''The Collected Stories of Arthur C. Clarke'', first published in 2001, is a collection of almost all
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 ...
short stories written by Arthur C. Clarke. It includes 114 stories, arranged in order of publication, from "
Travel by Wire! "Travel by Wire!" is a science fiction short story by English writer Arthur C. Clarke. His first published story, it was first published in December 1937 in the magazine ''Amateur Science Stories''. It was subsequently published as part of the ...
" in 1937 through to " Improving the Neighbourhood" in 1999. The story "Improving The Neighbourhood" has the distinction of being the first
fiction
Fiction is any creative work, chiefly any narrative work, portraying individuals, events, or places that are imaginary, or in ways that are imaginary. Fictional portrayals are thus inconsistent with history, fact, or plausibility. In a traditi ...
Nature
Nature, in the broadest sense, is the physics, physical world or universe. "Nature" can refer to the phenomenon, phenomena of the physical world, and also to life in general. The study of nature is a large, if not the only, part of science. ...
''. The titles "Venture to the Moon" and "The Other Side of the Sky" are not stories, but the titles of groups of six interconnected stories, each story with its own title. This collection is only missing a very few stories, for example " When the Twerms Came", which appears in his other collections ''
More Than One Universe
''More Than One Universe: The Collected Stories of Arthur C. Clarke'' is a collection of science fiction short stories by Arthur C. Clarke originally published in 1991.
The stories originally appeared in the periodicals ''Playboy'', ''V ...
'' and ''
The View from Serendip
''The View from Serendip'' is a collection of essays and anecdotes by Arthur C. Clarke, first published in 1977. The pieces include Clarke's experiences with diving, Sri Lanka, his relationships with other science fiction authors such as ...
''. This edition contains a foreword by Clarke written in 2000, where he speculates on the science fiction genre in relation to the concept of short stories. Furthermore, many of the stories have a short introduction about their publication history or literary nature.
In addition to the printed edition, an audio edition was published by Fantastic Audio in 2001. The audio edition, comprising five volumes, runs nearly fifty hours. An electronic edition of the book was published in four volumes by RosettaBooks in 2012.
Contents
:* Foreword
# "
Travel by Wire! "Travel by Wire!" is a science fiction short story by English writer Arthur C. Clarke. His first published story, it was first published in December 1937 in the magazine ''Amateur Science Stories''. It was subsequently published as part of the ...
"
# "
How We Went to Mars "How We Went to Mars" is a humorous short story by British writer Arthur C. Clarke. It was first published in March 1938, in the third and final issue of ''Amateur Science Stories'' maganize. It follows a group of British rocket scientists who ...
"
# "Retreat from Earth"
# "Reverie"
# " The Awakening"
# "Whacky"
# " Loophole"
# "
Rescue Party "Rescue Party" is a science fiction short story by English writer Arthur C. Clarke, first published in ''Astounding Science Fiction'' in May 1946. It was the first story that he sold, though not the first one published. It was republished in Clark ...
Inheritance
Inheritance is the practice of receiving private property, Title (property), titles, debts, entitlements, Privilege (law), privileges, rights, and Law of obligations, obligations upon the death of an individual. The rules of inheritance differ ...
History Lesson
"History Lesson" is a science fiction short story by British writer Arthur C. Clarke, first published in 1949 in the magazine ''Startling Stories''.
The two-part story speculates on the cooling of the Sun as a doomsday scenario for Earth ...
The Lion of Comarre
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
"
# "
The Forgotten Enemy
"The Forgotten Enemy" is a science fiction short story by English writer Arthur C. Clarke, first published in the magazine ''New Worlds'', in August 1949.Hide-and-Seek"
# "
Breaking Strain
"Breaking Strain", also known as "Thirty Seconds - Thirty Days", is a science fiction short story by English writer Arthur C. Clarke, first published in 1949. It was adapted into a movie in 1994 under the title ''Trapped in Space''.
Plot ...
"
# "
Nemesis
In ancient Greek religion, Nemesis, also called Rhamnousia or Rhamnusia ( grc, Ῥαμνουσία, Rhamnousía, the goddess of Rhamnous), was the goddess who personifies retribution, a central concept in the Greek world view.
Etymology
The n ...
"
# "Guardian Angel"
# "
Time's Arrow
Time's Arrow may refer to:
* "Time's Arrow" (short story), a 1950 short story by Arthur C. Clarke
* ''Time's Arrow'' (novel), a 1991 novel by Martin Amis
* "Time's Arrow" (''Star Trek: The Next Generation''), a 1992 two-part episode of ''Star Trek: ...
"
# "A Walk in the Dark"
# "Silence Please"
# "
Trouble with the Natives
"Trouble with the Natives" is a science fiction short story by British writer Arthur C. Clarke, first published in 1951. This comic story describes the pains of aliens visiting an English village, as every effort at contact with humans gets ...
"
# "The Road to the Sea"
# " The Sentinel"
# "Holiday on the Moon"
# "
Earthlight
''Earthlight'' is a science fiction novel by British writer Arthur C. Clarke, published in 1955. It is an expansion to novel length of a novella of the same name that he had published four years earlier.
Overview
''Earthlight'' is a scie ...
If I Forget Thee, Oh Earth
"If I Forget Thee, O Earth" is a post-apocalyptic fiction short story by English writer Arthur C. Clarke, Arthur C. Clarke and first published in 1951 in the magazine ''Future Science Fiction and Science Fiction Stories, Future SF'' It was su ...
"
# "All the Time in the World"
# "
The Nine Billion Names of God
"The Nine Billion Names of God" is a 1953 science fiction short story by British writer Arthur C. Clarke. The story was among the stories selected in 1970 by the Science Fiction Writers of America as one of the best science fiction short stories ...
Jupiter Five
"Jupiter Five" is a science fiction short story by British writer Arthur C. Clarke, first published in the magazine If (magazine), ''If'' in 1953.Arthur C. Clarke: Reach for Tomorrow. ''Ballantine Books'', New York 1956, p. IV It appeared aga ...
"
# "
Encounter in the Dawn
"Encounter in the Dawn" (also known as "Expedition to Earth") is a short story by English writer Arthur C. Clarke, first published in 1953 in the magazine ''Amazing Stories''. It was originally collected in the anthology '' Expedition to Ear ...
"
# "The Other Tiger"
# "Publicity Campaign"
# "Armaments Race"
# "The Deep Range"
# " No Morning After"
# "Big Game Hunt"
# "
Patent Pending
"Patent pending" (sometimes abbreviated by "pat. pend." or "pat. pending") or "patent applied for" are legal designations or expressions that can be used in relation to a product or process once a patent application for the product or process ...
"
# "Refugee"
# "
The Star
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
"
# "
What Goes Up
''What Goes Up'' is a 2009 American comedy-drama film directed by Jonathan Glatzer and starring Hilary Duff, Steve Coogan, Josh Peck, Olivia Thirlby, and Molly Shannon. It was co-written by Glatzer and Robert Lawson and distributed by Sony Pictur ...
"
# "
Venture to the Moon
"Venture to the Moon" is a group of six linked science fiction short stories by English writer Arthur C. Clarke. It was originally published in the British newspaper ''Evening Standard'' in 1956. The stories describe the first crewed mission ...
" (six individual connected stories)
# "The Starting Line"
# "Robin Hood, F.R.S."
# "Green Fingers"
# "All That Glitters"
# "Watch This Space"
# "A Question of Residence"
# "
The Pacifist
"The Pacifist" is a science fiction short story by British writer Arthur C. Clarke, first published in 1956 in ''Fantastic Universe''. It appears in his collection of "science fiction tall tales," ''Tales from the White Hart''.
The stor ...
"
# "The Reluctant Orchid"
# "
Moving Spirit
"Moving Spirit" is a science fiction short story by British writer Arthur C. Clarke, first published in 1957. The story within a comic story is narrated by Harry Purvis, who is called to assist a scientist relative of his in a trial. The sci ...
"
# "
The Defenestration of Ermintrude Inch
''Tales from the White Hart'' is a collection of short stories by science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke, in the "club tales" style.
Thirteen of the fifteen stories originally appeared across a number of different publications. "Moving Sp ...
"
# " The Ultimate Melody"
# "The Next Tenants"
# "Cold War"
# "Sleeping Beauty"
# "Security Check"
# "The Man Who Ploughed the Sea"
# "Critical Mass"
# "The Other Side of the Sky" (six individual connected stories)
# "Special Delivery"
# "Feathered Friends"
# "Take a Deep Breath"
# "Freedom of Space"
# "Passer-by"
# "The Call of the Stars"
# "Let There Be Light"
# "
Out of the Sun
''Out of the Sun'' is the first studio album by guitarist Joey Tafolla, released in 1987 through Shrapnel Records. The album features fellow shred guitar, shred guitarists Paul Gilbert and Tony MacAlpine in various roles (guitar, keyboards and pro ...
"
# "Cosmic Casanova"
# "
The Songs of Distant Earth
''The Songs of Distant Earth'' is a 1986 science fiction novel by British writer Arthur C. Clarke, based upon his 1958 short story of the same title. He stated that it was his favourite of all his novels. Clarke also wrote a short step ...
"
# "A Slight Case of Sunstroke"A Slight Case of Sunstroke
# "Who's There?"
# "Out of the Cradle, Endlessly Orbiting..."
# "
I Remember Babylon
"I Remember Babylon" is a science fiction short story by British writer Arthur C. Clarke. It was first published in ''Playboy'' in May 1960, and reprinted in the 1962 collection '' Tales of Ten Worlds''.
Plot summary
The story takes the form of ...
"
# "Trouble with Time"
# "
Into the Comet
"Into the Comet" is a science fiction short story by British writer Arthur C. Clarke. It was originally published in the literary magazine ''Fantasy & Science Fiction'' in 1960. It is one of several stories by many science fiction authors in whic ...
"
# "
Summertime on Icarus
"Summertime on Icarus" is a science fiction short story by British writer Arthur C. Clarke, first published in ''Vogue'' in 1960. It was also published under the title "The Hottest Piece of Real Estate in the Solar System".
Plot summary
This ...
Death and the Senator
"Death and the Senator" is a science fiction short story by British writer Arthur C. Clarke. It was originally published in 1961
"
# "
Before Eden
"Before Eden" is a science fiction short story by the British author Arthur C. Clarke, first published in June 1961 in ''Amazing Stories''. It was included in ''Tales of Ten Worlds'', a 1962 collection of stories by Clarke, and has been translat ...
"
# "
Hate
Hatred is an intense negative emotional response towards certain people, things or ideas, usually related to opposition or revulsion toward something. Hatred is often associated with intense feelings of anger, contempt, and disgust. Hatred is s ...
"
# "Love That Universe"
# " Dog Star"
# "Maelstrom II"
# "An Ape About the House"
# "The Shining Ones"
# " The Secret"
# "Dial F for Frankenstein"
# " The Wind from the Sun"
# " The Food of the Gods"
# "The Last Command"
# "Light of Darkness"
# "The Longest Science-fiction Story Ever Told"
# "Playback"
# "The Cruel Sky"
# "Herbert George Morley Roberts Wells, Esq."
# "
Crusade
The Crusades were a series of religious wars initiated, supported, and sometimes directed by the Latin Church in the medieval period. The best known of these Crusades are those to the Holy Land in the period between 1095 and 1291 that were i ...
"
# "
Neutron Tide
"Neutron Tide" is a short story by British writer Arthur C. Clarke, first published in 1970 in Galaxy Science Fiction. It is among his shortest pieces of writing, consisting solely of a 2-page, detailed description of a futuristic scenari ...
"
# "Reunion"
# "Transit of Earth"
# "
A Meeting with Medusa
''A Meeting with Medusa'' is a science fiction novella by British writer Arthur C. Clarke. It was originally published in 1971 and has since been included in the anthology '' Nebula Award Stories Eight'' as well as several collections of C ...
"
# "Quarantine"
# siseneG': 'Genesis' Spelled Backwards"
# "The Steam-powered Word Processor"
# "On Golden Seas"
# "The Hammer of God"
# "The Wire Continuum" (with Stephen Baxter)
# " Improving the Neighbourhood"
Previous appearances in book form
Of the above 114 pieces, 95 were published in six major short story collections during Clarke's lifetime. They are distributed as follows (all cross-references with the above list are noted):
* "Expedition to Earth" (1953, 11 stories: nos. 7, 12, 14, 19–21, 28, 31, 32–33, 39)
* "Reach for Tomorrow" (1956, 12: nos. 5, 8–9, 11, 13, 18, 23–24, 26, 36–38)
* "Tales from the White Hart" (1957, 15: nos. 25, 42, 45–46, 49, 57–64, 66–67)
* "The Other Side of the Sky" (1958, 24: nos. 15–16, 34–35, 41, 44, 47–48, 51–56, 65, 69–74, 76–78)
* "Tales of Ten Worlds" (1962, 15: nos. 27, 75, 79–89, 91, 93)
* "The Wind from the Sun" (1972, 18: nos. 90, 92, 94–109)
Note that nos. 50 and 68 above are not short stories but two cycles of six pieces each.
Later collections consist mostly of previously collected material, with the following exceptions (all cross-references with the above list are noted):
* ''The Best of Arthur C. Clarke: 1937–1971'' (1973, four "new" stories: nos. 1, 3, 6, 10)
* ''The Sentinel'' (1983, 2: no. 22)
* ''The Wind from the Sun'' (1987 edition, 3: nos. 110, 111)
* ''Tales from Planet Earth'' (1989, 3: nos. 40, 43, 113)
As can be seen, of these 12 "new stories", 10 are reprinted in ''The Collected Stories''. The missing ones are a movie outline of ''The Songs of Distant Earth'' (from "The Sentinel"; this is not the short story of the same name) and a short sketch titled "When the Twerms Came", which originally appeared in Clarke's non-fiction book ''The View from Serendip'' (1978) and was later reprinted in the 1987 edition of ''The Wind from the Sun''.
For the remaining nine pieces (2, 4, 17, 29, 30, 112, 114–116) this is either their first appearance in book form at all or first appearance in a book by Arthur C. Clarke. There are, however, two exceptions. "The Lion of Comarre" (no. 17), although published in magazine form as early as 1949, first appeared in book form in 1968, in an omnibus edition together with Clarke's early novel ''Against the Fall of the Night'' (1953). "The Steam-powered Word-Processor" (no. 112) had previously appeared in Clarke's "science-fictional autobiography" ''Astounding Days'' (1989).