''In Search of Wonder: Essays on Modern Science Fiction'' is a collection of critical essays by American writer

Damon Knight Damon Francis Knight (September 19, 1922 – April 15, 2002) was an American science fiction author, editor, and critic. He is the author of "To Serve Man", a 1950 short story adapted for ''The Twilight Zone''.Stanyard, ''Dimensions Behind th ...

. Most of the material in the original version of the book was originally published between 1952 and 1955 in various

science fiction Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel unive ...

magazines including ''

Infinity Science Fiction ''Infinity Science Fiction'' was an American science fiction magazine, edited by Larry T. Shaw, and published by Royal Publications. The first issue, which appeared in November 1955, included Arthur C. Clarke's " The Star", a story about a pl ...

'', ''Original SF Stories'', and ''Future SF''. The essays were highly influential, and contributed to Knight's stature as the foremost critic of science fiction of his generation. The book also constitutes an informal record of the "Boom Years" of science fiction from 1950-1955. In the opening chapter, Knight states his "credos", two of which are: One essay in the book is "Cosmic Jerrybuilder: A. E. van Vogt", a review of the 1945 magazine serialization of

A. E. van Vogt Alfred Elton van Vogt ( ; April 26, 1912 – January 26, 2000) was a Canadian-born American science fiction author. His fragmented, bizarre narrative style influenced later science fiction writers, notably Philip K. Dick. He was one of the ...

's ''

The World of Null-A ''The World of Null-A'', sometimes written ''The World of Ā'', is a 1948 science fiction novel by Canadian-American writer A. E. van Vogt. It was originally published as a three-part serial in 1945 in ''Astounding Stories''. It incorporates con ...

'', in which Knight "exposed the profound irrationality lying at the heart of much traditional science fiction". In 1956 Knight was awarded a

Hugo Hugo or HUGO may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Hugo'' (film), a 2011 film directed by Martin Scorsese * Hugo Award, a science fiction and fantasy award named after Hugo Gernsback * Hugo (franchise), a children's media franchise based on ...

as "Best Book Reviewer" based largely on the essays reprinted in this book.

Publishing history

''In Search of Wonder'' was originally issued by Advent:Publishers in hardcover in 1956. Advent reissued it in both hardcover and trade paperback in 1960. The second, expanded, edition was published by Advent in hardcover in 1967, with trade paperback reprints following in 1968 and 1974. The second edition was more than 120 pages longer and included six added chapters. Advent published a third, further expanded edition, nearly 100 pages longer than the second edition, in 1996.ISFDB publishing history
/ref> The third edition adds roughly 30,000 words of text and augments the bibliography and index; it incorporates six new chapters and expands Knight's discussion of longtime editor John W. Campbell Jr. Orion released an ebook edition in 2013.

Quotes

''On defining science fiction:'' * "Science fiction ... means what we point to when we say it." (1st ed., p. 1) ''On criticism:'' * "Why should anybody rip a bad work of art to shreds? Why, to find out how it is made." (1st ed., p. 14) ''On science fiction writers:'' *

"is no giant; he is a pygmy who has learned to operate an overgrown typewriter." (1st ed., p. 50) * " ayBradbury's subject is childhood and the buried child-in-man; his aim is to narrow the focus, not to widen it; to shrink all the big frightening things to the compass of the familiar: a spaceship to a tin can; a Fourth of July rocket to a brass kettle; a lion to a Teddy bear." (1st ed., p. 77) ''On science fiction novels:'' * '' I Am Legend'' by

Richard Matheson Richard Burton Matheson (February 20, 1926 – June 23, 2013) was an American author and screenwriter, primarily in the fantasy, horror, and science fiction genres. He is best known as the author of '' I Am Legend'', a 1954 science ficti ...

"is full of good ideas, every other one of which is immediately dropped and kicked out of sight." (1st ed., p. 51) * "''

The Blind Spot ''The Blind Spot'' is a science fiction novel by American writers Austin Hall and Homer Eon Flint. The novel was originally serialized in six parts in the magazine '' Argosy'' beginning in May 1921. It was first published in book form in 1951 ...

'', by Austin Hall and

Homer Eon Flint Homer Eon Flint (born as Homer Eon Flindt; 1888 –1924) was an American writer of pulp science fiction novels and short stories. He began working as a scenarist for silent films in 1912 (reportedly at his wife's insistence).Munn, Vella (Mar ...

, is an acknowledged classic of fantasy, first published in 1921; much praised since then, several times reprinted, venerated by connoisseurs - all despite the fact that the book has no recognizable vestige of merit." (1st ed., p. 14) ''On British writers:'' * "The only thing worse than a bad American novel is a bad British one." (1st ed., p. 71)

Following is a list of chapters in the first edition (1956). :Introduction by

Anthony Boucher William Anthony Parker White (August 21, 1911 – April 29, 1968), better known by his pen name Anthony Boucher (), was an American author, critic, and editor who wrote several classic mystery novels, short stories, science fiction, and radio d ...

:Author's Note # Critics # The Classics # Chuckleheads #

Campbell Campbell may refer to: People Surname * Campbell (surname), includes a list of people with surname Campbell Given name * Campbell Brown (footballer), an Australian rules footballer * Campbell Brown (journalist) (born 1968), American television ne ...

and His Decade # Cosmic Jerrybuilder:

# Half-Bad Writers # One Sane Man:

Robert A. Heinlein Robert Anson Heinlein (; July 7, 1907 – May 8, 1988) was an American science fiction author, aeronautical engineer, and naval officer. Sometimes called the "dean of science fiction writers", he was among the first to emphasize scientific accu ...

# Asimov and Empire # More Chuckleheads # When I Was in Kneepants:

Ray Bradbury Ray Douglas Bradbury (; August 22, 1920June 5, 2012) was an American author and screenwriter. One of the most celebrated 20th-century American writers, he worked in a variety of modes, including fantasy, science fiction, horror, mystery, and r ...

# The Vorpal Pen:

Theodore Sturgeon Theodore Sturgeon (; born Edward Hamilton Waldo, February 26, 1918 – May 8, 1985) was an American fiction author of primarily fantasy, science fiction and horror, as well as a critic. He wrote approximately 400 reviews and more than 120 sh ...

# Anthologies # Genius to Order:

Kuttner Kuttner is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: *Amita Kuttner (born 1990), Canadian astrophysicist and politician * Brian Kuttner mathematician * Erika Kuttner-Perreau *Henry Kuttner (1915–1958) American author of science ...

and

Moore Moore may refer to: People * Moore (surname) ** List of people with surname Moore * Moore Crosthwaite (1907–1989), a British diplomat and ambassador * Moore Disney (1765–1846), a senior officer in the British Army * Moore Powell (died c. 1573 ...

# Kornbluth and the Silver Lexicon # The Jagged Blade:

James Blish James Benjamin Blish () was an American science fiction and fantasy writer. He is best known for his ''Cities in Flight'' novels and his series of ''Star Trek'' novelizations written with his wife, J. A. Lawrence. His novel ''A Case of Conscienc ...

# Overalls on Parnassus:

Fletcher Pratt Murray Fletcher Pratt (25 April 1897 – 10 June 1956) was an American writer of history, science fiction, and fantasy. He is best known for his works on naval history and the American Civil War and for fiction written with L. Sprague de Camp. ...

# Microcosmic

Moskowitz Moskowitz (also Moskovitz, Moskovits, Moscovitch, Moskovich, Moszkowicz, and other variants) is an Eastern Ashkenazic Jewish surname. A Germanized form of a Slavic patronymic of the Yiddish personal name Moshke, a pet form of Moshe. Moscovici is ...

# New Stars # Curiosa # The Giants # Pitfalls and Dead Ends # What next? :Bibliography :Index The second edition (Advent, 1967) included the additional chapters: * Half Loaves * Amphibians * B-R-R-R! * Decadents * Britons * Symbolism "Symbolism" is chapter-long essay on the symbolism in

's short story "

Common Time The time signature (also known as meter signature, metre signature, or measure signature) is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats (pulses) are contained in each measure (bar), and which note value ...

", first published in a 1967 issue of ''Science Fiction Forum''. The third edition, published 1996, interwove additional chapters, including personal reminiscences: :Introduction, by

:Author's Notes # Myself When Young # Critics # The Classics # Chuckleheads #

and His Decade # Cosmic Jerrybuilder:

# Half-Bad Writers # One Sane Man:

# Asimov and Empire # More Chuckleheads # When I Was in Kneepants:

# The Vorpal Pen:

# The Excluded Data:

Charles Fort Charles Hoy Fort (August 6, 1874 – May 3, 1932) was an American writer and researcher who specialized in anomalous phenomena. The terms "Fortean" and "Forteana" are sometimes used to characterize various such phenomena. Fort's books sold w ...

# Microcosmic

# Anthologies # Half Loaves # Genius to Order:

and

# Kornbluth and the Silver Lexicon # The Jagged Blade:

# Overalls on Parnassus:

# Amphibians # New Stars # Curiosa # Br-r-r! # Decadents # Britons # Pitfalls and Dead Ends # Symbolism # Milford and Clarion # Science and the World # What Is Science Fiction, Anyway? # Writing Science Fiction # What Next? :Acknowledgements :Bibliography :Index

Reception

described the original edition as "a comprehensive picture of the book publication of science fiction in the 1950s, valuable as a historical record, stimulating as a detailed analysis of faults and virtues, and delightful simply as good reading matter in its own right",

P. Schuyler Miller Peter Schuyler Miller (February 21, 1912 – October 13, 1974) was an American science fiction writer and critic. Life Miller was raised in New York's Mohawk Valley, which led to a lifelong interest in the Iroquois Indians. He pursued this as ...

reviewed the book favorably, saying that Knight "applies his rules honestly and mercilessly", although he also noted that Knight's close focus on technical aspects of writing sometimes ignored an author's ability to "cast a spell . . . even if the carpentry and design is shoddy". Reviewing the second edition,

Algis Budrys Algirdas Jonas "Algis" Budrys (January 9, 1931 – June 9, 2008) was a Lithuanian-American science fiction author, editor, and critic. He was also known under the pen names Frank Mason, Alger Rome (in collaboration with Jerome Bixby), John ...

declared that "Damon Knight sets an as yet unequalled standard" for sf criticism, and praised Knight both for "his exact appreciations of the well done" as well as "how influential ewas when summing up the subtle but suddenly obvious flaws in work that had seemed pretty good".

Barry N. Malzberg Barry Nathaniel Malzberg (born July 24, 1939) is an American writer and editor, most often of science fiction and fantasy. Biography Malzberg originated from a Jewish family and graduated from Syracuse University in 1960. He worked as an investi ...

wrote that "Damon Knight is probably our field's first and best critic and . . . this book is the most important nonfiction ever published in the category"."The Future in Books", ''

Amazing Stories ''Amazing Stories'' is an American science fiction magazine launched in April 1926 by Hugo Gernsback's Experimenter Publishing. It was the first magazine devoted solely to science fiction. Science fiction stories had made regular appearances i ...

'', January 1969, p.144

References

External links

*{{isfdb title, id=102735, title=In Search of Wonder 1956 non-fiction books Books of literary criticism Hugo Award-winning works Works by Damon Knight American essay collections

Publishing history

Quotes

Contents

Reception

References

External links