[March 14, 1966] Random Numbers (May 1966 Worlds of Tomorrow)

by Victoria Silverwolf Printers' Devils When I'm reading a book or magazine, if I come across a mistake in printing it takes me right out of the story. If it's a simple misspelling, it's no big deal, yet there's still that brief moment when my mind unwillingly goes back to reality. More serious problems, such … Continue reading [March 14, 1966] Random Numbers (May 1966 Worlds of Tomorrow)

[January 16, 1966] Getting There Is Half The Fun (March 1966 Worlds of Tomorrow)

by Victoria Silverwolf Modes of Transportation I hope that the Cunard Line will forgive me for stealing their famous slogan. By the way, isn't this a lovely advertisement? In this modern world, there are all kinds of ways of getting around. There are luxury liners, as shown above. There are airplanes, complete with friendly attendants … Continue reading [January 16, 1966] Getting There Is Half The Fun (March 1966 Worlds of Tomorrow)

[January 4, 1966] Keep Watching the Skies (February 1966 IF)

by David Levinson I’m sure many of the Journey’s readers will remember the 1951 film The Thing from Another World, which featured Marshal Dillon himself, James Arness, as an alien super-carrot. Based loosely on John Campbell’s novella Who Goes There?, it’s a fine piece of Red Scare paranoia, though not quite as good as Invasion … Continue reading [January 4, 1966] Keep Watching the Skies (February 1966 IF)

[November 10, 1965] Strangers in Strange Lands (December 1965 Galaxy)

by Gideon Marcus Time for the Stars I was having a lovely conversation with fellow traveler Kris about the mixed reviews for the British anthology show, Out of the Unknown.  Some critics are saying the stories aired would have been better served in a conventional setting rather than on Mars or wherever. Indeed, this has … Continue reading [November 10, 1965] Strangers in Strange Lands (December 1965 Galaxy)

[August 2, 1965] Expansion and Contraction (September 1965 IF)

by David Levinson It seems like the world gets a little smaller every day. Jet planes are gradually replacing larger propeller-driven planes in the passenger market, reducing the time it takes to get from one place to another. As they become more ubiquitous even the middle class may be able to travel like the jet … Continue reading [August 2, 1965] Expansion and Contraction (September 1965 IF)

[July 18, 1965] The Prodigal Returneth (September 1965 Worlds of Tomorrow)

by Victoria Silverwolf It's Great To Be Back Those of you who keep track of minutiae may have noticed that I haven't been around these parts for a while. Blame it on seismic changes in the world of magazine publishing. To wit, the fact that Fantastic will now be published bimonthly removed that magazine from … Continue reading [July 18, 1965] The Prodigal Returneth (September 1965 Worlds of Tomorrow)

[June 12, 1965] The Number of the Bests

by John Boston The Collectors SF anthologies are not neutral vessels.  They are shaped by editors with agendas.  Sometimes these are as simple as “what can I throw together to make some money,” but usually they advance the editor’s conception of what the field is, or should be.  The first “best of the year” compilation … Continue reading [June 12, 1965] The Number of the Bests

[May 2, 1965] FORWARD INTO THE PAST (June 1965 IF)

by David Levinson Science fiction is generally considered to be literature that looks ahead. Much of Western culture also seems to be fairly obsessed with the miracles of progress and moving into a brighter future. Even communism, though less materially oriented, talks a good game about a better tomorrow. But there are also those who … Continue reading [May 2, 1965] FORWARD INTO THE PAST (June 1965 IF)

[April 2, 1965] SPEAKING A COMMON LANGUAGE (May 1965 IF)

by David Levinson The Common Tongue March 7th was the first Sunday of Lent. It's a particularly special event this year as Catholics can now hear mass in their local language, rather than Latin. Pope Paul VI marked the occasion by conducting services in Italian at a small church near the Vatican. Mass in the … Continue reading [April 2, 1965] SPEAKING A COMMON LANGUAGE (May 1965 IF)

[March 8, 1965] An Alien Perspective (April 1965 Galaxy)

by Gideon Marcus Understanding the Other Civilization is about building a society out of disparate units.  It has to go beyond the family and clan.  The key to organizing a civilization is empathy, recognizing that we are all different yet we share common values and rights.  Once we understand each other, even if we don't … Continue reading [March 8, 1965] An Alien Perspective (April 1965 Galaxy)