The Way the Future Was [Mass Market Paperback]

Frederik Pohl (Author)

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 293 pages
• Publisher: Ballantine Del Rey (April 12, 1979)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345260597
• ISBN-13: 978-0345260598
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,001,799 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A long time ago,Frederik Pohl saw tomorrow, April 12, 2005

By 

Pedro Martins C. Xexeo "A Curious Bibliophile" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Way the Future Was (Mass Market Paperback)

Science-fiction fan(member of the FUTURIANS),boy-editor(editor of ASTONISHING STORIES&SUPER SCIENCE STORIES when he was only 19 years old) ,great anthologist and successful literary agent,award-winning writer,FREDERIK POHL(1919)is one of the giants of the american science-fiction scene.In this briliant autobiography,Pohl tells us about his life,his association with SF writer and fellow Futurian Cyril Kornbluth[read their sensational novel "THE SPACE MERCHANTS(1953)] ,his solo stories(like "THE GOLD AT THE STARBOW'S END") , his mature editorships(GALAXY and IF), his many friends(Isaac Asimov was one of them),his travels,and, above all,his undying love for science-fiction.Isaac Asimov after reading this book,said:"There was a magic world once that no one knew but us.Fred Pohl recreats it now for everyone to see".
I couldn't stop reading "THE WAY THE FUTURE WAS".It's a really marvelous book.With lots of wonderful and enlightening photos.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Important genre history work, March 28, 2000

By 

P. Jørgensen "percjorgensen" (Oslo, Norway) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Way the Future Was (Mass Market Paperback)

I can safely recommend Frederik Pohl's _The Way the Future Was_ to everyone with an interest in the history of science fiction and science fiction fandom. Pohl tells with a great eye to relevant detail about being a pulp editor, a fan, and an author and agent. The photos are great: especially the photo of Pohl with Gene Roddenberry and an acretts in a kind of Star Trek swimsuit had me cracking up. The non-SF, autobiographical detail is also interesting.

5.0 out of 5 stars Autobiographyn of American Science Fiction being born, December 24, 2011

By 

C. lillich "tempest06" (tallahassee, FL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Way the Future Was (Mass Market Paperback)

This is not just an autobiography of Mr. Pohl, this is an autobiography of the beginning of American Science Fiction as we know it. As a rule, Mr. Pohl's syntas has me screaming. Outloud. This would not be one of those times.

The Way The Future Was, aside from being a really snappy title, sets the groundwork for what has become a significant industry, and Mr. Pohl allows us in on the ground floor. Iconic figures like Asimov, Heinlein, L. Ron Hubbard become people you meet, watch grow up and literally change the world.

There is an immediacy to the work, that even today makes it fresh. There are some sections with truly cringe worthy slang but barring that, it is a window into a golden period where you get to watch the birth of something very, very special.

Of all the words Mr. Pohl has written, I like these best.