''The 1976 Annual World's Best SF'' is an

anthology In book publishing, an anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler; it may be a collection of plays, poems, short stories, songs, or related fiction/non-fiction excerpts by different authors. There are also thematic and g ...

science fiction Science fiction (often shortened to sci-fi or abbreviated SF) is a genre of speculative fiction that deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts. These concepts may include information technology and robotics, biological manipulations, space ...

short stories edited by

Donald A. Wollheim Donald Allen Wollheim (October 1, 1914 – November 2, 1990) was an American science fiction editor, publisher, writer, and fan. As an author, he published under his own name as well as under pseudonyms, including David Grinnell, Martin Pears ...

and Arthur W. Saha, the fifth volume in a

series Series may refer to: People with the name * Caroline Series (born 1951), English mathematician, daughter of George Series * George Series (1920–1995), English physicist Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Series, the ordered sets used i ...

of nineteen. It was first published in paperback by

DAW Books DAW Books is an American science fiction and fantasy publisher, founded by Donald A. Wollheim, with his wife, Elsie B. Wollheim, following his departure from Ace Books in 1971. The company claims to be "the first publishing company ever devoted ...

in May 1976, followed by a hardcover edition issued in August of the same year by the same publisher as a selection of the

Science Fiction Book Club Bookspan LLC is a New York–based online bookseller, founded in 2000. Bookspan began as a joint endeavor by Bertelsmann and Time Warner. Bertelsmann took over control in 2007, and a year later, sold its interest to Najafi Companies, an Arizon ...

. For the hardcover edition the original cover art of

Jack Gaughan John Brian Francis "Jack" Gaughan, pronounced like 'gone' (September 24, 1930 – July 21, 1985), was an American science fiction artist and illustrator and multiple winner of the Hugo Award in the category of Hugo Award for Best Professional Arti ...

was replaced by a new cover painting by Chet Jezierski. The paperback edition was reissued by DAW in December 1981 under the variant title ''Wollheim's World's Best SF: Series Five'', this time with cover art by Oliviero Berni. A British hardcover edition was published by

Dennis Dobson Dennis Dobson (1919 – 1978)Lewis Foreman, Susan Foreman''London: A Musical Gazetteer'' Yale University Press, 2005, p. 327. was a British book publisher who was the eponymous founder of a small but respected company in London. Background Set up ...

in March 1979 under the variant title ''The World's Best SF 3''. The book collects ten novellas, novelettes and short stories by various science fiction authors, with an introduction by Wollheim. The stories were previously published in 1974 and 1975 in the magazines ''

The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction ''The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction'' (usually referred to as ''F&SF'') is a U.S. fantasy fiction magazine, fantasy and science-fiction magazine, first published in 1949 by Mystery House, a subsidiary of Lawrence E. Spivak, Lawrence Spiv ...

'', ''

Analog Analog or analogue may refer to: Computing and electronics * Analog signal, in which information is encoded in a continuous variable ** Analog device, an apparatus that operates on analog signals *** Analog electronics, circuits which use analog ...

'', ''

Amazing Science Fiction Amazing may refer to: Music Performers * The Amazing, a Swedish indie rock band Albums * ''Amazing'' (Banaroo album), 2006 * ''Amazing'' (Elkie Brooks album), 1996 * ''Amazing'' (Marcia Hines album) or the title song, 2014 * ''Amazin'' (Tri ...

'', and ''

Galaxy A galaxy is a Physical system, system of stars, stellar remnants, interstellar medium, interstellar gas, cosmic dust, dust, and dark matter bound together by gravity. The word is derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek ' (), literally 'milky', ...

'', and the anthologies '' New Worlds 8'' and ''

Stopwatch A stopwatch is a timepiece designed to measure the amount of time that elapses between its activation and deactivation. A large digital version of a stopwatch designed for viewing at a distance, as in a sports stadium, is called a stop clock ...

''.

*"Introduction" (

) *"

Catch That Zeppelin! "Catch That Zeppelin!" is a 1975 alternate history short story by American writer Fritz Leiber. It was first published in ''The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction''. Synopsis When Fritz Leiber sees a Zeppelin moored at the Empire State Build ...

" (

Fritz Leiber Fritz Reuter Leiber Jr. ( ; December 24, 1910 – September 5, 1992) was an American writer of fantasy, horror, and science fiction. Along with Robert E. Howard and Michael Moorcock, Leiber is one of the fathers of sword and sorcery. Life ...

) *"The Peddler's Apprentice" ( Joan D. Vinge and

Vernor Vinge Vernor Steffen Vinge (; October 2, 1944 – March 20, 2024) was an American science fiction author and professor. He taught mathematics and computer science at San Diego State University. He was the first wide-scale popularizer of the technolo ...

) *"The Bees of Knowledge" (

Barrington J. Bayley Barrington J. Bayley (9 April 1937 – 14 October 2008) was an English science fiction writer. Biography Bayley was born in Birmingham, England, and educated in Newport, Shropshire. He worked a number of jobs before joining the Royal Air Forc ...

) *"The Storms of Windhaven" (

George R. R. Martin George Raymond Richard Martin (born George Raymond Martin; September 20, 1948) also known by the initials G.R.R.M. is an American author, television writer, and television producer. He is best known as the author of the unfinished series of Hi ...

and

Lisa Tuttle Lisa Gracia Tuttle (born September 16, 1952) is an American science fiction, fantasy, and horror author. She has published more than a dozen novels, seven short story collections, and several non-fiction titles, including a reference book on fem ...

) *"The Engineer and the Executioner" ( Brian M. Stableford) *"Allegiances" ( Michael Bishop) *"Child of All Ages" (

P. J. Plauger Phillip James (P.J. or Bill) Plauger (; born January 13, 1944, Petersburg, West Virginia) is an author, entrepreneur and computer programmer. He has written and co-written articles and books about programming style, software tools, and the C pr ...

) *"Helbent 4" (

Stephen Robinett Stephen Allen Robinett (13 July 1941 – 16 February 2004) was an American writer of science-fiction and mystery novels and short stories. Robinett's first publication appeared in the March 1969 edition of the magazine ''Analog Science Fict ...

) *"The Protocols of the Elders of Britain" (

John Brunner John Brunner may refer to: * Sir John Brunner, 1st Baronet (1842–1919), British industrialist and Liberal Member of Parliament * John L. Brunner (1929–1980), Pennsylvania politician * Sir John Brunner, 2nd Baronet (1865–1929), British Libe ...

) *"The Custodians" (

Richard Cowper John Middleton Murry Jr. (9 May 1926 – 31 March 2002) was an English writer who used the names Colin Murry and Richard Cowper. Early and personal life Murry was the son of the writer John Middleton Murry and his second wife, Violet Le Maistr ...

)

Awards

The anthology placed seventh in the 1977 Locus Poll Award for Best Anthology. "Catch That Zeppelin!" won the 1976

Nebula Award for Best Short Story The Nebula Award for Best Short Story is a literary award assigned each year by Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association (SFWA) for science fiction or fantasy short stories. A work of fiction is defined by the organization as a short sto ...

and the 1976

Hugo Award for Best Short Story The Hugo Award for Best Short Story is one of the Hugo Awards given each year for science fiction or fantasy stories published or translated into English during the previous calendar year. The short story award is available for works of fiction of ...

, and placed eleventh in the 1976 Locus Poll Award for Best Short Story. "The Storms of Windhaven" was nominated for the 1975

Nebula Award for Best Novella The Nebula Award for Best Novella is given each year by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association (SFWA) for science fiction or fantasy novellas. A work of fiction is defined by the organization as a novella if it is between 17,500 and 4 ...

and the 1976

Hugo Award for Best Novella The Hugo Award for Best Novella is one of the Hugo Awards given each year for science fiction or fantasy stories published or translated into English during the previous calendar year. The novella award is available for works of fiction of between ...

, and placed first in the 1976 Locus Poll Award for Best Novella. "Allegiances" placed eighth in the 1976 Locus Poll Award for Best Novella. "Child of All Ages" was nominated for the 1975

and the 1976

, and placed third in the 1976 Locus Poll Award for Best Short Story. "The Custodians" was nominated for the 1975

Nebula Award for Best Novelette The Nebula Award for Best Novelette is given each year by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association (SFWA) to a science fiction or fantasy novelette. A work of fiction is defined by the organization as a novelette if it is between 7,5 ...

and the 1976

, and placed sixth in the 1976 Locus Poll Award for Best Novella.

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:1976 Annual World's Best SF, The 1976 anthologies

1976 Events January * January 2 – The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights enters into force. * January 5 – The Pol Pot regime proclaims a new constitution for Democratic Kampuchea. * January 18 – Full diplomatic ...

DAW Books books Science fiction anthologies

Contents

Awards

External links