ID this anthology

Okay, this time it's from further back than usual, so my recollection is sketchy.

The title was something along the lines of "The Golden Years". The theme was science fiction from the relatively early days, meaning the 1940s, and possibly also the 1950s and 1930s.

There were essays, along with the short stories, and it was while reading that book (gotten from the library[1]) that I learned the basics of science fiction lore, e.g. who John W. Campbell was and why he was important.


I remember one story by A.E. Van Vogt about a scientist who created (or modified) some creatures through forced evolution. They were very small, and lived in a confined enviroment. The scientist would apply pressure on them, which forced them to make technological inventions to survive and thrive.

Another story was about vast space beings, which apparently could create stars, or life or something. They had two sexes, with one sex limited to "giving birth" once, after which it would die. I do not recall the author's name.

A story which I'm pretty certain was also in this anthology is one by Isaac Asimov, about a small plastic doll which "comes alive" when a scientist fills it with some gooey substance.

There may also have been one or two Heinlein stories in it. I'm not sure. One titled something aling the lines of "By His Boot Straps", about time travel. Another about a four-dimensional house. Maybe "He Built Himself A Crooked House" or something.

I do not recall any further stories, but there must have been more than those five.

I recall the book as having a yellow'ish cover, or possibly orange, with some kind of line drawing on the front.

Note that I cannot vouch for any detail given about as bein 100% certain. Any single item could be misremembered, or messed up somehow. But chances are that most of the above are correctly recalled.


I started reading English in 1989, so the book can't have been published as 1st edition after that date. I probably read it in 1990, 1991 or 1992, with 1991 being the most probable year. The book seemed a bit worn. A pulication year of 1980 would not surprise me.


[1] Hundige Bibliotek, in Greve, in case Janus or some other Dane is reading.

--
Peter Knutsen
sagatafl.org
.

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