Jump to content

Wikipedia:WikiProject Science Fiction/References

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A list of SF references along with their availability on the Internet Archive's Open Library, the Wikipedia Library and other sources. (Note: Wikipedia Library links below are freely accessible; no publisher-specific approval needed). Some sources may also be available through Z-library.

A similar list for fantasy is at WP:FANTASYREFS.

Literature

[edit]

"In the early 1970s anybody interested in the history and criticism of sf could have found very little to read on the subject. Now there is far too much to cope with, and the difficulty is in locating what might be available and interesting."

Companions

[edit]
Year Work Availability
2003 The Cambridge Companion to Science Fiction by Edward James and Farah Mendlesohn Available at the Wikipedia Library
2005 Wiley-Blackwell's A Companion to Science Fiction by David Seed Available at the Internet Archive and also at the Wikipedia Library
2009 The Routledge Companion to Science Fiction by Mark Bould, Andrew M. Butler, Adam Roberts, Sherryl Vint Available at the Internet Archive and also at the Wikipedia Library
2014 The Oxford Handbook of Science Fiction by Rob Latham Available at the Wikipedia Library
2015 The Cambridge Companion to American Science Fiction by Gerry Canavan and Eric Carl Link Available at the Wikipedia Library

Encyclopedias

[edit]
Year Work Availability
1974 The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction and Fantasy, volumes 1–3 by Donald H. Tuck Covers up to 1968. Quotable for opinions on stories and books. As a bibliographical resource it has been largely superseded by later works, but there is still some data here not available anywhere else. Find vol. 1 in libraries (WorldCat catalog). Vol. 2 and vol. 3 available at the Internet Archive
1977 The Visual Encyclopedia of Science Fiction by Brian Ash Available at the Internet Archive
1978 Encyclopedia of Science Fiction by Robert Holdstock Available at the Internet Archive
1979 –
present
The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction by Peter Nicholls, John Clute, David Langford Officially available online: http://sf-encyclopedia.com/
1996 The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Science Fiction: The Definitive Illustrated Guide by David Pringle Available at the Internet Archive
2001 The Mammoth Encyclopedia of Science Fiction by George Mann Preview at Google Books
2005 The Greenwood Encyclopedia of Science Fiction and Fantasy by Gary Westfahl Available: vol. 1, vol. 2, vol. 3 at the Internet Archive
2005 Encyclopedia of Science Fiction (Library Movements) by Don D'Ammassa Preview at Google Books
2006 Science Fact and Science Fiction: An Encyclopedia by Brian Stableford Preview at Google Books
2021 Science Fiction Literature through History: An Encyclopedia by Gary Westfahl Preview at Google Books

Histories

[edit]

SF in general

[edit]
Year Work Availability
1974 Seekers of Tomorrow: Masters of Modern Science Fiction by Sam Moskowitz Biographical sketches of important SF figures, both genre and pre-genre. Contains some errors, but can still be useful. Available at the Internet Archive
Explorers of the Infinite: Shapers of Science Fiction by Sam Moskowitz Biographical sketches of important SF figures, both genre and pre-genre. Contains some errors, but can still be useful. Available at the Internet Archive
1975 Alternate Worlds: The Illustrated History of Science Fiction by James Gunn Preview at Google Books
1976 A Pictorial History of Science Fiction by David Kyle Find in libraries (WorldCat catalog)
1977 The Futurians: The Story of the Science Fiction "Family" of the 30's That Produced Today's Top SF Writers and Editors by Damon Knight Available at the Internet Archive
1979 The World of Science Fiction, 1926-1976: The History of a Subculture by Lester Del Rey Available at the Internet Archive
1986 Trillion Year Spree: The History of Science Fiction by Brian Aldiss Available at the Internet Archive
1999–
2006
Pioneers in Wonder: Conversations with Science Fiction Founders by Eric Leif Davin Interviews with early figures in SF, such as Eshbach, Moskowitz, Lasser, and Hornig. Available at the Internet Archive
Partners in Wonder: Women and the Birth of Science Fiction, 1926-1965 by Eric Leif Davin About women in SF, 1926-65. Available at the Internet Archive
2006 The History of Science Fiction by Adam Roberts Available at the Internet Archive
2015 The Cambridge History of Science Fiction by Gerry Canavan and Eric Carl Link Available at the Wikipedia Library
2018 Astounding: John W. Campbell, Isaac Asimov, Robert A. Heinlein, L. Ron Hubbard,
and the Golden Age of Science Fiction
by Alec Nevala-Lee
Preview at Google Books

SF magazines

[edit]
Year Work Availability
1970 Under The Moons of Mars: A History and Anthology of "The Scientific Romance" in
the Munsey Magazines, 1912-1920
by Sam Moskowitz
Contains a 140-page history of pre-Amazing magazines in the back; focuses on SF before it became a genre. Available at the Internet Archive
1974–78 The History of the Science Fiction Magazine, Parts 1 – 4 by Mike Ashley Part 1 available at the Internet Archive
Snippet views of part 2, part 3, part 4 at Google Books
1977 The Creation of Tomorrow: Fifty Years of Magazine Science Fiction by Paul Allen Carter Available at the Internet Archive
1985 Science Fiction, Fantasy & Weird Fiction Magazines by Mike Ashley and Marshall Tymn Snippet view at Google Books
1990–98 Science-Fiction: The Early Years by Everett Franklin Bleiler Available at the Internet Archive
Science Fiction: The Gernsback Years by Everett Franklin Bleiler Preview at Google Books
2000–22 The Time Machines: The Story of the Science-Fiction Pulp Magazines from the Beginning to 1950 by Mike Ashley Available at the Wikipedia Library
Transformations: The Story of the Science Fiction Magazines from 1950 to 1970 by Mike Ashley Available at the Wikipedia Library
Gateways to Forever: The Story of the Science-Fiction Magazines from 1970 to 1980 by Mike Ashley Available at the Wikipedia Library
Science Fiction Rebels: The Story of the Science-Fiction Magazines from 1981 to 1990 by Mike Ashley Available at the Wikipedia Library
The Rise of the Cyberzines: The Story of the Science-Fiction Magazines from 1991 to 2020 by Mike Ashley Find in libraries (WorldCat catalog)
2004 The Gernsback Days by Mike Ashley and Robert A. W. Lowndes Preview at Google Books
2006 The Age of the Storytellers: British Popular Fiction Magazines, 1880-1950 by Mike Ashley Focuses on SF before it became a genre. Find in libraries (WorldCat catalog)

General references

[edit]
Year Work Availability
1955 Inquiry Into Science Fiction by Basil Davenport Academic scholarship about SF. Available at the Internet Archive
1964–70 The Issue at Hand: Studies in Contemporary Magazine Science Fiction by James Blish Opinions on old classic stories (+ old not-so-classic stories). Available at the Internet Archive
More Issues at Hand: Critical Studies in Contemporary Science Fiction by James Blish Opinions on old classic stories (+ old not-so-classic stories). Available at the Internet Archive
1967 In Search of Wonder: Essays on Modern Science Fiction by Damon Knight Opinions on old classic stories (+ old not-so-classic stories). Available at the Internet Archive
1975 New Maps of Hell: A Survey of Science Fiction by Kingsley Amis Available at the Internet Archive
1977 The Jewel-Hinged Jaw: Notes on the Language of Science Fiction by Samuel R. Delany Preview at Google Books
1979 The Language of the Night: Essays on Fantasy and Science Fiction by Ursula K. Le Guin Preview at Google Books
1979 Metamorphoses of Science Fiction by Darko Suvin Academic scholarship about SF. Find in libraries (WorldCat catalog)
1979–83 Survey of Science Fiction Literature, volumes 1–5 by Frank N. Magill Assessments of famous books. Vol. 3 available at the Internet Archive
Snippet views of vol. 1, vol. 2, vol. 4, vol. 5 at Google Books
Survey of Modern Fantasy Literature, volumes 1–5 by Frank N. Magill Vol. 1 available at the Internet Archive
Snippet views of vol. 2, vol. 3, vol. 4, vol. 5 at Google Books
1981 The Dictionary of Literary Biography, Volume 8: Twentieth-Century American Science-Fiction Writers, parts 1–2 by David Covart and Thomas L. Wymer Find part 1 in libraries (WorldCat catalog)
Part 2 at the Internet Archive
1983 The Science in Science Fiction by Peter Nicholls Available at the Internet Archive
1994 Science Fiction in the Twentieth Century by Edward James Available at the Internet Archive
1996–2017 1st ed. (1996)
Magill's Guide to Science Fiction and Fantasy Literature edited by T. A. Shippey, vol. 1–4
Plot summaries and analyses of "hundreds of famous and well-regarded works of science fiction and fantasy". Covers a total of 791 books/series. Vol. 1 (A–D), vol. 3 (L–S) and vol.4 (S–Z) available at the Internet Archive
2nd ed. (2002)
Classics of Science Fiction and Fantasy Literature edited by Fiona Kelleghan, vol. 1–2
Adds 8 new essays. Covers a total of 180 books/series. Not clear if all prior edition entries are present or if some were removed. Vol. 1 (A–M) available at the Internet Archive
3rd ed. (2017)
Critical Survey of Science Fiction & Fantasy Literature edited by Paul Di Filippo, vol. 1–3
Adds 50 new books/series + revisions of older entries. Covers a total of 842 books. Not clear if all prior edition entries are present or if some were removed. Can be accessed through Wikipedia Library ([1]). Table of Contents
1998 The Mechanics of Wonder: The Creation of the Idea of Science Fiction by Gary Westfahl Available at the Internet Archive
1999 Science Fiction Writers: Critical Studies of the Major Authors
from the Early Nineteenth Century to the Present Day
by Richard Bleiler
Available at the Internet Archive
1999 The Dictionary of Science Fiction Places by Brian Stableford Available at the Internet Archive
2000 Critical Theory and Science Fiction by Carl Freedman Preview at Google Books
2000 Science Fiction: The New Critical Idiom by Adam Roberts Available at the Internet Archive
2007 Brave New Words: The Oxford Dictionary of Science Fiction by Jeff Prucher Available at the Internet Archive and also at the Wikipedia Library
2011 Science Fiction: A Very Short Introduction by David Seed Preview at Google Books
2014 Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction in Literature by M. Keith Booker "The dictionary section has over 300 cross-referenced entries including significant people; themes; critical issues; and the most significant genres that have formed science fiction literature". Available through Wikipedia Library.
2018 An Informal History of the Hugos by Jo Walton Collects Tor.com essays available online. Preview at Google Books
2020 Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction by Jesse Sheidlower Offshoot of the above Oxford dictionary, available online: https://sfdictionary.com/

Themes and subgenres

[edit]
Year Work Availability
1986 Hard Science Fiction by George Edgar Slusser and Eric S. Rabkin Available at the Internet Archive
1989 Feminism and Science Fiction by Sarah LeFanu Available at the Internet Archive
1990 Uranian Worlds: A Guide to Alternative Sexuality in Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror by Eric Garber Available at the Internet Archive
1994 Aliens and Others: Science Fiction, Feminism, and Postmodernism by Jenny Wolmark Available at the Internet Archive
1997 Political Science Fiction by Donald M Hassler and Eric Wilcox Available at the Internet Archive
2006 Daughters of Earth: Feminist Science Fiction in the Twentieth Century by Justine Larbalestier Available at the Internet Archive

Author biographies

[edit]

Early SF

Year Work Availability
1986 H. G. Wells: Desperately Mortal by David C. Smith Available at the Internet Archive
2000 Mary Shelley by Miranda Seymour Available at the Internet Archive
2002 Jules Verne: The Definitive Biography by William Butcher Available at the Internet Archive

Pulp era

Year Work Availability
2013 The Man from Mars: Ray Palmer's Amazing Pulp Journey by Fred Nadis Preview at Google Books
2017 Leo Margulies: Giant of the Pulps by Philip Sherman Find in libraries (WorldCat catalog)

Golden Age

Year Work Availability
1979 The Way the Future Was: A Memoir by Frederick Pohl Find in libraries (WorldCat catalog)
1979–94 In Memory Yet Green: The Autobiography of Isaac Asimov, 1920–1954 by Isaac Asimov Available at the Internet Archive
In Joy Still Felt: The Autobiography of Isaac Asimov, 1954-1978 by Isaac Asimov Available at the Internet Archive
I. Asimov: A Memoir by Isaac Asimov Available at the Internet Archive
1986 Leigh Brackett: American Writer by John L. Carr Find in libraries (WorldCat catalog)
1988 Frank Herbert by William F. Touponce Available at the Internet Archive
1992 Arthur C. Clarke: The Authorized Biography by Neil McAleer Available at the Internet Archive
2006 The Bradbury Chronicles: The Life of Ray Bradbury by Sam Weller Available at the Internet Archive
2009 C.M. Kornbluth: The Life and Works of a Science Fiction Visionary by Mark Rich Preview at Google Books
2014 Robert A. Heinlein: In Dialogue with His Century, volumes 1–2 by William H. Pattinson Vol. 1 preview at Google Books
Vol. 2 available at the Internet Archive
2015 Anthony Boucher: A Biobibliography by Jeffrey Marks Preview at Google Books
2019 Hidden Wyndham: Life, Love, Letters by Amy Binns Find in libraries (WorldCat catalog)

New Wave

Year Work Availability
1976 Hell's Cartographers by Brian Aldiss and Harry Harrison Autobiographical essays by Robert Silverberg, Damon Knight, Frederick Pohl, Harry Harrison (writer), Brian Aldiss, Alfred Bester. Available at the Internet Archive
1979–88 Heavenly Breakfast: An Essay on the Winter of Love by Samuel R. Delany Available at the Internet Archive
The Motion of Light in Water by Samuel R. Delany Available at the Internet Archive
1981 Ursula K. Le Guin by Barbara Bucknall Available at the Internet Archive
1989 Divine Invasions: A Life of Philip K. Dick by Lawrence Sutin Available at the Internet Archive
2002 Better to Have Loved: The Life of Judith Merril by Judith Merril and Emily Pohl-Weary Available at the Internet Archive
2002 Harlan Ellison: The Edge of Forever by Ellen Weil and Gary K. Wolfe Available at the Internet Archive
2006 James Tiptree, Jr.: The Double Life of Alice B. Sheldon by Julie Phillips Available at the Internet Archive
2007 Anne McCaffrey: A Life with Dragons by Robin Roberts Available at the Internet Archive
2016 Octavia E. Butler by Gerry Canavan Preview at Google Books
2019 Joanna Russ by Gwyneth Jones Preview at Google Books

Post-1980

Year Work Availability
2013 William Gibson by Gary Westfahl Preview at Google Books
2015 Lois McMaster Bujold by Edward James Preview at Google Books
2017 Iain M. Banks by Paul Kincaid Preview at Google Books

Note: For pre-1960 writers, the social circles were small enough that you can go to Fred Pohl's The Way the Future Was for information about Kornbluth, and to Rich's bio of Kornbluth for information about Lowndes, and so on.

Finding reviews

[edit]

Bibliographies

[edit]
  • Galactic Central is a reliable source for bibliographic data and includes the Contento indexes.
  • The ISFDB is not a reliable source to cite in FAs, per some FAC review discussions, though it's a great place to find information that can be verified elsewhere.

Art

[edit]
Year Work Availability
1975 Science Fiction Art by Brian Aldiss Find in libraries (WorldCat catalog)
1975 Alternate Worlds: The Illustrated History of Science Fiction by James Gunn Preview at Google Books
1976 A Pictorial History of Science Fiction by David Kyle Find in libraries (WorldCat catalog)
1977 Great Balls of Fire! A History of Sex in Science Fiction Illustration by Harry Harrison Find in libraries (WorldCat catalog)
1997 Infinite Worlds: The Fantastic Visions of Science Fiction Art by Vincent DiFate Find in libraries (WorldCat catalog)

Film and television

[edit]
Year Work Availability
2014 The Liverpool Companion to World Science Fiction Film by Sonja Fritzsche Available at the Wikipedia Library
2014 The Oxford Handbook of Science Fiction by Rob Latham Available at the Wikipedia Library

Fannish references

[edit]

The professional and fannish science fiction and fantasy communities create some unique types of references that can be considered for citation purposes. General descriptions are provided here, with a list of some specific publications that are known to be reliable listed below that. Note that the categories of publication below include a full range of quality in execution; any publication must be considered on its own merits before being used in a citation.

Fanzines

[edit]

Some say that science fiction fandom as it exists today was created in the letter columns of pulp magazines. Fans who first exchanged ideas that way went on to establish fanzines and Amateur press associations for trading such zines amongst each other. There continues a strong tradition of fan writing, fan editing, and fan illustration, recognized by the Hugo Awards for Best Fan Writer, Best Fanzine, and Best Fan Artist, as well as the Nova Awards for the same categories, specific to British and Irish sf fanzines.

Some fanzines are personal publications that are similar to blogs and do not generally make reliable, verifiable references. Other fanzines have a well-established publication history and are managed with an editorial model comparable to that of a professional magazine or academic journal. These non-profit publications can include articles and letters by professional writers and both pro and amateur historians in the field. They can be rich sources for well-researched articles about people, places, events, organizations, literary works, art, film and tv.

eFanzines.com is probably the largest online archive of fanzines, but there are other fanzine websites, and also many collectors and some libraries and universities with physical collections.

Convention publications

[edit]

Science Fiction conventions that are large enough to have a Publications department usually produce an annual publication, called a Souvenir Book, Program Book or Program. These books will include biographical profiles of the convention's Guests of Honor and may also contain bibliographies and interviews. Sometimes the biography is provided by the guest or their publisher; this is marketing material such as might appear on a personal or publisher website and should be treated accordingly. Often, however, convention publication editors solicit biographical essays from professional friends and associates of the guests. If a biographical article has the byline of a well-established fanwriter, editor, or professional author, it is a verifiable reference comparable to a guest introduction in a published volume of someone's collected work. Similarly an interview published in a convention program book is as verifiable as one in a fanzine, magazine, or professional website, as long as the name of the interviewer, the program book Editor or the head of Publications is given somewhere in the printed publication.

SF Fanhistorical reference texts

[edit]

Over the years several fan writers have established themselves as dedicated fan historians, documenting the history of the genre. Texts from this fannish activity that make useful references include the following:

Year Work Availability
1954 The Immortal Storm: A History of Science Fiction Fandom by Sam Moskowitz. Hyperion Press, 1998
(original edition The Atlanta Science Fiction Organization Press, Atlanta, Georgia 1954)
Available at the Internet Archive
1969 All Our Yesterdays by Harry Warner, Jr. Advent, 1969; NESFA Press, 2004 Snippet view at Google Books
1977 A Wealth of Fable by Harry Warner, Jr. Fanhistorica Press, SCIFI Press
1994 Science Fiction Fandom edited by Joe Sanders. Greenwood Press Snippet view at Google Books
2016 THEN: Science Fiction Fandom in the UK: 1930-1980 by Robert Hansen Preview at Google Books