C.M. Kornbluth was one of the Futurians (with such luminaries as Isaac Asimov, Frederik Pohl, Donald A. Wollheim, etc.) and produced a remarkable body of work until his untimely death at age 35. This volume collects 8 of his classic short stories—the best of his best—plus an introduction and bibliography by Bud Webster. Included are: "The Cosmic Expense Account" "The Adventurer" "The Altar at Midnight" "The Marching Morons" "The Little Black Bag" "Theory of Rocketry" "Make Mine Mars" "Time Bum"
Author
Cyril M. Kornbluth grew up in Inwood in New York City. As a teenager, he became a member of the Futurians, the influential group of science fiction fans and writers. While a member of the Futurians, he met and became friends with Isaac Asimov, Frederik Pohl, Donald A. Wollheim, Robert A. W. Lowndes, and his future wife Mary Byers. He also participated in the Fantasy Amateur Press Association. Kornbluth served in the US Army during World War II (European Theatre). He received a Bronze Star for his service in the Battle of the Bulge, where he served as a member of a heavy machine gun crew. Upon his discharge, he returned to finish his education, which had been interrupted by the war, at the University of Chicago. While living in Chicago he also worked at Trans-Radio Press, a news wire service. In 1951 he started writing full time, returning to the East Coast where he collaborated on a number of novels with his old Futurian friends Frederik Pohl and Judith Merrill. He used a variety of pen-names: Cecil Corwin, S. D. Gottesman, Edward J. Bellin, Kenneth Falconer, Walter C. Davies, Simon Eisner, Jordan Park, Arthur Cooke, Paul Dennis Lavond and Scott Mariner.
