The Best of Fredric Brown
by Fredric Brown
On This Page
Tags
Recommendations
Member Reviews
Not every story here is a classic, and a few are quite dated. But reading straight through these for the first time in over 35 years, my love for Fredric Brown as a writer was not diminished. This collection features a few of his short-shorts, with their shock endings. But even when you know what is coming, they are still fun. Of the longer stories, "Come and Go Mad" retains its chills (it was originally published in Weird Tales). "Etaoin Shrdlu" is a lot of fun (even if it concerns a Linotype machine!) and is very reminiscent of some of Stephen King's short stories. Throughout the collection, Brown's voice shines through, with an intelligence and engaging style that only the best pulp writers possessed.
Some of these are OK, some are charming, and some are going to stick inside your head for some time. Yes, some of his stuff is dated, but the man was a writer's writer. Good stuff.
I've been looking for a copy of this book for many years. I first read it from the library, and then found I couldn't buy it anywhere. I'd almost forgotten its existence
It contains some of the very best stories from one of the true masters of the golden age. My favorites are "The Geezenstacks" and "Etaoin Shrdlu" but I love them all.
It contains some of the very best stories from one of the true masters of the golden age. My favorites are "The Geezenstacks" and "Etaoin Shrdlu" but I love them all.
Please go read (and 'like') Inge's review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/40323895?book_show_action=true&page=1. It says what I wish I could say, with better grace and clarity than I could imagine saying it. Let me just add that some of these 'stories' are little more than anecdotes, and one is even a poem. And the edition I have is just over 300 pp., not 500 as another reviewer mentions. Very highly recommended to fans of short SF, horror, and mystery, and to fans of [a:O. Henry|8993|O. Henry|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1183238892p2/8993.jpg].
One of the best collections of short stories I own.
This here is an amazing collection of stories.
A must read for all those who enjoy good science fiction.
A must read for all those who enjoy good science fiction.
Members
- Recently Added By
Author Information
337+ Works 7,985 Members
All Editions
Some Editions
Series
Belongs to Publisher Series
Work Relationships
Contains
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- The Best of Fredric Brown
- Original title
- The Best of Fredric Brown
- Original publication date
- 1977-01 (Nelson Doubleday/SFBC) (Nelson Doubleday/SFBC)
- First words
- I hope they don't misspell his name. (Introduction)
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)For into it he poured a lifetime of effort and experience, wit and wisdom and whimsy, honesty and make-believe, joy and despair - all of the qualities which mark the measure of a man, and which make his writing truly, and aptly, The Best of Frederic Brown. (Introduction)
- Original language*
- Englisch
- Disambiguation notice*
- German edition omits eight pieces of shortfiction from the original collection: "It Didn't Happen", "Recessional", "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik", "Puppet Show", "Nightmare in Yellow", "The Geezenstacks", "Rebound", "Abominable".
*Some information comes from Common Knowledge in other languages. Click "Edit" for more information.
Classifications
Statistics
- Members
- 373
- Popularity
- 83,868
- Reviews
- 8
- Rating
- (4.37)
- Languages
- English, German, Spanish
- Media
- Paper
- ISBNs
- 3
- ASINs
- 12
