Forrest J Ackerman's World of Science Fiction [Hardcover]

Forrest J. Ackerman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1997

Featuring 300 color photos, memorabilia, ephemera and other one-of-a-kind collectibles from the 300,000 items stored at the fabled "Ackermansion, " Forrest J Ackerman's World of Science Fiction details and traces the entire evolution of the SF genre, from its beginning to the present.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

You know what you're in for as soon as you see the big-headed evil alien clutching a helpless, scantily clad girl on the cover. Mr. Sci-Fi himself, Forrest J. Ackerman, takes you on a tour of all the cool movies, terrific books, and strange stuff that makes up our favorite genre. From the heady early days of sparking rockets and threatening Martians to today's dystopian futures and strong female leads, we're treated to a fun (and funny) overview of science fiction film and television, illustrated profusely with photos from the author's vast and famous collection of memorabilia. A hall of fame introduces the writers who started it all, and a cook's tour of the old pulp magazines of the '30s, '40s, and '50s is enough to make us nostalgic for the days before industrial light and magic. This is a lighthearted, very personal reference that deserves a place on the shelf of pop-culture sci-fi fans.

From Booklist

Few adolescent males of the 1960s were immune to the creepy, punning charms of Famous Monsters of Filmland. Ackerman, the magazine's editor, houses a 300,000-item collection of fantasy memorabilia in his Hollywood "Ackermansion," and he has raided it for this elaborate, nostalgic scrapbook on the history of horror's slightly more mature cousin, science fiction. With 300 mostly color photos and evocative commentary by "4SJ" himself, the volume traces sf's development from Verne and Wells (Ackerman actually met and befriended the latter) to the pulp magazines to genre masters like Asimov and Bradbury. Plenty of attention is lavished, of course, on big-and small-screen sf, from Melies' three-minute Trip to the Moon (1899) to Star Wars and The X-Files. Di Fate's Infinite Worlds offered a tonier look at sf art, but Ackerman gives us the collection that appeals to the inner 12-year-old boy in readers of all ages and both genders. Gordon Flagg

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: General Pub Group; First Edition edition (November 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1575440695
• ISBN-13: 978-1575440699
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,876,611 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Forry on Sci-Fi is like Hitchcock on Suspense, September 5, 2000

By 

S. H. Towsley (Fort Wayne, IN & Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Forrest J Ackerman's World of Science Fiction (Hardcover)

Forrest J. Ackerman may go down in history as one of the most influential men of the 20th Century, and the 21st, given the vast number of adolescent boys for whom he has served as role model, inspiration, catalyst, and friend.

Forry, a distinguished literary agent and editor of science fiction in his own right, is even better known to baby boomer males as the editor of the only truly influential "monster magazine" ever published, known affectionately to millions as FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND. Editor of 200 issues of the legendary magazine, Forry, who never sat on a pedestal but always kept his young fans squarely in the magazine's focus, managed to influence quite profoundly several generations of boys. His readers have included the elite of several entertainment industries, from books to motion pictures, many growing up to join the professional ranks of the same industries. The people behind films like STAR WARS and CLOSE ENCOUNTERS were youthful readers, from Dennis Muren to Phil Tippett, as were movie directors like John Carpenter and John Landis. Forry counts other equally remarkable icons like Ray Bradbury and Ray Harryhausen among his close personal friends. He travels in heady company, and his books are rich as a result.

Given all this, a walk through the genre of science fiction with Forry Ackerman, who has been agent to many fine science fiction writers and publisher of many anthologies and popular magazines such as SPACEMEN, is a little piece of heaven indeed. Forry's famous "Ackermansion" is perhaps the largest collection of sci-fi materials in the world. He knows his stuff, and he writes about it entertainingly and with intimate familiarity. A noted raconteur, Mr. Ackerman deserves all the attention and notoriety his books get, and I can heartily recommend time spent in these pages as a reader's treat and a visual delight.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A long overdue treat., January 13, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Forrest J Ackerman's World of Science Fiction (Hardcover)

"Forrest J Ackerman's World of Science Fiction" is the Ackerman book fans have been waiting years to get their hands on. "WofSF" is filled with great pictures and insightful comments covering everything from major authors to films and television. A major portion of the tome is devoted to an overview of Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein" both in print and cinema. My only disappointment after reading "WofSF" was the lack of horror and fantasy film coverage. Much to my delight, I've discovered Forry plans two follow-up books: Forrest J Ackerman's "World of Fantasy" and "World of Horror." I can't wait.