories, sharing a common background developed by Pohl and Hull, by 18 authors from 18 different countries; each author's story is set in his native country.
The collection was dedicated for the memory of A. Bertram Chandler
and Janusz A. Zajdel.
described the anthology as "a world tour of science fiction" and reported "it will make you more appreciative of the best of America sf -- and more impatient with sameness, the repetitiveness, the insularity that so often afflicts us."
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
stories edited by Frederik Pohl
Frederik Pohl
Frederik George Pohl, Jr. is an American science fiction writer, editor and fan, with a career spanning over seventy years — from his first published work, "Elegy to a Dead Planet: Luna" , to his most recent novel, All the Lives He Led .He won the National Book Award in 1980 for his novel Jem...
and Elizabeth Anne Hull
Elizabeth Anne Hull
Elizabeth Anne Hull, PhD , is an American academic, political activist and science fiction expert.She is Professor Emerita of William Rainey Harper College in Palatine, Illinois, where she taught English for over 30 years...
It presents 18 stories, sharing a common background developed by Pohl and Hull, by 18 authors from 18 different countries; each author's story is set in his native country.
The collection was dedicated for the memory of A. Bertram Chandler
A. Bertram Chandler
Arthur Bertram Chandler was a British-Australian science fiction author. He also wrote under the pseudonyms George Whitley, George Whitely, Andrew Dunstan, and S.H.M....
and Janusz A. Zajdel.
Contents
- Sitting Around the Pool, Soaking Up the Rays · Frederik PohlFrederik PohlFrederik George Pohl, Jr. is an American science fiction writer, editor and fan, with a career spanning over seventy years — from his first published work, "Elegy to a Dead Planet: Luna" , to his most recent novel, All the Lives He Led .He won the National Book Award in 1980 for his novel Jem...
, originally in IASFM Aug ’84 - The Thursday Events · Ye YonglieYe YonglieYe Yonglie is a Chinese writer of science fiction and biographies. A few of his stories have been translated into English in The Road to Science Fiction series and elsewhere. During the “Campaign Against Spiritual Pollution” his works were attacked and a story he wrote in 1985 was suppressed for...
- User Friendly · Spider RobinsonSpider RobinsonSpider Robinson is an American-born Canadian Hugo and Nebula award winning science fiction author.- Biography :Born in the Bronx, New York City, Robinson attended Catholic high school, spending his junior year in a seminary, followed by two years in a Catholic college, and five years at the State...
- Life as an Ant · André Carneiro
- Fiddling for Waterbuffaloes · Somtow Sucharitkul, originally in Analog Apr ’86
- S Is for Snake · Lino AldaniLino AldaniLino Aldani was an Italian science fiction writer.Aldani was born in San Cipriano Po in 1926. He lived until 1968 in Rome, where he worked as a mathematics teacher, and then back in San Cipriano Po....
, originally in “S come serpente”, Urania #1021, Apr 27, ’86. - The Divided Carla · Josef NesvadbaJosef NesvadbaJosef Nesvadba was a Czech writer, best known in the English-speaking world for his science fiction short stories, many of which have appeared in English translation.-Biography:...
, originally in Literarni Mesicnik Jun ’85 - The View from the Top of the Tower · Harry HarrisonHarry HarrisonHarry Harrison is an American science fiction author best known for his character the Stainless Steel Rat and the novel Make Room! Make Room! , the basis for the film Soylent Green...
, originally in F&SF May ’86 - Don’t Knock the Rock · A. Bertram ChandlerA. Bertram ChandlerArthur Bertram Chandler was a British-Australian science fiction author. He also wrote under the pseudonyms George Whitley, George Whitely, Andrew Dunstan, and S.H.M....
- The Owl of Bear Island · Jon BingJon BingJon Bing is a Norwegian writer and law professor at the Norwegian Research Center for Computers and Law , and the Faculty of Law at the University of Oslo. Bing is considered to be a pioneer in international legal information...
- Contacts of a Fourth Kind · Ljuben Dilov
- Infestation · Brian W. Aldiss
- In the Blink of an Eye · Carlos Maria Federici
- Particularly Difficult Territory · Janusz A. Zajdel
- Time Everlasting · Sam J. Lundwall
- The Middle Kingdom · Tong EnzhengTong EnzhengTong Enzheng was a prominent Chinese archaeologist, historian, designer, and science fiction author.- Career :Tong authored the textbook Cultural Anthropology and specialized in early southwest China. He also was involved in redesigning the Sichuan University Museum. He also became noted for his...
& Elizabeth Anne HullElizabeth Anne HullElizabeth Anne Hull, PhD , is an American academic, political activist and science fiction expert.She is Professor Emerita of William Rainey Harper College in Palatine, Illinois, where she taught English for over 30 years...
, adapt. - On the Inside Track · Karl-Michael Armer, originally in Entropie, 1986
- The Legend of the Paper Spaceship · Tetsu YanoTetsu YanoTetsu Yano was a Japanese science fiction translator and writer. He began to introduce to Japanese readers the works of US science fiction writers in the late 1940s. He was the first Japanese writer of the genre to visit the United States, in 1953...
; trans. by Gene Van Troyer & Tomoko Oshiro, originally 1978 - We Servants of the Stars · Frederik PohlFrederik PohlFrederik George Pohl, Jr. is an American science fiction writer, editor and fan, with a career spanning over seventy years — from his first published work, "Elegy to a Dead Planet: Luna" , to his most recent novel, All the Lives He Led .He won the National Book Award in 1980 for his novel Jem...
Reception
Orson Scott CardOrson Scott Card
Orson Scott Card is an American author, critic, public speaker, essayist, columnist, and political activist. He writes in several genres, but is primarily known for his science fiction. His novel Ender's Game and its sequel Speaker for the Dead both won Hugo and Nebula Awards, making Card the...
described the anthology as "a world tour of science fiction" and reported "it will make you more appreciative of the best of America sf -- and more impatient with sameness, the repetitiveness, the insularity that so often afflicts us."