Forrest J Ackerman’s World of Science Fiction

edited by Steven Baeck

General Publishing Group, Inc., Los Angeles, CA. 1997. Hardcover in dust jacket. 240 pages. (8¾ X 11). Preface by A. E. van Vogt. Foreword by John Landis. Introduction: In the Beginning by Forrest J Ackerman. Forry presents many beautiful covers of books, magazines, and paperbacks. The first chapter covers the many faces of the Frankenstein monster. The next chapter has short essays on Ackerman’s favorite SF authors, with many samples of their books. The next section covers the pulp magazines, including Amazing Stories, Science Wonder Stories, and Astounding. Chapter four is devoted to SF movies, with coverage on the Flash Gordon serials, and such films as The Day the Earth Stood Still, When Worlds Collide, and The War of the Worlds. The modern science fiction films are well covered, too. The next section covers Metropolis, Just Imagine, High Treason, and Things to Come. Science fiction TV is covered with mentioning The Twilight Zone, Star Trek, Lost in Space, and many others. You might say that this book represents many of the things that Ackerman liked. A beautiful book; much nicer than a lot of books of this type that I own.

Scan and Commentary by Bob Gaines