SPACE MAIL

Rating:
Summary: This Book Got Me Into Sci-Fi
Review: Space Mail came out in 1980, when Asimov was at the peak of his anthology-editing days. It seemed like every other week, I saw a new Asimov anthology in the book store, each one with a different theme. This one is no different.

The stories in Space Mail take the form of diaries, letters or memos, a difficult style that is very effective at immersing the reader in the author's vision... when it is done right. Fortunately, all the stories in Space Mail get it right. One particular high note is Daniel Keyes' "Flowers for Algernon," the original story that later became a book and then a movie. Other highlights include Sharon Webb's "Itch on the Bull Run," about a space-faring nurse with a penchant for getting into trouble; "Dear Pen Pal" by A. E. van Vogt, which delves into the perils of personal communications over galactic distances; "Computers Don't Argue," a nightmarish classic from Gordon R. Dickson which is just as relevant now as it was then; and many others. This book is well worth the money to any sci-fi fan due to the inclusion of hard-to-find tales by masters of the short-story form.