Contents (view Concise Listing)

• xv • Introduction (Before the Golden Age) • [Asimov's Essays: Others' Work] • (1974) • essay by Isaac Asimov
• 1 • Part One: 1920 to 1930 (Before the Golden Age) • (1974) • essay by Isaac Asimov
• 21 • Part Two: 1931 (Before the Golden Age) • (1974) • essay by Isaac Asimov
• 25 • The Man Who Evolved • (1931) • short story by Edmond Hamilton
• 43 • The Jameson Satellite • [Professor Jameson] • (1931) • novelette by Neil R. Jones
• 66 • Submicroscopic • [Submicroscopic • 1] • (1974) • novelette by S. P. Meek [as by Captain S. P. Meek]
• 93 • Awlo of Ulm • [Submicroscopic • 2] • (1974) • novella by S. P. Meek [as by Captain S. P. Meek]
• 156 • Tetrahedra of Space • (1931) • novelette by P. Schuyler Miller
• 196 • The World of the Red Sun • (1931) • novelette by Clifford D. Simak
• 225 • Part Three: 1932 (Before the Golden Age) • (1974) • essay by Isaac Asimov
• 229 • Tumithak of the Corridors • [Tumithak • 1] • (1932) • novella by Charles R. Tanner
• 286 • The Moon Era • (1932) • novella by Jack Williamson
• 339 • Part Four: 1933 (Before the Golden Age) • (1974) • essay by Isaac Asimov
• 344 • The Man Who Awoke • [The Man Who Awoke • 1] • (1933) • novelette by Laurence Manning
• 375 • Tumithak in Shawm • [Tumithak • 2] • (1933) • novella by Charles R. Tanner
• 451 • Part Five: 1934 (Before the Golden Age) • (1974) • essay by Isaac Asimov
• 458 • Colossus • [Colossus (Wandrei) • 1] • (1934) • novelette by Donald Wandrei
• 499 • Born of the Sun • (1934) • novelette by Jack Williamson
• 537 • Sidewise in Time • (1934) • novella by Murray Leinster
• 585 • Old Faithful • [Old Faithful • 1] • (1934) • novelette by Raymond Z. Gallun
• 621 • Part Six: 1935 (Before the Golden Age) • (1974) • essay by Isaac Asimov
• 627 • The Parasite Planet • [Ham Hammond] • (1935) • novelette by Stanley G. Weinbaum (variant of Parasite Planet)
• 655 • Proxima Centauri • (1935) • novella by Murray Leinster
• 705 • The Accursed Galaxy • (1935) • short story by Edmond Hamilton
• 725 • Part Seven: 1936 (Before the Golden Age) • (1974) • essay by Isaac Asimov
• 730 • He Who Shrank • (1936) • novella by Henry Hasse
• 787 • The Human Pets of Mars • (1936) • novella by Leslie F. Stone [as by Leslie Francis Stone]
• 837 • The Brain Stealers of Mars • [Penton and Blake] • (1936) • short story by John W. Campbell, Jr.
• 859 • Devolution • (1936) • short story by Edmond Hamilton
• 875 • Big Game • (1974) • short story by Isaac Asimov
• 879 • Part Eight: 1937 (Before the Golden Age) • (1974) • essay by Isaac Asimov
• 883 • Other Eyes Watching • [A Study of the Solar System] • (1937) • essay by John W. Campbell, Jr.
• 891 • Minus Planet • (1937) • novelette by John D. Clark, Ph.D. [as by John D. Clark]
• 911 • Past, Present and Future • [Past, Present and Future] • (1937) • novelette by Nat Schachner
• 949 • Part Nine: 1938 (Before the Golden Age) • (1974) • essay by Isaac Asimov
• 954 • The Men and the Mirror • [Colbie & Deverel] • (1938) • novelette by Ross Rocklynne