Science Fiction Criticism : An Anthology of Essential Writings

Including more than 30 essential works of science fiction criticism in a single volume, this is a comprehensive introduction to the study of this enduringly popular genre. Science Fiction Criticism: An Anthology of Essential Writings covers such topics as:

·Definitions and boundaries of the genre
·The many forms of science fiction, from time travel to 'inner space'
·Ideology and identity: from utopian fantasy to feminist, queer and environmental readings
·The non-human: androids, aliens, cyborgs and animals
·Race and the legacy of colonialism

The volume also features annotated guides to further reading on these topics.

Includes writings by: Marc Angenot, J.G. Ballard, Damien Broderick, Istvan Csicsery-Ronay, Samuel R. Delany, Philip K. Dick, Grace Dillon, Kodwo Eshun, Carl Freedman, Allison de Fren, Hugo Gernsback, Donna Haraway, N. Katherine Hayles, Robert A. Heinlein, Nalo Hopkinson, Veronica Hollinger, Fredric Jameson, Gwyneth Jones, Rob Latham, Roger Luckhurst, Judith Merril, John B. Michel, Wendy Pearson, John Rieder, Lysa Rivera, Joanna Russ, Mary Shelley, Stephen Hong Sohn, Susan Sontag, Bruce Sterling, Darko Suvin, Vernor Vinge, Sherryl Vint, H.G. Wells, David Wittenberg and Lisa Yaszek

"Ultimately, by covering many bases without being laborious, Latham’s Science Fiction Criticism manages to offer a high use-value for students of science fiction while also appealing to non-academic fans." - SFRA Review

“Science Fiction Criticism: An Anthology of Essential Writings is an excellent collection for use in teaching or as a reference volume, especially for newer scholars who may not have access to or knowledge of some of the older pieces collected here. Above all it emphasizes the diversity of the scholarship (and of original texts) beyond what too many consider to be ‘just science fiction.’ I predict it will be among the most useful collections for many years.” - The Journal of the Fantastic in the Arts

"The editor of this seminal anthology will be familiar to SF critics. Rob Latham has been at the helm of two extremely important books, The Oxford Handbook of Science Fiction and The Wesleyan Anthology of Science Fiction, and for years he has served in an editorial capacity at Journal of the Fantastic in the Arts and most notably Science Fiction Studies, earning the Thomas D. Clareson award in 2013 for outstanding service in the field. It is fitting for him now to be the editor of Science Fiction Criticism, a crown jewel in his scholarship to date that should resonate with all students and academics who are new to SF or involved in the study and teaching of it." - Extrapolation

“As a teaching resource, its usefulness is undeniable.” - Science Fiction Studies