The Rediscovery of Man: The Complete Short Science Fiction of Cordwainer Smith

There is so much strangeness about this author - from his peculiarly poetic methods of story-telling, influenced by Chinese literary forms, to his fascination with cold-war themes and body-horror, to his easy-to-miss-though-clearly-there references to Christian themes (deriving immortality from "sick sheep," a fascination with Joan of Arc, etc.) I have a friend whose opinions on literature I think very highly of, and he hates Cordwainer Smith, but having read Smith first 40 years ago in high school, I find every story sublimely weird, captivating and memorable. His work is among the few that I find myself re-reading every 10 years or so. He might not be your cup-of-tea, but if he is to your liking, he will become one of your favorite science fiction authors. Oh, and did I mention Smith (nom de plum for Dr. Paul Linebarger, professor of Asian Studies at John's Hopkins, one of the earliest experts on psychological warfare for the US government) was also Sun Yat Sen's god-son? How can you NOT pick up this strange collection of science fiction stories?

This book is a collection of Cordwainer Smith's short stories, which after his death were lookled at a little closer and found to have a common thread running each one. If you read and enjoy sci-fi as much as I do, then don't hesitate to add this book to your collection. A customer of mine lent me one of the paperback partial collections of these stories and the book blew me away. I went to Amazon and found this complete collection and really took off. This man wrote like no one else and I believe it had everything to do with the way he was raised, the places he lived and the people he met growing up. When I read these stories I have a feeling come over me like no other author has inspired in me. I can't describe it, but it makes one wish to not put the book down until one finishes it. Get this book, read about Smith (pseudonym) and relish these wonderful stories!

The uniformity of ratings for this book tell the tale. I have read hundreds of SF novels and short stories over the years, and in my judgment this is the single best volume. Usually it's hard to say "best" - a book or story might be extraordinary in some respects, ordinary in others. In this case I don't think it's difficult to make the call. This is SF taken beyond the genre, and yet standing at the top of it. Beyond mind-expanding treatments of key SF topics (space travel, androids, time travel, etc.), Smith/Linebarger explored the more fundamental (higher?) literary terrain of what it means to be human, threading a consistent message of awe and compassion throughout. If this sounds pretty heavy - well, the stories are compelling and entertaining as well. Highest recommendation.

I read his stories in college when I had better things to do and for several years thereafter. I always enjoyed them but I got away from him and pretty much away from reading sci-fi, then I saw this and finally got it. He wrote years ago and his science is not so good but he's not doing fantasy (way too many people are) and he's fun to read. I recommend him for historical perspective and for a fun read. And his stories are tied together as part of a future history of the human (and related) race(s). I didn't realize his background till I read the forward; fascinating.

Like Heinlein, Smith built a detailed future history of the human race as a backdrop for his writing. It starts at the end of WWII and continues tens of thousands of years into the future. Smith spent much of his childhood in Asia, as the son of a diplomat,and grew up to become an expert in Asian culture and affairs, as well as politics in general and psychology in particular. Many of Smith's stories are rewrites of Chinese myths and fables, with casts of characters out of his often dreamlike human universe, governed by the Instrumentality. Interestingly, even within this vast sweep of time, Smith's Instrumentality never chances upon a single alien race, despite the eventual development of various and increasingly efficient techniques of FTL travel. At a few points in "The Rediscovery of Man" Smith mentions various of the Instrumentality's preparations for possible alien encounters, but only modified and/or forgotten sub-species of humans are ever discovered. The word "dark" gets used a lot in describing Smith's work, deriving from such things as the subjugation of the Underpeople, the practice of memory-wiping and the paternalistic and all-powerful Instrumentality. But most importantly, Smith's personal history is one of witnessing events from the viewpoint of those who are leading (or manipulating) the rest of us, and it is the appearance of this unique understanding in his writing that gives it its edge, and is the real source of that element of darkness. Smith's experiences in, and perception of, real halls of power, governing millions of humans, becomes a disturbing inevitability in the attitudes and policies of control in his Lords and Ladies, that impresses, and chills,the reader. They have billions of human and human- and animal-derived beings spread over hundreds of star systems to keep track of, and they don't ask for permission to act. The Instrumentality is a shadow government- for the most part staying out of daily life for billions of people in far-flung planets and empires. But it does have long-term, altruistic agendas, that require adjustments to the large scale flow of human development, at times, which take the form of both guidance and retribution. At its highest level, the arc of the story told by all the stories in "Rediscovery Of Man", taken together, is about the Instrumentality finally realizing that humans, as a species now spread out over thousands of light years, do best when controls are minimal, hence the title. But the wonderfully offbeat technology is pure imagination-such as the "laminated mouse brain" containing a guardian hologram for a young girl on an interstellar journey in the story "Think Blue, Count Two",or Old North Australia's strange and fearsome planetary defense system in "Mother Hitton's Littul Kittons"; a directed-telepathy weapon powered by the lethal hostility harvested from the minds of specially-bred psychotic weasels. One could actually hope that humanity turns out as exotic, abstract and imaginative (and as long-lasting!) as Smith envisioned. If you are a scifi buff but are unfamiliar with Smith's work, there is a gaping hole in your expertise that you can now remedy with a single, chronologically-ordered volume of stories. If scifi isn't your bag, I guarantee you still will be seduced and enchanted and transfixed by this relatively small body of work which, like the writing of Stanislaw Lem, raises speculative fiction to the level of literature.

I'm only about half way through this large collection of stories. They are fascinating; I've never read anything quite like them. The over-riding impact on me has been how Smith treats the vastness of space as utterly horrifying and toxic to the human psyche. Reading this collection, for the first time I can kinda grok the psychic/spiritual desolation produced in the reavers of Firefly.

This is the book to buy if you like serious science fiction. Smith is one of the greatest authors to ever write in the genre. Sadly he died so young, before he could finish his work. This is all of his stories except for the novel "Norstralia."

Simply majestic, Smith's prose and imagination are quite unlike anything that came before or after, in any corner of genre fiction. This edition itself is the best one out there: all of his short stories collected in one classy, durable hardback. Kind of thing that you'll want to share with you friends and eventually pass on to your kids.

One of my very favorite authors of all time! Why is there no digital edition of Smith's complete works available? I already own the huge hardback, but want a digital copy for all the well known reasons. Come on publishers, please?

I'd never heard of Cordwainer Smith; he was referenced in Philip K. Dick's Exegesis, and I decided to give him a try. The stories - all set over the course of one vast future history - and incredible. I've read nothing else quite like them. Smith's vision is truly amazing. I often find myself thinking, as a writer, that I wish I'd had some of these ideas. Why only 4 stars? I find Smith's style a bit choppy in places. But it's a minor point on an absolutely great collection of rare science fiction. If you read nothing else, it's worth the price for Scanners Live in Vain.

There is so much strangeness about this author - from his peculiarly poetic methods of story-telling, influenced by Chinese literary forms, to his fascination with cold-war themes and body-horror, to his easy-to-miss-though-clearly-there references to Christian themes (deriving immortality from "sick sheep," a fascination with Joan of Arc, etc.) I have a friend whose opinions on literature I think very highly of, and he hates Cordwainer Smith, but having read Smith first 40 years ago in high school, I find every story sublimely weird, captivating and memorable. His work is among the few that I find myself re-reading every 10 years or so. He might not be your cup-of-tea, but if he is to your liking, he will become one of your favorite science fiction authors. Oh, and did I mention Smith (nom de plum for Dr. Paul Linebarger, professor of Asian Studies at John's Hopkins, one of the earliest experts on psychological warfare for the US government) was also Sun Yat Sen's god-son? How can you NOT pick up this strange collection of science fiction stories?

This book is a collection of Cordwainer Smith's short stories, which after his death were lookled at a little closer and found to have a common thread running each one. If you read and enjoy sci-fi as much as I do, then don't hesitate to add this book to your collection. A customer of mine lent me one of the paperback partial collections of these stories and the book blew me away. I went to Amazon and found this complete collection and really took off. This man wrote like no one else and I believe it had everything to do with the way he was raised, the places he lived and the people he met growing up. When I read these stories I have a feeling come over me like no other author has inspired in me. I can't describe it, but it makes one wish to not put the book down until one finishes it. Get this book, read about Smith (pseudonym) and relish these wonderful stories!

The uniformity of ratings for this book tell the tale. I have read hundreds of SF novels and short stories over the years, and in my judgment this is the single best volume. Usually it's hard to say "best" - a book or story might be extraordinary in some respects, ordinary in others. In this case I don't think it's difficult to make the call. This is SF taken beyond the genre, and yet standing at the top of it. Beyond mind-expanding treatments of key SF topics (space travel, androids, time travel, etc.), Smith/Linebarger explored the more fundamental (higher?) literary terrain of what it means to be human, threading a consistent message of awe and compassion throughout. If this sounds pretty heavy - well, the stories are compelling and entertaining as well. Highest recommendation.

I read his stories in college when I had better things to do and for several years thereafter. I always enjoyed them but I got away from him and pretty much away from reading sci-fi, then I saw this and finally got it. He wrote years ago and his science is not so good but he's not doing fantasy (way too many people are) and he's fun to read. I recommend him for historical perspective and for a fun read. And his stories are tied together as part of a future history of the human (and related) race(s). I didn't realize his background till I read the forward; fascinating.

Like Heinlein, Smith built a detailed future history of the human race as a backdrop for his writing. It starts at the end of WWII and continues tens of thousands of years into the future. Smith spent much of his childhood in Asia, as the son of a diplomat,and grew up to become an expert in Asian culture and affairs, as well as politics in general and psychology in particular. Many of Smith's stories are rewrites of Chinese myths and fables, with casts of characters out of his often dreamlike human universe, governed by the Instrumentality. Interestingly, even within this vast sweep of time, Smith's Instrumentality never chances upon a single alien race, despite the eventual development of various and increasingly efficient techniques of FTL travel. At a few points in "The Rediscovery of Man" Smith mentions various of the Instrumentality's preparations for possible alien encounters, but only modified and/or forgotten sub-species of humans are ever discovered. The word "dark" gets used a lot in describing Smith's work, deriving from such things as the subjugation of the Underpeople, the practice of memory-wiping and the paternalistic and all-powerful Instrumentality. But most importantly, Smith's personal history is one of witnessing events from the viewpoint of those who are leading (or manipulating) the rest of us, and it is the appearance of this unique understanding in his writing that gives it its edge, and is the real source of that element of darkness. Smith's experiences in, and perception of, real halls of power, governing millions of humans, becomes a disturbing inevitability in the attitudes and policies of control in his Lords and Ladies, that impresses, and chills,the reader. They have billions of human and human- and animal-derived beings spread over hundreds of star systems to keep track of, and they don't ask for permission to act. The Instrumentality is a shadow government- for the most part staying out of daily life for billions of people in far-flung planets and empires. But it does have long-term, altruistic agendas, that require adjustments to the large scale flow of human development, at times, which take the form of both guidance and retribution. At its highest level, the arc of the story told by all the stories in "Rediscovery Of Man", taken together, is about the Instrumentality finally realizing that humans, as a species now spread out over thousands of light years, do best when controls are minimal, hence the title. But the wonderfully offbeat technology is pure imagination-such as the "laminated mouse brain" containing a guardian hologram for a young girl on an interstellar journey in the story "Think Blue, Count Two",or Old North Australia's strange and fearsome planetary defense system in "Mother Hitton's Littul Kittons"; a directed-telepathy weapon powered by the lethal hostility harvested from the minds of specially-bred psychotic weasels. One could actually hope that humanity turns out as exotic, abstract and imaginative (and as long-lasting!) as Smith envisioned. If you are a scifi buff but are unfamiliar with Smith's work, there is a gaping hole in your expertise that you can now remedy with a single, chronologically-ordered volume of stories. If scifi isn't your bag, I guarantee you still will be seduced and enchanted and transfixed by this relatively small body of work which, like the writing of Stanislaw Lem, raises speculative fiction to the level of literature.

I'm only about half way through this large collection of stories. They are fascinating; I've never read anything quite like them. The over-riding impact on me has been how Smith treats the vastness of space as utterly horrifying and toxic to the human psyche. Reading this collection, for the first time I can kinda grok the psychic/spiritual desolation produced in the reavers of Firefly.

This is the book to buy if you like serious science fiction. Smith is one of the greatest authors to ever write in the genre. Sadly he died so young, before he could finish his work. This is all of his stories except for the novel "Norstralia."

Simply majestic, Smith's prose and imagination are quite unlike anything that came before or after, in any corner of genre fiction. This edition itself is the best one out there: all of his short stories collected in one classy, durable hardback. Kind of thing that you'll want to share with you friends and eventually pass on to your kids.

One of my very favorite authors of all time! Why is there no digital edition of Smith's complete works available? I already own the huge hardback, but want a digital copy for all the well known reasons. Come on publishers, please?

I'd never heard of Cordwainer Smith; he was referenced in Philip K. Dick's Exegesis, and I decided to give him a try. The stories - all set over the course of one vast future history - and incredible. I've read nothing else quite like them. Smith's vision is truly amazing. I often find myself thinking, as a writer, that I wish I'd had some of these ideas. Why only 4 stars? I find Smith's style a bit choppy in places. But it's a minor point on an absolutely great collection of rare science fiction. If you read nothing else, it's worth the price for Scanners Live in Vain.

"She was a girly-girl and they were True Men, the Lords of Creation. Yet she pitted her wits against them and she won." Who couldn't resist reading a story with an opening line like that ("The Ballad of Lost C'Mell")? Smith is to S.F. as Tolkien is to Fantasy, in that you can immediately sense a huge but complete universe behind the stories, but one that is only revealed through the subtleties of his prose. He doesn't come out and explain it all to you in so many words, but rather leaves you to gain understanding as you make your way from story to story. Anyone who reads this book, and happens to fall in love with C'Mell along the way, should also read "Norstrilia" to find out more about her and other characters from the short stories.

I first stumbled onto Smith's works in a used paperback store more than 30 years ago. The first of Smith's books that I read was so compelling that I had to search out his other works. Now all those short stories are here in one collection. Potential reader, consider yourself fortunate that you don't have to chase down old paperbacks in used bookstores. Purchase the Rediscovery of Man and tighten your rocket harness because your going for a ride.

Lindbarger (Smith) was an absolutely unique individual & writer. What a sorrow that he didn't live to write more. As another reviewer noted: the vast majority of reviews are over 5 stars. Only writer that I've ever read that compares in style is Clifford Simak at his best. Buy the HARDCOVER!

Cordwainer Smith was a poet of sorts, and this collection is very like an epic. Mostly encompassed by the framework of Smith's far-future creation, the Instrumentality of Mankind, the stories sometimes recycle motifs and names, but each has a unique vision of what it is to be human--even when the characters he writes about are not, themselves, human at all. Smith's narratives transform the distant future into the dimly remembered past, thus giving his starfarers the feel of legendary, often tragic figures, rather than the idealized and flavorless travelers too often found in science fiction. A must-have collection by one of the twentieth-century's greatest imaginations.

My philosophy is that, if you are going to make the future up, you might as well pull out all the stops and just make it as crazy, mysterious, and as convoluted as possible. Cordwainer Smith's vision of the future is just that. He has an incredible ability to imagine really wild and unique settings, problems, and solutions. Even better, he writes in the tone of voice of his future, which gets him an extra plus from me. I dislike a lot of scifi because it is too realistic. That is not a problem with this book. Smith's visions are screwed-up, masterful, and so very compelling that you can't help but admire the guy for his ingenuity and creativity. BUY THIS BOOK.

This is the best book I have ever read in my entire life. So much that despite the fact that I never want to re-read a book or re-watch a movie, I am considering starting this over even though I just finished it. So unbelievably intelligent, complete, wonderful, effortless, complete.

Paul Myron Anthony Linebarger, alias Cordwainer Smith, remains a great visionary of a future nicer and more equitable toward all beings than the present ignorance we are experiencing now. I am always moved by the tremendous empathy, insight and decency Smith displays toward all beings whom we take so terribly for granted as mere objects in our world today. This is a book for any dreamer who awakens to a dawn wondering why he is on this planet at all. To all of Smith's writings, always, a full five stars.

Together with his novel "Norstrilia", this provides a complete collection of Cordwainer Smith's published science fiction. You either like Smith or find him frustrating - personally, I have enjoyed his writing since I was fourteen. His plot lines can be convoluted, and his sentence structure almost alien, but his characters - C'mell, Commander Suzdal, E'telekeli, Lord Jestocost - are sympathetic, and memorable, and almost real. If you have read and liked Alfred Bester's "The Stars My Destination", then try this.

Besides being a comprehensive collection of Mr. Smith's short stories, this also is a lovely edition. Not to be confused with the much shorter Gollanz book of the same name.

A LOT of short stories that are interconnected loosely to provide a rich world. Don't let the first few stories fool you into thinking this is a simple book, it builds marvelously.

Cordwainer Smith, an underrated science fiction writer was a master storyteller. Smith was the pseudonym used by American author Paul Myron Anthony Linebarger. He was a East Asia scholar and expert in psychological warfare. His stories span thousands of years into the future and explored how Mankind's destiny could play out as evolution took its course.

I have been a fan of Cordwainer Smith for more than forty years. I purchased this book for a young reader who wanted to be introduced to science fiction. I felt that Cordwainer Smith was the perfect start for him

Possibly the single greatest collection of science fiction stories by one of the greatest American writers in history. Wildly imaginative, poignant, poetic, romantic on a grand scale yet intensely personal. The best of the stories transcend any genre.

A collection of beautifully written stories with a strong Chinese-influenced style. The stories are magnificently crafted and unique in form As I write this the e-version has become unavailable. Hope it returns

Love Cordwainer Smith and either lent or lost my last copy, so ordered another one. I've not re-read it recently but intend to.

This is everything science fiction should be: weird, startling, layered with humanity and at the same time trailing clouds of complete oddity. The stories in this book cover literally tens of thousands of years in the narrative timeline, with people acting very much like people the entire time. New discoveries are used for both good and ill, pioneers in new forms of travel are lost, or injured, people seek redemption in various fashions and with varying levels of success. the joy of this book is that these are stories that Asimov, Clarke and Heinlein wouldn't have written. They're too uncomfortable, too weird to fit the standard mold. In this regard the entire book is a breath of fresh air.

Cordwainer Smith is simply one of the best scifi authors. Is main output were short stories that revolved across a grand complex future. The great thing here is that this book contains all of his short stories in one volume. If you enjoy scifi then you definitely should read Cordwainer Smith!

New England Science Fiction Association has a publishing house side, and they publish old and high quality writers. This is a wonderful collection of a top writer.

indespensible, if you like Smith

Fantastically unique and bizarre story, that fills you with dread and awe.

There is no other work like this. He has created a world 10,000 years in the future that hopefully won't happen.

Love these collections from the golden age sf masters. More please.

Like nothing I have ever read. Insanely inventive and mind-bending.

One of the 3 or 4 best SF books I have read!

All the short fiction from one of science fiction's most creative writers. There is simply no one like Cordwainer Smith!

Perhaps the most imaginative science fiction writer ever.

This was a gift for my 23 year-old son, who asked for it. He seems to like it. He talks to me about it as if he finds it interesting.

This is a guest review from Deron O: I purchased this book of short stories ten years ago and I don’t remember why. It wasn’t because of his name, Cordwainer Smith, that’s for sure. I’d never heard of him, his stories don’t appear in the usual round-ups of the best sci-fi, and there surely hasn’t been a summer blockbuster movie inveigling, “From the mind of Cordwainer Smith…”. I’m glad I finally read this book. It was one entertaining story after another. The first twenty-seven stories chronicle a future history of mankind spanning over 15,000 years from now through the Ancient Wars that destroyed civilization, through the foundation of utopia guided and governed by the Instrumentality of Mankind, through to the Rediscovery of Man. Rather than “spanning”, I might have said “looping back”. While utopia did end death, hunger, and work, life became bland, each day the same. History ceased. “The nightmare of perfection had taken [mankind] to the edge of suicide.” It was then that “...the Instrumentality dug deep in the treasury, reconstructing the old cultures, the old languages, and even the old troubles.” This is the Rediscovery of Man. The final six stories are unrelated to Smith’s future history, but are just as good. His ideas are peculiar, and often, the first page or two of a story makes only vague sense. Scanners Live in Vain begins, “Martel was angry. He did not even adjust his blood away from anger. He stamped across the room by judgment, not by sight. When he saw the table hit the floor, and could tell by the expression on Luci's face that the table must have made a loud crash, he looked down to see if his leg was broken. It was not.” Also, terms are used multiple time before being explained, such as “cranch”. When the ideas and terms became clearer, I’d often reread those first few pages and visualize something completely different than I did initially. This adds to the richness of Smith’s universe. Many stories concern space travel. They generally focus more on the psychological issues that arise from space travel rather than on the technology. The greatest hazard to travellers is the mysterious First Effect that causes, in people, the The Great Pain of Space, a “need for death”. To forestall this homicidal impulse, passengers are placed in suspended animation while the spacecraft is crewed by Scanners and Habermans that have had all their senses, except for sight, disconnected from their brains to stave off the First Effect. This psychological condition forms the latticework on which stories such as Scanners Live in Vain and Think Blue, Count Two are built. Other stories (The Dead Lady of Clown Town, The Ballad of Lost C’mell) concern the underpeople, human-like beings created from animals that labor for mankind, and their struggle to win equal rights, which is clearly a nod to the civil rights movement. The stories On The Gem Planet, On the Storm Planet, and On the Sand Planet form a novella of just over a hundred pages. It follows Casher O’Neill as he endeavors to regain control of his home planet where a military coup has overthrown its ruler, his uncle. Alone, he travels the stars seeking aid in his mission. I particularly enjoyed this story as it reminded me of a Jack Vance space opera. Smith’s story takes a turn at the end quite unlike the violent resolution I expected as in a Vance story. There is humor here, too. From Gustible’s Planet recounts Earth’s encounter with the Apicians, intelligent life that “resembled nothing more than oversize ducks, four feet to four feet six in height.” The Apicians follow Gustible, who discovered their planet, back to Earth where they generally make nuisances of themselves through their bottomless stomachs and love of Earth food. I laughed out loud when reading this story partly because of how incongruous the tone was as compared to Smith’s other stories and partly from being genuinely funny. I wondered if this was truly part of his future history or just him poking a little bit of fun of himself. I’m lucky to have stumbled upon Cordwainer Smith. His unique voice in the world of science fiction makes him a must read. My only regret is that this is his complete short science fiction and only his novel Norstrilia remains for me to be read.

No one before or since has written like Cordwainer Smith: the strange, soaring stories, with their hints of even further unglimpsed depths and wonders, were one of the delights of my youthful exploration of SF, and are a recurring source of pleasure even now. Unfortunately Smith was ill-served by his early publishers: his one longish novel (

Serious fans and historians of science fiction must obtain this compendium of all the known short stories by Cordwainer Smith, who deserves far greater fame than he got when he did most of his writing back in the 50s and 60s. At the time, Smith simply sold a few stories to a few SF mags, but it turns out that they were interconnected vignettes from a vast future universe and mythology that Smith was creating in his mind for decades. This vast fictitious universe covers the development of man over tens of thousands of years and across the galaxy, in an expansive style that is reminiscent of Frank Herbert. Meanwhile, Smith's method of creating narratives as if they were told by an old storyteller, even farther in the future, could be compared to J.R.R. Tolkien, who also created his own universe and history of tremendous proportions. Smith was a storyteller of remarkable literary ability, as he explored scientific advances without getting too technical, and introduced very heavy themes of humanity and morality without lapsing into preachy conclusions. Very few writers in any genre have this kind of ability for kicking off deep speculation and introspection in the reader. Just about all of the many stories here explore the re-emergence of real humanity after many millennia of human dispersal across the universe, with a few glimpses of mirth or action amidst general darkness and melancholy. A few stories of note include the disturbing "A Planet Named Shayol" in which humans are farmed for body parts on a deceptively tranquil prison planet; "Think Blue, Count Two" which describes what could really happen on a typical SF mothership transporting humans for hundreds of years to a new space colony; "When the People Fell" which very creepily explores how regular people will be used for space colonization; or "The Crime and the Glory of Commander Suzdal" in which Smith twists time travel and even history in remarkable humanistic ways. Of special note to SF historians is "War No. 81-Q" which lampoons the fallacy of war for profit and entertainment, a form of satire that's unbelievable for a story first written way back in the 1920s (and Smith was in high school at the time to boot). Those are just a few of the tremendous stories in this collection by an author who richly deserves to be treated as a grand master in his field. The sheer breadth and depth of Smith's literary universe is simply astonishing. [~doomsdayer520~]

At the age of thirteen, I fell on a beat up copy of Norstrilia, and fell in love with Smith's works. I soon got a copy of "The Best of Cordwainer Smith" and it vanished on a summer camp trip. It took me years to replace it. Imagine my delight to have all those loved stories in one (heavy) volume, unlikely to go astray! As you probably know, Smith was actually Dr. Paul M.A. Linebarger, a Johns Hopkins professor and specialist in Asian affairs. He was a master of psychological warfare. His stories fit no easy category. They are not fantasy, they are not hard science fiction, they are not alternative history. They incorporate bits and pieces of Asian culture and myth. They are often troubling, haunting. "The Dead Lady of Clown Town" ends with most of its characters dead or with their minds wiped, yet it is a happy ending for all that, with Joan's views obviously spreading through the underpeople. "Under Old Earth" is a fascinating tale, filled with allusions that must be beyond the scope of this note. Even "War No. 81-Q", the original version of which was written by Smith as a teenager, is an excellent story. "Alpha Ralpha Boulevard" is simply one of the great SF short stories of all time. I could go on, but . . . The volume also includes the Casher O'Neill trilogy, that I had read of, but not seen before. If you haven't read Smith before, this is how to buy his stories, so that you have them all. If you have--well, again, you'll have them all. It's worth it. Buy it.

I have been reading Cordwainer Smith stories over and over for many, many years. There aren't that many of them - but they are so wonderful they can be read and read and read again. And they never lose their freshness for me. I read 'The Game of Rat and Dragon' to my wife one night when she was having trouble getting to sleep. Perhaps it's not his greatest story, but it is so humane, so all-encompassing of the best of humankind and so wonderful to the animals that we share this world with - specifically cats in this case (and for anyone who has been fortunate enough to share at least part of their lives with cats it will probably raise so many memories). So I took down my favourite anthology - the 1970 Panther Books edition published under the title 'Under Old Earth' and started to refresh the Cordwainer Smith experience. As I read the wonderful 'A Planet Named Shayol' (there is nothing like this anywhere!) the tears rose in my eyes again. This involuntary response told me so much!!! Here's a quote: 'It's unfair,' cried the half-man. 'They should be punished as we were!' The Lady Johanna Gnade looked down at him. 'Punishment is ended. We will give you anything you wish, but not the pain of another.' What a vision! The only comparable one I can think of is the words Gustav Mahler wrote about the day of judgement scene in his second symphony. After the trumpets sound and the dead are raised Mahler reasoned that there would be neither reward nor punishment - only God's heavenly love would remain. I cannot compromise the five star average rating for these stories. I agree with one and all! If you haven't read these stories you have a wonderful experience in store. If you, like me, know them already - just enjoy again and again as I do.

Cordwainer Smith is one of the most unique and original authors to ever write science fiction, and is definitely among my favorites. These stories are the best of Cordwainer Smith, though he also wrote Nostrilia, a good book that nevertheless pales in comparison to the selections in The Rediscovery of Man. What I like about Smith is that he has a sense of the epic in science fiction, while still maintaining the focus of his writing: humans and near-humans (the underpeople). Many of his stories deal with love, something to be admired in a genre that often ignores this important concept. Especially in "The Ballad of Lost C'Mell", "Alpha Ralpha Boulevard", "The Burning of the Brain", and "Three to a Given Star", Smith shows his competency in this area, giving often heart-wrenching accounts of the survival of love in this far flung future. Other key stories include "The Crime and Glory of Commander Suzdal", the horrifying "A Planet Named Shayol", and "The Dead Lady of Clown Town". Such stories show an incredible depth of imagination, though Smith never loses touch with his characters, imbuing them real emotion and intelligence. If I had one complaint it would be that Smith sometimes lets his imagination run wild, creating a story that is a little too abstract. This is shown in "Under Old Earth", the only story I had trouble finishing. This, however, is a minor grievance, and the pure brilliance of the other stories occludes this one misstep. Give yourself a chance to appreciate this often overlooked genius.

Cordwainer Smith was unique. Although the contents of this volume represent more than half of his entire science-fictional output, what he lacked in quantity he made up for in superb and very different quality. His prose is colored by some very non-standard phrasing and imagery, at least some of which came from his close connections with Chinese culture (his god-father was Sun Yat-sen, and he was a close confidant of Chiang Kai-shek). There is a feeling, an ambience to his stories that I have never seen even approximated by any other author. But the themes he tackled in his stories are ones that everyone can relate to, covering prejudice, greed, lust for power, crime and appropriate punishment, and the seeming boundless desire to go where no man has gone before. Perhaps the main highlight of this collection is "The Dead Lady of Clown Town", which is a very forceful retelling of the Joan of Arc story. I ended up in tears at the end of this one when I first read it, and subsequent re-reads haven't lessened its impact. I've had this one in my top ten `best of sf' short fiction list since my first encounter with it. "A Planet Named Shayol" will make you do some heavy thinking about just what can or should be done to punish a society's law (or custom) breakers, or if punishment is ever even really justifiable at all, and will give you a nightmare vision of just what hell on Earth (or any other planet) just might be like. "The Ballad of Lost C'Mell" may be the centerpiece of his entire envisioned future history, as the Instrumentality of Mankind, which for centuries has managed the human population to avoid disease, war, or hard labor (for which tasks the Underpeople were created), is driven to the conclusion that a viable civilization must have some dark elements, as championed by Lord Jestocost and girly-girl Cat-person C'Mell. Almost all of the stories here are part of Smith's envisioned universe governed by the Instrumentality, a vision that stretches from near-Earth future to a very distant far-future galaxy where humanity has spread almost everywhere. Smith clearly has some overriding messages: his fear of all-powerful ruling bodies, his attachment to all forms of life and the respect that each individual should have, and a basic belief in the power and utility of religion. All the details of this universe are not filled in, and it is sometimes the tantalizing glimpses of what he does not describe that will capture your imagination, and your wish that there were more stories about this unique world. His Underpeople are marvelous creations, showing not only those traits normally associated with the best of humanity, but also characteristics of their underlying animal heritage, whether it be cat, dog, or turtle. Not every story here is a gem, most especially those not set in his Instrumentality universe or those dealing with the very near future. But they are all very readable, and the overall level of quality here is absurdly high. Read this first. Then take on his only sf novel, Norstrilia. You won't regret it. --- Reviewed by Patrick Shepherd (hyperpat)

I first encountered Cordwainer Smith when I was in grade school, checking every book out of the library that I could find under Science Fiction. Some of my favorite stories were the often-anthologized "Game of Rat and Dragon" and "Scanners Live in Vain." I began seeking out his stories anywhere I could find them, but aside from the wonderful novel Norstrilia, I could find few more. How exciting that the NESFA Press has brought all of these stories together in one book. It was such a joy rediscovering old favorites, and also finding real gems (such as "The Dead Lady of Clown Town") I had never seen anywhere before. This volume is a must-have for anyone who cares about classic science fiction short stories. In it are some of the best examples of the genre. A short list of the stories in this volume that you MUST read would include: "Alpha Ralpha Boulevard", "The Game of Rat and Dragon", "A Planet Called Shayol", "Mother Hitton's Littul Kittons", and the aforementioned "Dead Lady of Clown Town." The title of one of Smith's collections that originally contained many of these stories was You Will Never Be the Same. What a great title, and how accurate. You won't be.

Cordwainer Smith is one of the most amazing, lyrical writers of science fiction ever. It distresses me that he is so little known. He made a name for himself during the Korean war as a diplomat; he apparently devised a way for Chinese soldiers to surrender without losing face by chanting the words for "peace, love, serenity" (or some similar words...my memory of the anecdote is not perfect) which in English sounded like "I Su-REN-Der". Genius. The man's intellect bursts forth in his short fiction, which has given me the chills, made me cry, and caused me to reflect back on images from the works on more occasions than I care to admit. PLEASE read this man's works. He is extremely literate and passionate in his writing, adopting an asian style of storytelling that is both different and comforting. The pathos of B'dikkat in "The Planet Named Sheol" is as touching as the story is horrifying. If you do not enjoy this book, I will be extremely surprized.

Cordwainer Smith's (real name - Paul Linebarger) small but remarkable body of work had a disproportionate influence on modern science fiction. He was the first, and in my opinion still the most successful, writer to tap into the "grand sense of wonder" which is the true gift of science fiction to art. He did this by combining the great poet's gift of words which explode into indelible images in the mind with the religious awe of witnessing something greater than ourselves, the thought-provoking profundity of the Zen koan and intensely wonderful, tragic, silly characters who remind us of the best parts of ourselves. He is the science fiction writer which other writers respect - two of his stories were chosen in the top 10 for the Science Fiction Writers' of America Hall of Fame Anthologies (only one - Alpha Ralpha Boulevard could be included by the rules of the contest, however). Now you can get them all in one volume (except for the novel Norstrilia). You don't have to search every single used bookstore in every town you visit across the country to find a beat-up copy of "The Best of Cordwainer Smith" like I did (still haven't found "The Realms of the Instrumentality" except at a small college-town public library, where it remains despite all temptation to "lose" it and pay replacement costs). Just don't read all the stories at one sitting. Read one story, then put it down and let it percolate through your consciousness, and when you wake up in the middle of the night sobbing or laughing out loud for joy, you're ready to read another story.

this is a great book of some older science fiction. I have a difficult time adequately describing why I like the stories so much. Suffice it to say they are very well written and have a sense of strangeness that is very interesting. These are stories of the universe 15,000 years from now and of the struggle of the under people. I think the strangeness goes well with the length of time in the future that these occur. Also, the author was very familiar with Chinese literature in Chinese and that may have carried over into the stories.

My introduction to Cordwainer Smith began in the dubious The Norton Book of Science Fiction, as part of a scifi lit class in college. I found myself returning again and again to "Alpha Ralpha Boulevard." The Rediscovery of Man delivers on the promise eluded to in Alpha Ralpha. A mix of short and shorter stories follow a loose thread of place and time, thus allowing for more of a series feel. Some stories shine more than others, but overall I am glad I took the time to seek out this book. There is a timelessness to Smith's writing; it still sounds fresh and imaginative even in the 21st century.

I read many of Cordwainer Smith's stories over fifty years ago. Some I have not reread since then, and yet they live in my mind. When I read the titles of some of the stories, "The Ballad of the Lost C'mell," for example, the tears well up instantly, as if I do not even need to remember the stories via thoughts. Somehow my body remembers them on its own. The only writer I can find as a comparison is J. R. R. Tolkein, who wrote in a different genre. Both created sentient beings of mythic proportions, and both created worlds of imagination unlike anything before or since. Don't miss Cordwainer Smith. His work won't be what you expect, whatever you expect, but reading it will change you forever.

Wow, what a mind. Kind of like the literary verson of Salvador Dali. Get past the first few stories and you're on a wild fantasy ride for 600+ pages. Some people will find his writing too weird but I loved it. Original, creative and like nothing else. I was totally drawn in. I love that kind of escape where you leave earth completely because anything remotely tying you to the world you know is completely gone and replaced with a completely new world. The stories are written as if Mr. Smith has an entire universe spanning thousands of years in his head and only a very small sampling of that universe finds its way to the stories. Not everything is explained and there are gaps but this doesn't take away from the world he creates, it only serves to add depth and mystery. Apparently he lost his notebook, leaving it in a restaurant, and then he died early so who knows what more he would/could have written.

Probably the single best book in my science fiction collection. Cordwainer Smith (a pen name) didn't write much science fiction - most of what he wrote is contained in this single anthology of his short stories. These stories are loosely bound together through a universe populated with genetically modified humans and animals, sub-races, strange computers, immortality, drugs and ancient, crumbled cities. If you are looking for something different in science fiction you should definitely try this one. I believe that a similar anthology is available in the form of an out-of-print paperback.

Readers of Cordwainer Smith's work will probably be instantly attracted by titles like "Alpha Ralpha Boulevard" and "The Ballad of Lost C'mell". The stories used to arrive on the desk of Frederik Pohl, who along with then wife Judith Merril were editors of any number of Science Fiction magazines. There were generally no titles on them, just instructions on where to send payment should the stories be accepted. Pohl and Merril actually invented the titles, and only years after publishing the seminal stories got to meet Paul Myron Anthony Linebarger, the real Cordwainer Smith, a career US Government official on an international book tour. You might also haunt the used book stores for two non-SF novels of his, Ria and Carolla, neither of which have seen the light of day in decades. I envy those new to Smith: they are in for a mind-expanding experience.

Cordwainer Smith began publishing science fiction in the fifties when Amazing Stories and other science fiction fanzines primarily flew rockets to outer space and beyond. Smith, however, took the common themes of pulp science fiction and made them into something alien and new. Ships did travel through space, but they were hunted by beings of pure malevolence, and saved by cats chasing imaginary mice. People themselves become alien adjusting their physiology to fit worlds that otherwise could not support life. Animals and robots become more than human by acting with intelligence, compassion, and love often exceeding that of their masters. Smith's stories are not hard science; they read more like fairy tales or myths. However, The Rediscovery of Man is the myths of mankind's future, myths showing the potential for both dreams and nightmares to come true. These are stories for children thousands of years hence, and for adults today. Just like myths and fairy tales, Smith's stories have great truths in them that are often hidden by an entertaining story. This collection is a fascinating glimpse into the human mentality. Individually, a few of these stories stand out as his best writing, but the collection as a whole is a beautiful work that leads you through one of the most imaginative minds in science fiction.

I first encountered Cordwainer Smith thirty years ago. The book was "You will never be the same", a collection of stories, all of which appear here "The Rediscovery of Man". I have never read a more aptly-titled book. Smith's writing, while not "hard" science fiction, exemplifies the finest aspirations of the genre. Smith's stories are inventive, evocative and deeply moving. This is a great book to recommend to people who claim they hate science fiction. I would call it literature. Read it. It may not change you, but it may change the way you think about science fiction.

When I picked up this book (after getting it from a friend), I had some doubts, even if the person in question never had let me down before with book recommendations. After reading the introduction, about all the "unspoken and unwritten" clues and history events, I was even more sceptical. However, I was completely wrong in my premonition. Smith combines modern philosphy, avant-garde thinking and religion in what to me is one of the greatest dreams of our time. A Sci-Fi writer is often forced to grapple and come to terms with todays problems so that a future can be presented and Smith does that in a finely tuned, delicate and yet enchanting and engrossing way. His interest in religion and populatory control shine like a guiding light in darkness. What must happen with religion? How must a state operate in order to contain and control a potentially destructive (as humans often are) population when it is spread across the stars? What happens to love? Love - in sci-fi, where it often is just a bonus the hero picks up after the adventure, plays an important role in Smith's work. So does religion. And morality. After finishing the short stories and frantically reading my way through Norstrilia, my first feeling was a deep sadness. This was all you see. The two books are the only things that are easily available to the savvy or not-so-savvy reader today. I know that Smith wrote other things under other names, but the fiction left me tear-eyed, shaking, laughing and thinking. Smith sits on my Sci-Fi throne together with Herbert and Dick, not having Asimovs slow, almost stuffy style, but keeping it serious but playful, strange but enchanting. Read it. And read it again. And again. And again... and again.

Cordwainer Smith brought his own unique visoion to the field and enriched it greatly. His entire output fills four volumes but in influcencing and inspiring other writers he has had far more effect than others who have written (sometimes literally) a hundred times as much. Why? Well, for one he deals with non - technological themes. Like Clarke and Stapeldon he asks questions about the human condition and what comes after it. Another reason might be the sheer quality of the prose, uniquely his own (although there have been imitators - see Micheal Coneys "The Celestial Steam Locomotive" or M.John Harrisons "In Viriconcium"). Titles like "The Dead Lady Of Clown Town", "Scanners Live In Vain", "Think Blue, Count Two" are at once whimsical and mysterious. One other reason might be the glimpes - and it is nothing more than a glimpse - of a vast history unfolding involving a romantic rebellion of the half human servant class called the "Underpeople" against a sultifying humanist regime known as The Instrumentality of Mankind. There are echoes of the rebellion of the Christian slaves against the might of Rome. The rebellion of the Underpeople comes to frutition in his best story - "The Ballad of Lost C'Mell". If you read only one story of his, make it this one.. "Where is the which of what she did? Hid the bell with a blot she did... but she fell in love with a hominid. where is the which of the what she did?"

I have now rediscovered man, just when I thought he was lost. Whew! That was a close one!

Powerfully written, The Rediscovery of Man describes a future as assumed possible after multiple nuclear wars, where the humane are still in the minority and most people continue to struggle for survival.

I encountered Cordwainer Smith many many years ago, in a Fantasy-Science Fiction magazine in my home country; by the way, with an introduction by a scholar of CS! Do you know of anyone in the US?. It was "Under Old Earth", which has haunted my soul ever since like no other piece of literature, haute or 'low-brow'. In contrast to my second-favorite SF writer, Phillip K. Dick, CS conveys a sense of poetry and subtlety absent in the rough-edge writing of PKD, while bringing about the unique strength of SF, that of exploring the inner and outer limits of the human experience. After all these years, I still wonder why CS remains such a hidden treasure. It is perhaps the built-in disdain of literary critics and scholars for SF, understandable but not less a prejudice. As I write my comments, Kafka keeps popping up in my mind: just change Samsa's bed and the castle for harvested organs and the Instrumentality. Or was the Old Man also a Fantasy writer?

Like everyone else who has commented here, I love Cordwainer Smith. I first started reading him when I was about 12 -- it was "The Dead Lady of Clown Town". For the first time, I realised that it was possible to fuse poetry and prose and tell a great story. I eagerly read everything else of his I could lay my hands on, just for the sheer beauty of the writing. Later, when I got older, I discovered the philosophical ideas behind the stories, and grew to admire them even more. When I spotted "The Rediscovery of Man" in my local bookstore, I immediately snatched it off the shelf, afraid that some other fan of great writing would grab it first.

The most comprehensive collection of Cordwainer Smith's work, excluding his novels. Excellent short stories that are alive with an imaginative future and interesting/strange characters. If you are looking to read the most of the Smith's work, this is the book to go for. Earlier collections called the "Rediscovery of Man" are no where near as complete as this one, with over 300 pages of additional writing than what is in the SF Masterworks edition. If you enjoys epic galactic sagas, mutations, posthumanity and huge space ships, then this is for you.

When I read the short-story Scanners Live in Vain, I was bowled over. I could scarcely believe it was written over fifty years ago. By creating a future so divorced from our present time and so unique in it's voice and details, Smith had succeeded in writing a story that would retain it's startling freshness. But Smith's "Instrumentality of Mankind" stories have more than just staying power: they are very powerful and intimate reflections on the human condition. I also highly recommend Cordwainer Smith's novel "Norstrilla". Cordwainer Smith inspired Robert Silverberg to write science fiction. -nuff said.

I've read all his SF stories many times; this book contains "The Queen of the Afternoon", so I have to buy this book just to get that one story. "The Lady Who Sailed 'The Soul'" always brings tears to my eyes. "The Dead Lady of Clown Town" inspires me. "Alpha Ralpha Boulevard": I remember for reading it as a kid; the style stuck in my mind, even though I didn't understand the story. The other stories are merely excellent. Just how does he manage to persuade me, a hard SF addict, to willingly suspend my disbelief? I don't think I'll ever know. But I'll keep reading the stories...

It is good to see that the NESFA is keeping the name of Cordwainer Smith alive for future readers of Science Fiction. He was one of the great writers if the golden age and should be remembered in the SF community. His writing, at its best, was the equal of any of the great writers you could name. Read these stories.

When an author can arouse, and play within you, all your emotions-compassion, anger, love, lust, faith, despair and hope-and give them back to you in the form of a story that author has achieved a kind of miracle few writers achieve. This collection of stories will do that to you.

These are not just the best science fiction novelettes ever written, they may well be the best stories ever written. 'The Dead Lady of Clown Town' is the only object in print that has ever made me cry. These are true "miracles of rare device," and if you do not fall in love with C'mell, you have no soul

The wild, wooly world of Cordwainer Smith refuses to die and why should it? His stories, scattered like pearls amongst the genre magazines of his time, now come home to roost in one volume. If you don't know him, you probably won't buy this book but once you enter his world, nothing less will do. Go ahead and opt for a lesser volume of stories - the world is filled with great stuff we don't know about but I hope you don't pass Cordwainer by. You've missed a lot.

A fine idea to put all Smith's short stories together, although the lesser known work is certainly that for a reason. It is still good to see all the Instrumentality of Mankind stories in one place, as some of them are brilliant, and there isn't a bad piece in the lot. Even with the weaker unrelated stuff at the end, this still manages to average almost 3.75. Very nice. Rediscovery of Man : No No Not Rogov! - Cordwainer Smith Rediscovery of Man : War No. 81-Q revised - Cordwainer Smith Rediscovery of Man : Mark Elf [Mark XI Vom Acht sisters] - Cordwainer Smith Rediscovery of Man : The Queen of the Afternoon [Vom Acht sisters] - Cordwainer Smith Rediscovery of Man : Scanners Live in Vain - Cordwainer Smith Rediscovery of Man : The Lady Who Sailed The Soul - Cordwainer Smith Rediscovery of Man : When the People Fell - Cordwainer Smith Rediscovery of Man : Think Blue Count Two - Cordwainer Smith Rediscovery of Man : The Colonel Came Back from Nothing-at-All - Cordwainer Smith Rediscovery of Man : The Game of Rat and Dragon - Cordwainer Smith Rediscovery of Man : The Burning of the Brain - Cordwainer Smith Rediscovery of Man : From Gustible's Planet - Cordwainer Smith Rediscovery of Man : Himself in Anachron - Cordwainer Smith Rediscovery of Man : The Crime and the Glory of Commander Suzdal - Cordwainer Smith Rediscovery of Man : Golden the Ship Was' Oh! Oh! Oh! - Cordwainer Smith Rediscovery of Man : The Dead Lady of Clown Town - Cordwainer Smith Rediscovery of Man : Under Old Earth - Cordwainer Smith Rediscovery of Man : Drunkboat - Cordwainer Smith Rediscovery of Man : Mother Hitton's Littul Kittons - Cordwainer Smith Rediscovery of Man : Alpha Ralpha Boulevard - Cordwainer Smith Rediscovery of Man : The Ballad of Lost C'Mell - Cordwainer Smith Rediscovery of Man : A Planet Named Shayol - Cordwainer Smith Rediscovery of Man : On the Gem Planet [Casher O'Neill] - Cordwainer Smith Rediscovery of Man : On the Storm Planet [Casher O'Neill] - Cordwainer Smith Rediscovery of Man : On the Sand Planet [Casher O'Neill] - Cordwainer Smith Rediscovery of Man : Three to a Given Star [Casher O'Neill] - Cordwainer Smith Rediscovery of Man : Down to a Sunless Sea - Cordwainer Smith Rediscovery of Man : War No. 81-Q - Cordwainer Smith Rediscovery of Man : Western Science Is So Wonderful - Cordwainer Smith Rediscovery of Man : Nancy [The Nancy Routine] - Cordwainer Smith Rediscovery of Man : The Fife of Bodidharma - Cordwainer Smith Rediscovery of Man : Angerhelm - Cordwainer Smith Rediscovery of Man : The Good Friends - Cordwainer Smith Soviet science couple's brain needle journey. 4 out of 5 Licence to kill, robots, anyway. 4 out of 5 Manhunter not too helpful for old timer. 3.5 out of 5 Suspended animation Underpeople awakening gives girl an Instrumentality role. 3.5 out of 5 Monopoly is bad, and worth doing something about. 5 out of 5 Solo starnaut sheila's suitor. 4 out of 5 Chinese Venusian megadrop. 3 out of 5 I am sailing, I am spoiling, across the stars, should be freezed. 3.5 out of 5 Lost soul pinlighting. 4 out of 5 Another actual use for a live cat. Fight you little bastich. 4 out of 5 Mind destruction manoeuvre rescue transfer. 3.5 out of 5 I wish they'd duck off. 3.5 out of 5 Time enough for love Knot. 4 out of 5 Lost planet female cancer trannie aggression solution is timeslip cat kill cull. 4 out of 5 Time for war, duckie. 4 out of 5 Witch woman and dead robot animal trial. 4.5 out of 5 Too happy is bad. 3.5 out of 5 Rage through space, really fast to dreams out of space. 4.5 out of 5 Old North Australia's mutant mad mink secret defense doesn't pussyfoot around with thieves and murderers. Or, Stop, You'll Eat Yourself. 5 out of 5 Hard to believe in France. 3 out of 5 Underpeople Lord assisted execution escapage. 4.5 out of 5 Pain punishment makes skin way more deep. 3.5 out of 5 Test dictated for horse help. 3 out of 5 Turtle girl's longevity vigil requires warrior assistant. 4 out of 5 Comeback confrontation dictated. 3.5 out of 5 Cackle-gabble telepathy search eating solution. 3.5 out of 5 Sacrifice power. 4 out of 5 Licence to kill, robots, anyway. 4 out of 5 Fascinated Martian chat. 3 out of 5 Virus life. 4 out of 5 Dainty noise weapon. 2.5 out of 5 Funny voice medium. 3 out of 5 No party mission. 3 out of 5 4.5 out of 5

I normally prefer to read, and write, hard SF. But Cordwainer Smith's work has rare and precious qualities: the genuine strangeness and genuine unforgettability that is near the essence of great SF. Read these stories and something about them will remain with you always. Also his cats are splendid.

Was as described and shipped promptly. Classic sci-fi. one of the best IMHO

Cordwainer Smith is not only one of the best in science-fiction, he is one of the best in Litterature, period. I have the whole collection of his works in s.f. from Presses Pocket ,but it's a french edition. Even though it's translated, I stand amazed every time I read it. I can't wait to re-re-re-re-discover theses wonderful stories, but this time, in the un-translated form (I guess it will be even better than in french!!) I'm ordering theses two books right now !!!

one of the greatest books i ever read! norstrillia by NESFA is also great. but this one, it's so unique, it just blew my mind. it only started to blow my mind after a couple hundred pages though :-).

These aren't stories, they're legends, told in the future to explain the tragic route that got them there from here, while maintaining always the optimistic certainty that always, forever, Humanity, will burn brightly and, if nothing else, remain. Quick version: read this now.

When Heinlin wrote of BEMs, rockets and the need to find men who could memorize binary code to communicate with computers 200 years in the future, Smith(Paul Linebarger) gave us the Lords of Instrumentality and the horrors of ships lost between space. Truely better than his comtemporaries, why didn't he become as popular?

One of the most original, thought-provoking and well written books I've ever read. Essential for any fan of science fiction.

Lyrical and stunning. I remeber many of the characters years after reading the book