Amazon.com (ISBN 1575440695, Hardcover)

You know what you're in for as soon as you see the big-headed evil alien clutching a helpless, scantily clad girl on the cover. Mr. Sci-Fi himself, Forrest J. Ackerman, takes you on a tour of all the cool movies, terrific books, and strange stuff that makes up our favorite genre. From the heady early days of sparking rockets and threatening Martians to today's dystopian futures and strong female leads, we're treated to a fun (and funny) overview of science fiction film and television, illustrated profusely with photos from the author's vast and famous collection of memorabilia. A hall of fame introduces the writers who started it all, and a cook's tour of the old pulp magazines of the '30s, '40s, and '50s is enough to make us nostalgic for the days before industrial light and magic. This is a lighthearted, very personal reference that deserves a place on the shelf of pop-culture sci-fi fans.