James Gunn's Basic Science Fiction Library

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According to Sci-fi scholar James Gunn, these are the books one should read in order to "have a solid acquaintance with the foundational and important novels of science fiction". The list is maintained at the University of Kansas Center for the Study of Science Fiction’s website:

http://www2.ku.edu/~sfcenter/sflib.htm

Pages: 1 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

  1. 1.
    The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
    by Douglas Adams
  3. 3.
    Helliconia Summer (Helliconia Trilogy)
    by Brian W. Aldiss
  4. 4.
    Helliconia Winter (The Helliconia Trilogy, Book 3)
    by Brian W. Aldiss
  5. 5.
    Hothouse
    by Brian W. Aldiss
  6. 6.
    the Dark Light Years
    by Brian Wilson Aldiss
  7. 7.
    Barefoot in the Head
    by Brian Wilson Aldiss
  8. 8.
    Frankenstein Unbound
    by Brian Aldiss
  9. 9.
    Tau Zero
    by Poul Anderson
  10. 10.
    Brain Wave

  11. 11.
    War of the Wing-men
    by Poul Anderson
  12. 12.
    The High Crusade
    by Poul Anderson
  13. 13.
    Harvest of Stars
    by Poul Anderson
  14. 14.
    Genesis
    by Poul Anderson
  15. 15.
    Macroscope

  16. 16.
    Battle Circle
    by Piers Anthony
  17. 17.
    Omnivore (Of Man and Manta)
    by Piers Anthony
  18. 18.
    Orn
    by Piers Anthony
  19. 19.
    Ox (Of Man and Manta, No. 3)
    by Piers Anthony
  20. 20.
    Foundation
    by Isaac Asimov
  21. 21.
    Foundation and Empire (Foundation Novels)
    by Isaac Asimov
  22. 22.
    Second Foundation
    by Isaac Asimov
  23. 23.
    I, Robot (Bantam Spectra Book)
    by Isaac Asimov
  24. 24.
    The Caves of Steel (R. Daneel Olivaw, Book 1)
    by Isaac Asimov
  25. 25.
    The Naked Sun
    by Isaac Asimov
  26. 26.
    The Robots of Dawn
    by Isaac Asimov
  27. 27.
    The End of Eternity
    by Isaac Asimov
  28. 28.
    The Gods Themselves
    by Isaac Asimov
  29. 29.
    ?
  30. 30.
    The Crystal World
    by J. G. Ballard
  31. 31.
    ?
    Drowned World (Everyman Fiction)
    by J G Ballard
  32. 32.
    The Atrocity Exhibition
    by J.G. Ballard
  33. 33.
    Empire of the Sun
    by J. G. Ballard
  34. 34.
    Consider Phlebas
    by Iain M. Banks
  35. 35.
    The Time Ships
    by Stephen Baxter
  36. 36.
    Titan
    by Stephen Baxter
  37. 37.
    Blood Music (Ibooks Science Fiction Classics)
    by Greg Bear
  38. 38.
    Darwin's Radio
    by Greg Bear
  39. 39.
    Eon
    by Greg Bear
  40. 40.
    The Forge of God
    by Greg Bear
  41. 41.
    Queen of Angels (Questar Science Fiction)
    by Greg Bear
  42. 42.
    Anvil of Stars
    by Greg Bear
  43. 43.
    Moving Mars: A Novel
    by Greg Bear
  44. 44.
    Looking Backward 2000-1887 (Oxford World's Classics)
    by Edward Bellamy
  45. 45.
    Timescape
    by Gregory Benford
  46. 46.
    Great Sky River (Galactic Center)
    by Gregory Benford
  47. 47.
    Tides of Light (Galactic Center)
    by Gregory Benford
  48. 48.
    Furious Gulf (Galactic Center)
    by Gregory Benford
  49. 49.
    Sailing Bright Eternity (Galactic Center)
    by Gregory Benford
  50. 50.
    In the Ocean of Night (Galactic Center, Volume 1)
    by Gregory Benford

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Created by ginshera on Jan 31, 2008.
 

Comments

sipes23

Academics gone mad — 2 years ago

423 books is the number of books "one should read in order to ‘have a solid acquaintance with the foundational and important novels of science fiction’. "?!?!?!

Is he kidding? 423 books? A solid acquaintance?

I can’t argue the quality of the picks, because the 13% of the list I’ve read is quite good. It’s probably safe to assume the others are as well. But 423? If you read all of the books on this list, you won’t have a “solid acquantance.” You’ll be a walking almanac of science fiction.

Of course, that said, this list is pretty awesome.

Dec 13, 06:43PM | 0 comments | Reply to this



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