Damon Knight had a varied career in SF, but is probably best know for his short fiction. This collection features selections from his earliest appearance ("Not With a Bang") to his then-current (1980's) work (the compelling "Masks"). Highly recommended.

This book explores the societal implications of free, pervasive, lossless duplication of matter. In short, author Knight proposes that human nature cannot handle such a technology in a responsible manner; instead the world plunges into anarchy, from which emerges a feudal society based around the slavery of expendible, replicated humans.

Today legislatures, corporations, and consumers alike are faced with the issue of free, pervasive, lossless duplication of intellectual property. The analogy is not perfect, but "A for Anything" provides a very useful viewpoint to help you make a decision about the issue. It's not half bad as a novel either.

Written in the form of separate essays, Damon Knight's Hugo Award-winning In Search of Wonder is a revealing look into the author's mind and into the state of science fiction and literature as a whole. The book deserves five stars for its historical value, its superb commentary, and its ability to hold up nigh fifty years later under close scrutiny of professionals. Highly recommended.

A book I reserve for the "classics" section on my shelf. It has a strong spiritual content but is never "preachy" and has been thoroughly enjoyed by many of my friends. An ending that can make you doubt and, at the same time, believe in humanity. The book can make you think about the beginnings of Christianity, how religions and sects can take hold and prosper in society, and how societies then react. All in all, very uplifting and one I have re-read dozens of times over the years. Now that I know it is out of print, I am delighted that I have a copy.

I'll say right off my favorite author is Robert A. Heinlein - especially his earlier novels and juveniles - so I compare anything else I read to his work; this fascinating tale by Damon Knight certainly measures up. Young Thorinn is cast into a well as a sacrifice to appease an angry "god" by his simple-minded stepfather. But Thorinn doesn't perish there. Digging his way out into a cavern beneath the well, Thorinn explores the "underworld" in his almost fairytale-like quest to return to the surface. He finds numerous caverns, some populated by creatures both friendly and treacherous. Thorinn must survive by his own ingenuity, resourcefulness, and courage, and the reader gradually learns with him the true nature of the fascinating "world" Knight so deftly reveals.

Damon Knight offers a simple and direct account of the early years in the lives of some of Science Fictions great writers. Most notable are Frederick Pohl and Issac Asimov. While joining the group late he manages to paint fair portrait of the early years through interveiws and a few remaining written records of the time, namley Asimov's journal and their communal house newsletters. The reader can draw his own conclusions about the group in-fighting and personality clashes. As a whole it is a fascinating story of the avant garde culture of the late '30s and early '40s. Its one weakness is that Knight jumps around chronologically, often jumping forward or backward several years during the recounting of a single incident. It is also difficult to determine who is recounting the story; sometimes there are first person accounts from Knight, a quote from someone during an interview years later, or a retelling of an event by an eye witness other than Knight. I would recommend this book only to the serious sci-fi fan.

If your a fan of science fiction, and especially the early masters of sci-fi, I would recommend this book to you. It's a well written account of several legends (Asimov, Anderson, Kornbluth among others) and their interactions before they were famous and afterwards. Not only does it read like a novel because of Knight's style, but the interactions between the people are cause for the suspense that made me want to finish it in two days. The anecdotes and history of early sci-fi make this a must have for any fan.