The 1972 Annual World's Best SF

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The 1972 Annual World's Best SF
Annual Worlds Best SF 1972 cover.jpg
First edition cover, 1972
Editors Donald A. Wollheim and Arthur W. Saha
Cover artist John Schoenherr
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Series The Annual World’s Best SF
Genre Science fiction
Publisher DAW Books
Publication date
1972
Media typePrint (paperback)
Pages302
Preceded by World's Best Science Fiction: 1971  
Followed by The 1973 Annual World's Best SF  

The 1972 Annual World's Best SF is an anthology of science fiction short stories edited by Donald A. Wollheim and Arthur W. Saha, the initial volume in a series of nineteen. It was one of two follow-up volumes to the previous year's World's Best Science Fiction: 1971 edited by Wollheim and Terry Carr for Ace Books, the other being Carr's The Best Science Fiction of the Year . The Wollheim/Saha title was first published in paperback by DAW Books in May 1972, followed by a hardcover edition issued in July of the same year by the same publisher as a selection of the Science Fiction Book Club. For the hardcover edition the original cover art of John Schoenherr was replaced by a new cover painting by Frank Frazetta. The paperback edition was reissued by DAW in December 1977 under the variant title Wollheim's World's Best SF: Series One, this time with cover art by John Berkey.

Contents

The book collects fourteen novelettes and short stories by various science fiction authors, with an introduction by Wollheim. Most of the stories were previously published in 1970 or 1971 in the magazines The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction , Galaxy Magazine , Analog , Playboy , and If , the anthologies Quark/4 , Orbit 8 , Orbit 9 , and New Writings in SF 19 , and the collection In the Pocket: And Other SF Stories / Gather in the Hall of the Planets. One story was first published in this anthology.

Contents

Awards

"The Fourth Profession" was nominated for the 1972 Hugo Award for Best Novella.

"The Bear with the Knot on His Tail" was nominated for the 1972 Hugo Award for Best Short Story, and placed seventh in the Locus Poll Award for Best Short Fiction.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Donald A. Wollheim</span> U.S. science fiction editor, publisher, and author

Donald Allen Wollheim was an American science fiction editor, publisher, writer, and fan. As an author, he published under his own name as well as under pseudonyms, including David Grinnell, Martin Pearson, and Darrell G. Raynor. A founding member of the Futurians, he was a leading influence on science fiction development and fandom in the 20th-century United States. Ursula K. Le Guin called Wollheim "the tough, reliable editor of Ace Books, in the Late Pulpalignean Era, 1966 and '67", which is when he published her first two novels in Ace Double editions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Annual World's Best SF</span>

The Annual World's Best SF was a series of annual paperback anthologies published by American company DAW Books from 1972 to 1990 under the editorship of publisher Donald A. Wollheim and Arthur W. Saha from 1972 to 1990. Some volumes were also issued in hardcover through the Science Fiction Book Club. It was a continuation of the earlier anthology series World's Best Science Fiction, edited by Wollheim and Terry Carr, published from 1965 to 1971 by Ace Books DAW also issued the companion series The Year's Best Horror Stories from 1971 to 1994, and The Year's Best Fantasy Stories from 1975 to 1988.

<i>The 1973 Annual Worlds Best SF</i> 1973 anthology edited by Donald A. Wollheim and Arthur W. Saha

The 1973 Annual World's Best SF is an anthology of science fiction short stories edited by Donald A. Wollheim and Arthur W. Saha, the second volume in a series of nineteen. It was first published in paperback by DAW Books in May 1973, followed by a hardcover edition issued in August of the same year by the same publisher as a selection of the Science Fiction Book Club. For the hardcover edition the original cover art of Jack Gaughan was replaced by a new cover painting by William S. Shields. The paperback edition was reissued by DAW in December 1978 under the variant title Wollheim's World's Best SF: Series Two, this time with cover art by Larry Oritz.

<i>The 1974 Annual Worlds Best SF</i> 1974 anthology edited by Donald A. Wollheim and Arthur W. Saha

The 1974 Annual World's Best SF is an anthology of science fiction short stories edited by Donald A. Wollheim and Arthur W. Saha, the third volume in a series of nineteen. It was first published in paperback by DAW Books in May 1974, followed by a hardcover edition issued in September of the same year by the same publisher as a selection of the Science Fiction Book Club. For the hardcover edition the original cover art of Jack Gaughan was replaced by a new cover painting by Victor Valla. The paperback edition was reissued by DAW in December 1979 under the variant title Wollheim's World's Best SF: Series Three, this time with cover art by Vicente Segrelles. A British hardcover edition was published by The Elmfield Press in October 1975 under the variant title The World's Best SF Short Stories No. 1.

<i>The 1975 Annual Worlds Best SF</i> 1975 anthology edited by Donald A. Wollheim and Arthur W. Saha

The 1975 Annual World's Best SF is an anthology of science fiction short stories edited by Donald A. Wollheim and Arthur W. Saha, the fourth volume in a series of nineteen. It was first published in paperback by DAW Books in May 1975, followed by a hardcover edition issued in September of the same year by the same publisher as a selection of the Science Fiction Book Club. For the hardcover edition the original cover art of Jack Gaughan was replaced by a new cover painting by Richard V. Corben. The paperback edition was reissued by DAW in December 1980 under the variant title Wollheim's World's Best SF: Series Four, this time with cover art by Vicente Segrelles. A British hardcover edition was published by The Elmfield Press in November 1976 under the variant title The World's Best SF Short Stories No. 2.

<i>The 1976 Annual Worlds Best SF</i> Science fiction anthology

The 1976 Annual World's Best SF is an anthology of science fiction short stories edited by Donald A. Wollheim and Arthur W. Saha, the fifth volume in a series of nineteen. It was first published in paperback by DAW Books in May 1976, followed by a hardcover edition issued in August of the same year by the same publisher as a selection of the Science Fiction Book Club. For the hardcover edition the original cover art of Jack Gaughan was replaced by a new cover painting by Chet Jezierski. The paperback edition was reissued by DAW in December 1981 under the variant title Wollheim's World's Best SF: Series Five, this time with cover art by Oliviero Berni. A British hardcover edition was published by Dennis Dobson in March 1979 under the variant title The World's Best SF 3.

<i>The 1977 Annual Worlds Best SF</i> 1977 anthology edited by Donald A. Wollheim and Arthur W. Saha

The 1977 Annual World's Best SF is an anthology of science fiction short stories edited by Donald A. Wollheim and Arthur W. Saha, the sixth volume in a series of nineteen. It was first published in paperback by DAW Books in May 1977, followed by a hardcover edition issued in September of the same year by the same publisher as a selection of the Science Fiction Book Club. For the hardcover edition the original cover art of Jack Gaughan was replaced by a new cover painting by Richard V. Corben. The paperback edition was reissued by DAW in 1983 under the variant title Wollheim's World's Best SF: Series Six, this time with cover art by Bernal. A British hardcover edition was published by Dennis Dobson in November 1979 under the variant title The World's Best SF 4.

<i>The 1990 Annual Worlds Best SF</i> 1990 anthology edited by Donald A. Wollheim and Arthur W. Saha

The 1990 Annual World's Best SF is an anthology of science fiction short stories edited by Donald A. Wollheim and Arthur W. Saha, the nineteenth volume in a series of nineteen. It was first published in paperback by DAW Books in July 1990, followed by a hardcover edition issued in August of the same year by the same publisher as a selection of the Science Fiction Book Club. For the hardcover edition the original cover art of Jim Burns was replaced by a new cover painting by Richard Powers.

<i>The 1978 Annual Worlds Best SF</i> 1978 anthology edited by Donald A. Wollheim and Arthur W. Saha

The 1978 Annual World's Best SF is an anthology of science fiction short stories edited by Donald A. Wollheim and Arthur W. Saha, the seventh volume in a series of nineteen. It was first published in paperback by DAW Books in May 1978, followed by a hardcover edition issued in August of the same year by the same publisher as a selection of the Science Fiction Book Club. For the hardcover edition the original cover art of Jack Gaughan was replaced by a new cover painting by Richard Powers. The paperback edition was reissued by DAW in 1983 under the variant title Wollheim's World's Best SF: Series Seven, this time with cover art by Graham Wildridge. A British hardcover edition was published by Dennis Dobson in May 1980 under the variant title The World's Best SF 5.

<i>The 1980 Annual Worlds Best SF</i> 1980 anthology edited by Donald A. Wollheim and Arthur W. Saha

The 1980 Annual World's Best SF is an anthology of science fiction short stories edited by Donald A. Wollheim and Arthur W. Saha, the ninth volume in a series of nineteen. It was first published in paperback by DAW Books in May 1980, followed by a hardcover edition issued in September of the same year by the same publisher as a selection of the Science Fiction Book Club. For the hardcover edition the original cover art of Jack Gaughan was replaced by a new cover painting by Gary Viskupik. The paperback edition was later reissued by DAW under the variant title Wollheim's World's Best SF: Series Nine.

<i>The 1981 Annual Worlds Best SF</i> 1981 anthology edited by Donald A. Wollheim and Arthur W. Saha

The 1981 Annual World's Best SF is an anthology of science fiction short stories edited by Donald A. Wollheim and Arthur W. Saha, the tenth volume in a series of nineteen. It was first published in paperback by DAW Books in May 1981, followed by a hardcover edition issued in August of the same year by the same publisher as a selection of the Science Fiction Book Club. For the hardcover edition the original cover art of Michael Mariano was replaced by a new cover painting by John Gampert.

<i>The 1982 Annual Worlds Best SF</i> 1982 anthology edited by Donald A. Wollheim and Arthur W. Saha

The 1982 Annual World's Best SF is an anthology of science fiction short stories edited by Donald A. Wollheim and Arthur W. Saha, the eleventh volume in a series of nineteen. It was first published in paperback by DAW Books in May 1982, followed by a hardcover edition issued in September of the same year by the same publisher as a selection of the Science Fiction Book Club. For the hardcover edition the original cover art of Wayne D. Barlowe was replaced by a new cover painting by Dawn Wilson.

<i>The 1983 Annual Worlds Best SF</i> 1983 anthology edited by Donald A. Wollheim and Arthur W. Saha

The 1983 Annual World's Best SF is an anthology of science fiction short stories edited by Donald A. Wollheim and Arthur W. Saha, the twelfth volume in a series of nineteen. It was first published in paperback by DAW Books in May 1983, followed by a hardcover edition issued in September of the same year by the same publisher as a selection of the Science Fiction Book Club. For the hardcover edition the original cover art was replaced by a new cover painting by Richard Powers.

<i>The 1984 Annual Worlds Best SF</i> 1984 anthology edited by Donald A. Wollheim and Arthur W. Saha

The 1984 Annual World's Best SF is an anthology of science fiction short stories edited by Donald A. Wollheim and Arthur W. Saha, the thirteenth volume in a series of nineteen. It was first published in paperback by DAW Books in June 1984, followed by a hardcover edition issued in August of the same year by the same publisher as a selection of the Science Fiction Book Club. For the hardcover edition the original cover art by Vincent Di Fate was replaced by a new cover painting by Richard Powers.

<i>The 1985 Annual Worlds Best SF</i> 1985 anthology edited by Donald A. Wollheim and Arthur W. Saha

The 1985 Annual World's Best SF is an anthology of science fiction short stories edited by Donald A. Wollheim and Arthur W. Saha, the fourteenth volume in a series of nineteen. It was first published in paperback by DAW Books in June 1985, followed by a hardcover edition issued in September of the same year by the same publisher as a selection of the Science Fiction Book Club. For the hardcover edition the original cover art by Frank Kelly Freas was replaced by a new cover painting by Richard Powers.

<i>The 1986 Annual Worlds Best SF</i> 1986 anthology edited by Donald A. Wollheim and Arthur W. Saha

The 1986 Annual World's Best SF is an anthology of science fiction short stories edited by Donald A. Wollheim and Arthur W. Saha, the fourteenth volume in a series of nineteen. It was first published in paperback by DAW Books in June 1986, followed by a hardcover edition issued in August of the same year by the same publisher as a selection of the Science Fiction Book Club. For the hardcover edition the original cover art by Vincent Di Fate was replaced by a new cover painting by Ron Walotsky.

<i>The 1987 Annual Worlds Best SF</i> 1987 anthology edited by Donald A. Wollheim and Arthur W. Saha

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<i>The 1988 Annual Worlds Best SF</i> 1988 anthology edited by Donald A. Wollheim and Arthur W. Saha

The 1988 Annual World's Best SF is an anthology of science fiction short stories edited by Donald A. Wollheim and Arthur W. Saha, the seventeenth volume in a series of nineteen. It was first published in paperback by DAW Books in June 1988, followed by a hardcover edition issued in August of the same year by the same publisher as a selection of the Science Fiction Book Club. For the hardcover edition the original cover art by Blair Wilkins was replaced by a new cover painting by Richard Powers.

<i>The 1989 Annual Worlds Best SF</i> 1989 anthology edited by Donald A. Wollheim and Arthur W. Saha

The 1989 Annual World's Best SF is an anthology of science fiction short stories edited by Donald A. Wollheim and Arthur W. Saha, the eighteenth volume in a series of nineteen. It was first published in paperback by DAW Books in June 1989, followed by a hardcover edition issued in September of the same year by the same publisher as a selection of the Science Fiction Book Club. For the hardcover edition the original cover art by Jim Burns was replaced by a new cover painting by Richard M. Powers.

<i>Worlds Best Science Fiction: 1971</i> 1971 anthology edited by Donald A. Wollheim and Terry Carr

World's Best Science Fiction: 1971 is an anthology of science fiction short stories edited by Donald A. Wollheim and Terry Carr, the seventh volume in a series of seven. It was first published in paperback by Ace Books in 1971, followed by a hardcover edition issued in September of the same year by the same publisher as a selection of the Science Fiction Book Club. It was followed in 1972 by The 1972 Annual World's Best SF, edited by Wollheim, and The Best Science Fiction of the Year, edited by Carr, the first volumes of two separate successor series,