Benchmarks:

Galaxy Bookshelf

By Algis Budrys. Southern Illinois University Press, Carbondale, IL. 1985. Hardcover in dust jacket. This later printing has light brown boards with red lettering on the spine. 349 pages.

161 important Science Fiction books are reviewed in numerous review columns written by Budrys. These columns appeared in the pages of Galaxy Magazine between 1965 and 1971. Frederik Pohl was the editor there until 1969 (he wrote one of the brief introductions to this book).

So ... here I am (certainly NOT a professional) writing a book review about a book of book reviews by a man who most certainly IS one of the most respected professionals in field. You don't have to take my word for it. Other professional Sci Fi writers agree. This is a great book. You should get it.