Overview

James Gunn--one of the founding figures of science fiction scholarship and teaching--wrote in 1951 what is likely the first master's thesis on modern science fiction. Portions were in the short-lived pulp magazine Dynamic but it has otherwise remained unavailable. Here in its first full publication, the thesis explores many of the classic Golden Age stories of the 1940s and the critical perspective that informed Gunn's essential genre history Alternate Worlds and his anthology series The Road to Science Fiction. The editor's introduction and commentary show the historical significance of Gunn's work and its relevance to today's science fiction studies.

Full Product Details

Author:   James Gunn ,  Michael R. Page
Publisher:   McFarland & Co Inc
Imprint:   McFarland & Co Inc
Dimensions:   Width: 15.20cm , Height: 1.10cm , Length: 22.90cm
Weight:   0.272kg
ISBN:  

9781476673196

ISBN 10:   1476673195
Pages:   213
Publication Date:   07 June 2018
Recommended Age:   From 18 years
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Manufactured on demand  
We will order this item for you from a manufactured on demand supplier.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents Foreword deleteGary K. Wolfe Preface: “When Modern Science Fiction Was Modern” deleteJames Gunn Editor’s Introduction deleteMichael R. Page Modern Science Fiction: A Critical Analysis by James Gunn Introduction Part One—“Some of Us Are Looking at the Stars”: The Philosophy of Science Fiction Part Two: “Through Caverns Measureless to Man”: The Plot Forms of Science Fiction Section One: Plots of Circumstance Chapter One: A Being in an Alien Environment Chapter Two: Modern Man in the Modern World Chapter Three: A Past Being in the Past Chapter Four: A Future Being in a Future World Chapter Five: Mutations Conclusion to Plots of Circumstance Section Two: Plots of Creation Chapter One: The Creation of New Life or New Forms Thereof Chapter Two: Experimentation in Other Fields Conclusion Appendix: Distribution Chart Chapter Notes deleteMichael R. Page Bibliography Fiction Works Cited deleteJames Gunn Critical Works Cited deleteJames Gunn Works Cited in Editor’s Introduction deleteMichael R. Page Index

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Author Information

The late James Gunn was emeritus professor of English at the University of Kansas and the author or editor of 45 books and 100+ short stories. A former president of both the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America and the Science Fiction Research Association, he received their lifetime awards and induction into the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame. He lived in Lawrence, Kansas. Michael R. Page is a lecturer in the English department at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

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