
From a literary perspective, this will certainly be the best collection of the year in science fiction and fantasy. Gene Wolfe, of whom The Washington Post said, “Of all SF writers currently active none is held in higher esteem,” has selected the short fiction he considers his finest into one volume. There are many award winners and many that have been selected for various Year’s Best anthologies among the thirty-one stories, which include: “Petting Zoo,” “The Tree Is My Hat,” “The Island of Dr. Death and Other Stories,” “The Hero as Werewolf,” “Seven American Nights,” “The Fifth Head of Cerberus,” “The Detective of Dreams,” and “A Cabin on the Coast.” Gene Wolfe has produced possibly the finest and most significant body of short fiction in the SF and fantasy field in the last fifty years, and is certainly among the greatest living writers to emerge from the genres. This is the first retrospective collection of his entire career. It is for the ages. Contents The Island of Doctor Death and Other Stories (1970) The Toy Theater (1971) The Fifth Head of Cerberus (1972) Beech Hill (1972) The Recording (1972) Hour of Trust (1973) The Death of Dr. Island (1973) La Befana (1973) Forlesen (1974) Westwind (1973) The Hero as Werwolf (1975) The Marvelous Brass Chessplaying Automaton (1977) Straw (1975) The Eyeflash Miracles (1976) Seven American Nights (1978) The Detective of Dreams (1980) Kevin Malone (1980) The God and His Man (1980) On the Train [Redwood Coast Roamer] (1983) From the Desk of Gilmer C. Merton (1983) Death of the Island Doctor (1983) Redbeard (1984) The Boy Who Hooked the Sun (1985) Parkroads—A Review (1987) Game in the Pope's Head (1988) And When They Appear (1993) Bed and Breakfast (1996) (variant of Bed & Breakfast) Petting Zoo (1997) The Tree Is My Hat (1999) Has Anybody Seen Junie Moon? (1999) A Cabin on the Coast (1984)
Author

Gene Wolfe was an American science fiction and fantasy writer. He was noted for his dense, allusive prose as well as the strong influence of his Catholic faith, to which he converted after marrying a Catholic. He was a prolific short story writer and a novelist, and has won many awards in the field. The Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award is given by SFWA for ‘lifetime achievement in science fiction and/or fantasy.’ Wolfe joins the Grand Master ranks alongside such legends as Connie Willis, Michael Moorcock, Anne McCaffrey, Robert Silverberg, Ursula K. Le Guin, Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury and Joe Haldeman. The award will be presented at the 48th Annual Nebula Awards Weekend in San Jose, CA, May 16-19, 2013. While attending Texas A&M University Wolfe published his first speculative fiction in The Commentator, a student literary journal. Wolfe dropped out during his junior year, and was drafted to fight in the Korean War. After returning to the United States he earned a degree from the University of Houston and became an industrial engineer. He edited the journal Plant Engineering for many years before retiring to write full-time, but his most famous professional engineering achievement is a contribution to the machine used to make Pringles potato crisps. He lived in Barrington, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. A frequent Hugo nominee without a win, Wolfe has nevertheless picked up several Nebula and Locus Awards, among others, including the World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement and the 2012 Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award. He is also a member of the Science Fiction Hall of Fame. http://us.macmillan.com/author/genewolfe