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Where to Start: 1950s SF

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Where to Start: 1950s SF

The genre's golden decade, the perfect front door.

If you're new to vintage science fiction, start in the 1950s: the pulps were at their peak, the ideas were wild, and the stories are short enough to read in a sitting. A hand-picked gateway to the era that defined SF.

24 titles

"Hey Ma, Where's Willie?"
Cover of "Hey Ma, Where's Willie?" by I. M. Bukstein
"Hey Ma, Where's Willie?"
★2.0
I. M. Bukstein · 1952
5 min read
First Contact
"Next Stop, Nowhere!"
Cover of "Next Stop, Nowhere!" by Dick Purcell
"Next Stop, Nowhere!"
Dick Purcell · 1956
15 min read
Alternate HistorySocial SF
"Phone Me in Central Park"
Cover of "Phone Me in Central Park" by James V. McConnell
"Phone Me in Central Park"
★4.0
James V. McConnell · 1954
20 min read
First ContactPost-Apocalyptic
"To Invade New York...."
Cover of "To Invade New York...." by Irwin Lewis
"To Invade New York...."
Irwin Lewis · 1955
21 min read
First ContactMilitary SF
"What So Proudly We Hail..."
Cover of "What So Proudly We Hail..." by Day Keene
"What So Proudly We Hail..."
Day Keene · 1950
25 min read
Social SFTime Travel
$1,000 a Plate
Cover of $1,000 a Plate by Jack McKenty
$1,000 a Plate
Jack McKenty · 1954
11 min read
ColonizationSocial SF
'Mid Pleasures and Palaces
Cover of 'Mid Pleasures and Palaces by James McKimmey
'Mid Pleasures and Palaces
James McKimmey · 1955
19 min read
Colonization
A Bad Day for Sales
Cover of A Bad Day for Sales by Fritz Leiber
A Bad Day for Sales
Fritz Leiber · 1953
12 min read
Artificial IntelligenceSocial SF
A Bottle of Old Wine
Cover of A Bottle of Old Wine by Richard O. Lewis
A Bottle of Old Wine
Richard O. Lewis · 1957
15 min read
DystopiaSocial SF
A Case of Sunburn
Cover of A Case of Sunburn by Charles L. Fontenay
A Case of Sunburn
Charles L. Fontenay · 1957
28 min read
ColonizationMilitary SF
A Choice of Miracles
Cover of A Choice of Miracles by James A. Cox
A Choice of Miracles
James A. Cox · 1959
13 min read
Adventure
A Cold Night for Crying
Cover of A Cold Night for Crying by Stephen Marlowe
A Cold Night for Crying
Stephen Marlowe · 1954
21 min read
Post-Apocalyptic
A Feast of Demons
Cover of A Feast of Demons by Joseph Samachson
A Feast of Demons
★3.0
Joseph Samachson · 1958
38 min read
Hard SF
A Filbert Is a Nut
Cover of A Filbert Is a Nut by Rick Raphael
A Filbert Is a Nut
★3.0
Rick Raphael · 1959
14 min read
Psychic Powers
A Fine Day for Dying
Cover of A Fine Day for Dying by John Martin
A Fine Day for Dying
John Martin · 1952
34 min read
Space Opera
A Fine Fix
Cover of A Fine Fix by Ray C. Noll
A Fine Fix
Ray C. Noll · 1957
39 min read
Hard SF
A Gift For Terra
Cover of A Gift For Terra by Fox B. Holden
A Gift For Terra
Fox B. Holden · 1954
30 min read
First Contact
A Gift from Earth
Cover of A Gift from Earth by Manly Banister
A Gift from Earth
Manly Banister · 1955
24 min read
First ContactSocial SF
A Gleeb for Earth
Cover of A Gleeb for Earth by Charles Schafhauser
A Gleeb for Earth
Charles Schafhauser · 1953
22 min read
First Contact
A Hitch in Space
Cover of A Hitch in Space by Fritz Leiber
A Hitch in Space
Fritz Leiber · 1958
16 min read
Space Opera
A Likely Story
Cover of A Likely Story by Damon Knight
A Likely Story
Damon Knight · 1956
25 min read
Psychic Powers
A Little Journey
Cover of A Little Journey by Ray Bradbury
A Little Journey
Ray Bradbury · 1951
12 min read
Social SFSpace Opera
A Little Knowledge
Cover of A Little Knowledge by R. R. Winterbotham
A Little Knowledge
R. R. Winterbotham · 1956
17 min read
First Contact
A Madman on Board
Cover of A Madman on Board by Robert Silverberg
A Madman on Board
Robert Silverberg · 1958
22 min read
Space Opera

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