Rating: 
Summary: The Greatest Writer You've Never Heard Of
Review: Cordwainer Smith's (real name - Paul Linebarger) small but remarkable body of work had a disproportionate influence on modern science fiction. He was the first, and in my opinion still the most successful, writer to tap into the "grand sense of wonder" which is the true gift of science fiction to art. He did this by combining the great poet's gift of words which explode into indelible images in the mind with the religious awe of witnessing something greater than ourselves, the thought-provoking profundity of the Zen koan and intensely wonderful, tragic, silly characters who remind us of the best parts of ourselves.He is the science fiction writer which other writers respect - two of his stories were chosen in the top 10 for the Science Fiction Writers' of America Hall of Fame Anthologies (only one - Alpha Ralpha Boulevard could be included by the rules of the contest, however). Now you can get them all in one volume (except for the novel Norstrilia). You don't have to search every single used bookstore in every town you visit across the country to find a beat-up copy of "The Best of Cordwainer Smith" like I did (still haven't found "The Realms of the Instrumentality" except at a small college-town public library, where it remains despite all temptation to "lose" it and pay replacement costs). Just don't read all the stories at one sitting. Read one story, then put it down and let it percolate through your consciousness, and when you wake up in the middle of the night sobbing or laughing out loud for joy, you're ready to read another story.
Rating:
Summary: Awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Review: Cordwainer Smith's one of my favorite sf authors & I hope they add him to the raves list. After all I don't think anyone gave him under a 5. Excellent, poetic, strange, funny, & totally unique he's a real original. Who else ever tried to blend Science Fiction, Christian allegory, chinese fabulation, & poetry. Maybe it didn't always work, but man what a daring effort. He deserves to be remembered. Let's hope he is.
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Summary: A book for the next ten thousand years...or longer!
Review: I am extremely impressed by Cordwainer Smith's vision of Humanity's future, and I only regret he did not write more stories. His knowledge of the quest for Utopias and the inevitable boredom with perfection is so multi-faceted that his prose will remain relevant to the human condition for all time. The dreamlike quality of his descriptions, the feeling of the tremendous historical events in his future's past, and the mystery of the Human spirit presents a grandeur that speaks to each reader individually. If I were stranded on an island with only one book to read, The Rediscovery of Man would be that book. Smith's knowledge of Chinese culture led him to give us a vision of the Jwindz, based on what I think is a satire of the Chun Tzu, the Superior Man in Confucianism, who create a sterile culture, which is overthrown by the Instrumentality of Mankind, who become as sterile over millenia, until the imperfections are brought back to save the species...it's wonderful stuff!! From the hallucinogenic beauty of "No, No, Not Rogov!" to the mythic quality of "Under Old Earth," there is something for everybody here. I love it. It ranks with Asimov's best works as the finest and most potentially immortal writing in Science Fiction.
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Summary: This really is a wonderful book.
Review: I don't want to repeat what all the other reviewers have said. This truly is a wonderful, wonderful book.
Rating:
Summary: Great writer, very poetic
Review: I find Smith's story titles fascinating. Just imagine the breadth of meaning in a title like "The colonel came back from nothing at all" not to mention "Think two count blue". He created a very different universe, and his sense of rhyme was just great. I personally think he is one of the best writers of SF that I have ever had the pleasure to read
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Summary: Short stories, long-distance vision
Review: I first encountered Cordwainer Smith thirty years ago. The book was "You will never be the same", a collection of stories, all of which appear here "The Rediscovery of Man". I have never read a more aptly-titled book. Smith's writing, while not "hard" science fiction, exemplifies the finest aspirations of the genre. Smith's stories are inventive, evocative and deeply moving. This is a great book to recommend to people who claim they hate science fiction. I would call it literature. Read it. It may not change you, but it may change the way you think about science fiction.
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Summary: My favorite single-author SF colection ever
Review: I first encountered Cordwainer Smith when I was in grade school, checking every book out of the library that I could find under Science Fiction. Some of my favorite stories were the often-anthologized "Game of Rat and Dragon" and "Scanners Live in Vain." I began seeking out his stories anywhere I could find them, but aside from the wonderful novel Norstrilia, I could find few more. How exciting that the NESFA Press has brought all of these stories together in one book. It was such a joy rediscovering old favorites, and also finding real gems (such as "The Dead Lady of Clown Town") I had never seen anywhere before. This volume is a must-have for anyone who cares about classic science fiction short stories. In it are some of the best examples of the genre. A short list of the stories in this volume that you MUST read would include: "Alpha Ralpha Boulevard", "The Game of Rat and Dragon", "A Planet Called Shayol", "Mother Hitton's Littul Kittons", and the aforementioned "Dead Lady of Clown Town." The title of one of Smith's collections that originally contained many of these stories was You Will Never Be the Same. What a great title, and how accurate. You won't be.
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Summary: The man who dreamed the future.
Review: I first read his works over 20 years ago, and the images haunt me to this day. His work stands the test of time and is worth obtaining, reading, re-reading and savoring. His dream of the future is unique. In every story will be some image which will strike you and burn it's way into your memory. "Long deep into our own time. Fifteen thousand years after the bombs went up and the boom came down on Old Old Earth. Recent, see?" - From Norstrilia
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Summary: take note: the average customer rating is five stars!!!
Review: I have been reading Cordwainer Smith stories over and over for many, many years. There aren't that many of them - but they are so wonderful they can be read and read and read again. And they never lose their freshness for me. I read 'The Game of Rat and Dragon' to my wife one night when she was having trouble getting to sleep. Perhaps it's not his greatest story, but it is so humane, so all-encompassing of the best of humankind and so wonderful to the animals that we share this world with - specifically cats in this case (and for anyone who has been fortunate enough to share at least part of their lives with cats it will probably raise so many memories).
So I took down my favourite anthology - the 1970 Panther Books edition published under the title 'Under Old Earth' and started to refresh the Cordwainer Smith experience. As I read the wonderful 'A Planet Named Shayol' (there is nothing like this anywhere!) the tears rose in my eyes again. This involuntary response told me so much!!! Here's a quote:
'It's unfair,' cried the half-man. 'They should be punished as we were!'
The Lady Johanna Gnade looked down at him. 'Punishment is ended. We will give you anything you wish, but not the pain of another.'
What a vision! The only comparable one I can think of is the words Gustav Mahler wrote about the day of judgement scene in his second symphony. After the trumpets sound and the dead are raised Mahler reasoned that there would be neither reward nor punishment - only God's heavenly love would remain.
I cannot compromise the five star average rating for these stories. I agree with one and all! If you haven't read these stories you have a wonderful experience in store. If you, like me, know them already - just enjoy again and again as I do.
Rating:
Summary: Geniunely unforgettable
Review: I normally prefer to read, and write, hard SF. But Cordwainer Smith's work has rare and precious qualities: the genuine strangeness and genuine unforgettability that is near the essence of great SF. Read these stories and something about them will remain with you always. Also his cats are splendid.
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