The Nail and the Oracle : Volume XI: The Complete Stories of Theodore Sturgeon

This book contains ten major stories by the master of science fiction, fantasy, and horror written during the 1960s. The controversial "If All Men We re Brothers, Would You Let One Marry Your Sister?" shows the author's technique of "ask the next question" used in a way that shatters social conventions. "When You Care, When You Love" offers a prescient vision of the marriage of deep obsessive love and genetic manipulation, written long before actual cloning techniques existed. "Runesmith" constitutes a rare example of Sturgeon collaborating with a legendary colleague, Harlan Ellison. Included also are two other rarities: two detective stories and a Western that showcase Sturgeon's knack for characterization and action outside his usual genre. "Take Care of Joey" has been read as an allusion to the complex personal relationship between Sturgeon and Ellison, while "It Was Nothing, Really!" hilariously skewers the mores of the military-industrial complex. As always, these stories demonstrate not only Sturgeon's brilliant wordplay but also his timeliness, with "Brown-shoes" and "The Nail and the Oracle" standing out as powerful commentaries on the use and abuse of power that might have been written yesterday. Ride In, Ride Out (with Don Ward) Assault and Little Sister When You Care, When You Love Hold Up la Carte How to Forget Baseball The Nail and the Oracle If All Men Were Brothers, Would You Let One Marry Your Sister? Runesmith (with Harlan Ellison) Jorry's Gap Brownshoes It Was Nothing - Really! Take Care of Joey

This book contains ten major stories by the master of science fiction, fantasy, and horror written during the 1960s. The controversial “If All Men We re Brothers, Would You Let One Marry Your Sister?” shows the author’s technique of “ask the next question” used in a way that shatters social conventions. “When You Care, When You Love” offers a prescient vision of the marriage of deep obsessive love and genetic manipulation, written long before actual cloning techniques existed. “Runesmith” constitutes a rare example of Sturgeon collaborating with a legendary colleague, Harlan Ellison. Included also are two other rarities: two detective stories and a Western that showcase Sturgeon’s knack for characterization and action outside his usual genre. “Take Care of Joey” has been read as an allusion to the complex personal relationship between Sturgeon and Ellison, while “It Was Nothing, Really!” hilariously skewers the mores of the military-industrial complex. As always, these stories demonstrate not only Sturgeon’s brilliant wordplay but also his timeliness, with “Brown-shoes” and “The Nail and the Oracle” standing out as powerful commentaries on the use and abuse of power that might have been written yesterday.

This ninth volume of The Complete Stories of Theodore Sturgeon collects fifteen stories written between 1955 and 1957 that offer the modern reader a marvelous opportunity to experience the range and imaginative power and storytelling skills of the man SF critic and novelist James Blish called, "The finest conscious artist science fiction ever had." Ride in, ride out (with Don Ward) Assault and little sister When you care, when you love Holdup a la carte How to forget baseball The nail and the oracle If all men were brothers, would you let one marry your sister? Runesmith (Harlan Ellison and Theodore Sturgeon) Brownshoes It was nothing, really! Take care of Joey. "The eleventh volume of the series by science-fiction author Theodore Sturgeon contains stories written between 1960 and 1969, including "How To Forget Baseball," a hitherto unanthologized short story"--Provided by publisher.