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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?"
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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