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Men and Machines: Science Fiction Stories by Fred Saberhagan, Jack Williamson, Fritz Leiber, and more!
Included: "Counter Foil," by George O. Smith; "A Bad Day for Sales," by Fritz Leiber; "Without a Thought," by Fred Saberhagan; "Solar Plexus," by James Blish; "The Macauley Circuit," by Robert Silverberg; "But Who Can Replace a Man?," by Brian W. Aldiss; "Instinct," by Lester del Rey; "The Twonky," by Lewis Padgett (Henry Kuttner); "Hunting Lodge," by Randall Garrett; and "With Folded Hands," by Jack Williamson.
256 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1968
60 people want to read
About the author
Robert Silverberg
2,170 books1,557 followersThere are many authors in the database with this name.
Robert Silverberg is a highly celebrated American science fiction author and editor known for his prolific output and literary range. Over a career spanning decades, he has won multiple Hugo and Nebula Awards and was named a Grand Master by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America in 2004. Inducted into the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame in 1999, Silverberg is recognized for both his immense productivity and his contributions to the genre's evolution.
Born in Brooklyn, he began writing in his teens and won his first Hugo Award in 1956 as the best new writer. Throughout the 1950s, he produced vast amounts of fiction, often under pseudonyms, and was known for writing up to a million words a year. When the market declined, he diversified into other genres, including historical nonfiction and erotica.
Silverberg’s return to science fiction in the 1960s marked a shift toward deeper psychological and literary themes, contributing significantly to the New Wave movement. Acclaimed works from this period include Downward to the Earth, Dying Inside, Nightwings, and The World Inside. In the 1980s, he launched the Majipoor series with Lord Valentine’s Castle, creating one of the most imaginative planetary settings in science fiction.
Though he announced his retirement from writing in the mid-1970s, Silverberg returned with renewed vigor and continued to publish acclaimed fiction into the 1990s. He received further recognition with the Nebula-winning Sailing to Byzantium and the Hugo-winning Gilgamesh in the Outback.
Silverberg has also played a significant role as an editor and anthologist, shaping science fiction literature through both his own work and his influence on others. He lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife, author Karen Haber.
Robert Silverberg is a highly celebrated American science fiction author and editor known for his prolific output and literary range. Over a career spanning decades, he has won multiple Hugo and Nebula Awards and was named a Grand Master by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America in 2004. Inducted into the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame in 1999, Silverberg is recognized for both his immense productivity and his contributions to the genre's evolution.
Born in Brooklyn, he began writing in his teens and won his first Hugo Award in 1956 as the best new writer. Throughout the 1950s, he produced vast amounts of fiction, often under pseudonyms, and was known for writing up to a million words a year. When the market declined, he diversified into other genres, including historical nonfiction and erotica.
Silverberg’s return to science fiction in the 1960s marked a shift toward deeper psychological and literary themes, contributing significantly to the New Wave movement. Acclaimed works from this period include Downward to the Earth, Dying Inside, Nightwings, and The World Inside. In the 1980s, he launched the Majipoor series with Lord Valentine’s Castle, creating one of the most imaginative planetary settings in science fiction.
Though he announced his retirement from writing in the mid-1970s, Silverberg returned with renewed vigor and continued to publish acclaimed fiction into the 1990s. He received further recognition with the Nebula-winning Sailing to Byzantium and the Hugo-winning Gilgamesh in the Outback.
Silverberg has also played a significant role as an editor and anthologist, shaping science fiction literature through both his own work and his influence on others. He lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife, author Karen Haber.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
February 10, 2020
It was great to reread a book of this good science fiction from when I was in high school, a junior, I think. All outstanding authors and fun stories about the future relationship between men and machines. The only problem is many of these stories are dated, some severely. There's a little humor in some of them. And also some horror.
March 23, 2022
Nice intros, to the book and each story, by Silverberg. And good to excellent stories, allowing that the selection and arrangement is copyright MCMLXVIII.
"Counter Foil," q.v., by George O. Smith
"A Bad Day for Sales," q.v., by Fritz Leiber
"Without a Thought," q.v., by Fred Saberhagen
"Solar Plexus," q.v., by James Blish
"The Macauley Circuit," q.v., especially for the author's interesting commentary there, by Robert Silverberg
"But Who Can Replace a Man?," by Brian W. Aldiss. One of my most-memorables, in particular the charming and chilling line
"I have only a class-five brain," said the quarrier, "but I have a good supply of fissionable blasting materials."
Five stars on my meter, with an "Excellent" tag.
"Instinct," q.v., by Lester del Rey
"The Twonky," q.v., by Lewis Padgett (Henry Kuttner)
"Hunting Lodge," by Randall Garrett. If the run-around that occupies most of the story weren't fun on its own, I'd condemn it as too complicated for the denouement. Five stars.
"With Folded Hands...," by Jack Williamson. I admit I didn't reread it. I know how it comes out, and I don't want to go there again, not unless I have the redeeming sequel "... And Searching Mind" at hand. But it deserves its "classic" status, and my five stars.
"Counter Foil," q.v., by George O. Smith
"A Bad Day for Sales," q.v., by Fritz Leiber
"Without a Thought," q.v., by Fred Saberhagen
"Solar Plexus," q.v., by James Blish
"The Macauley Circuit," q.v., especially for the author's interesting commentary there, by Robert Silverberg
"But Who Can Replace a Man?," by Brian W. Aldiss. One of my most-memorables, in particular the charming and chilling line
"I have only a class-five brain," said the quarrier, "but I have a good supply of fissionable blasting materials."
Five stars on my meter, with an "Excellent" tag.
"Instinct," q.v., by Lester del Rey
"The Twonky," q.v., by Lewis Padgett (Henry Kuttner)
"Hunting Lodge," by Randall Garrett. If the run-around that occupies most of the story weren't fun on its own, I'd condemn it as too complicated for the denouement. Five stars.
"With Folded Hands...," by Jack Williamson. I admit I didn't reread it. I know how it comes out, and I don't want to go there again, not unless I have the redeeming sequel "... And Searching Mind" at hand. But it deserves its "classic" status, and my five stars.
April 5, 2022
3/5 - Counter Foil, by George O. Smith
2/5 - A Bad Day for Sales, by Fritz Leiber
2/5 - Without a Thought, by Fred Saberhagen
3/5 - Solar Plexus, by James Blish
2/5 - The Macauley Circuit, by Robert Silverberg
4/5 - But Who Can Replace a Man?, by Brian W. Aldis
2/5 - Instinct, by Lester del Rey
3/5 - The Twonky, by Lewis Padgett (Henry Kuttner)
2/5 - Hunting Lodge, by Randall Garrett
2/5 - With Folded Hands..., by Jack Williamson
2/5 - A Bad Day for Sales, by Fritz Leiber
2/5 - Without a Thought, by Fred Saberhagen
3/5 - Solar Plexus, by James Blish
2/5 - The Macauley Circuit, by Robert Silverberg
4/5 - But Who Can Replace a Man?, by Brian W. Aldis
2/5 - Instinct, by Lester del Rey
3/5 - The Twonky, by Lewis Padgett (Henry Kuttner)
2/5 - Hunting Lodge, by Randall Garrett
2/5 - With Folded Hands..., by Jack Williamson
June 22, 2015
A varied and enjoyable collection of 1940s-1960s science fiction stories by authors who were or became giants of the genre. Some authors were familiar and some new which I will investigate further; always the best result from reading a collection.
The sheer variety stems from the authors exploring many different aspects of science fiction, proving that's it's not all robots and space ships.
Robert Silverberg's editorial forewords for each story helps provides context, as well as a narrative thread to the book as a whole.
The sheer variety stems from the authors exploring many different aspects of science fiction, proving that's it's not all robots and space ships.
Robert Silverberg's editorial forewords for each story helps provides context, as well as a narrative thread to the book as a whole.
might-read
August 16, 2015Contains With Folded Hands.
November 2, 2020
4.4 stars
Read
May 3, 2019I have the german edition: Menschen und Maschinen
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews