The Best of All Possible Worlds edited by Spider Robinson

An anthology build around an ingenious idea: the editor selects obscure stories he likes, then has the authors of those stories select obscure stories they like.

https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/the-air-of-mystique
--
My reviews can be found at http://jamesdavisnicoll.com/
My tor pieces at https://www.tor.com/author/james-davis-nicoll/
My Dreamwidth at https://james-davis-nicoll.dreamwidth.org/
My patreon is at https://www.patreon.com/jamesdnicoll

James Nicoll wrote:
> The Best of All Possible Worlds edited by Spider Robinson
>
> An anthology build around an ingenious idea: the editor selects obscure stories he likes, then has the authors of those stories select obscure stories they like.
>
> https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/the-air-of-mystique

Four of the ten for me. I guess I could say, "and counting," as I haven't read the anthology yet. I was going to say I'd never heard of it, but the review sounds familiar. Was it Robinson's habit to note publication of his own work in his book columns, and, if word-count allowed, toss in the joke about a reviewer's second-highest praise is Just The Way I Would Have Done It, noting that the highest praise is admitting Better Than I Could Have Done It?"

Inconstant Moon" seems the least obscure at that time. I would guess The Duel excerpt from _The Princess Bride_ has passed it since. (And, for all I know has fallen back again, outside my little circle.) I also have the feeling "The Juggler of Our Lady" was more well known as a story, if not actually read, a decade or so previous to this anthology.

A sequel? Continue the chain? Alas, even at the time, Boucher, France, and La Farge were in no position to choose -- unless they left an essay on a favorite-but-obscure story (which could also serve as an introduction). But I get the idea Spider wouldn't have a problem reseeding those positions. What would I choose? That would take some thought; my enthusiasm rarely rises to eight, much less eleven, but two obscure stories I enjoy are "The Philosophy of Relative Existences" by Frank R. Stockton, and "Billiard Ball" by Isaac Asimov.

--
-Jack

On Sunday, 5 November 2023 at 22:38:21 UTC, Jack Bohn wrote:
> A sequel? Continue the chain? Alas, even at the time, Boucher, France, and La Farge were in no position to choose -- unless they left an essay on a favorite-but-obscure story (which could also serve as an introduction). But I get the idea Spider wouldn't have a problem reseeding those positions. What would I choose? That would take some thought; my enthusiasm rarely rises to eight, much less eleven, but two obscure stories I enjoy are "The Philosophy of Relative Existences" by Frank R. Stockton, and "Billiard Ball" by Isaac Asimov.

This may be not a fatal point nor a correct one,
but if authors of the selected stories are selecting
the next stories to include, is it then no longer
"a book edited by Spider Robinson"?

In article <0a96b3c9-1f07-4131-8713-298f9f55f238n@googlegroups.com>,
Robert Carnegie <rja.carnegie@excite.com> wrote:
>On Sunday, 5 November 2023 at 22:38:21 UTC, Jack Bohn wrote:
>> A sequel? Continue the chain? Alas, even at the time, Boucher,
>France, and La Farge were in no position to choose -- unless they left
>an essay on a favorite-but-obscure story (which could also serve as an
>introduction). But I get the idea Spider wouldn't have a problem
>reseeding those positions. What would I choose? That would take some
>thought; my enthusiasm rarely rises to eight, much less eleven, but two
>obscure stories I enjoy are "The Philosophy of Relative Existences" by
>Frank R. Stockton, and "Billiard Ball" by Isaac Asimov.
>
>This may be not a fatal point nor a correct one,
>but if authors of the selected stories are selecting
>the next stories to include, is it then no longer
>"a book edited by Spider Robinson"?

It is because he selected half the works, guided the process of
picking the rest, and did all the work of organizing it and
getting it to the point production could take over.
--
My reviews can be found at http://jamesdavisnicoll.com/
My tor pieces at https://www.tor.com/author/james-davis-nicoll/
My Dreamwidth at https://james-davis-nicoll.dreamwidth.org/
My patreon is at https://www.patreon.com/jamesdnicoll

James Nicoll wrote:

>The Best of All Possible Worlds edited by Spider Robinson
>
>An anthology build around an ingenious idea: the editor selects
>obscure stories he likes, then has the authors of those stories
>select obscure stories they like.

I read a number of those stories, but I don't believe I read that
anthology.

Brian

James Nicoll <jdnicoll@panix.com> wrote:
>Robert Carnegie <rja.carnegie@excite.com> wrote:
>>This may be not a fatal point nor a correct one,
>>but if authors of the selected stories are selecting
>>the next stories to include, is it then no longer
>>"a book edited by Spider Robinson"?
>
>It is because he selected half the works, guided the process of
>picking the rest, and did all the work of organizing it and
>getting it to the point production could take over.

Spider Robinson got paid for it, therefore he gets an editing credit. The
people who did all the work don't get anything at all. This is the key
to getting rich: get someone else to do the work while you get paid.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

On 6 Nov 2023 22:18:45 -0000, kludge@panix.com (Scott Dorsey) wrote:

>Spider Robinson got paid for it, therefore he gets an editing credit. The
>people who did all the work don't get anything at all. This is the key
>to getting rich: get someone else to do the work while you get paid.
>--scott

Catch is what does writing and editting mean?

That may sound silly but look how James Patterson 'writes' his books -
he produces a 10-15 page outline of his book then his collaborator
writes it and when done the two of them review the draft, lightly edit
it and go to print.

That's not exactly what Spider, RAH, Asimov and all the rest of our
favorite writers do or have done.....

In article <uiboo5$4bf$1@panix2.panix.com>,
Scott Dorsey <kludge@panix.com> wrote:
>James Nicoll <jdnicoll@panix.com> wrote:
>>Robert Carnegie <rja.carnegie@excite.com> wrote:
>>>This may be not a fatal point nor a correct one,
>>>but if authors of the selected stories are selecting
>>>the next stories to include, is it then no longer
>>>"a book edited by Spider Robinson"?
>>
>>It is because he selected half the works, guided the process of
>>picking the rest, and did all the work of organizing it and
>>getting it to the point production could take over.
>
>Spider Robinson got paid for it, therefore he gets an editing credit. The
>people who did all the work don't get anything at all. This is the key
>to getting rich: get someone else to do the work while you get paid.

Well, that's just nonsense. All of the authors whose work was used
were paid and Ace staff would have been as well.
--
My reviews can be found at http://jamesdavisnicoll.com/
My tor pieces at https://www.tor.com/author/james-davis-nicoll/
My Dreamwidth at https://james-davis-nicoll.dreamwidth.org/
My patreon is at https://www.patreon.com/jamesdnicoll

In article <uic5nh$k2h$1@reader2.panix.com>,
jdnicoll@panix.com (James Nicoll) wrote:

> In article <uiboo5$4bf$1@panix2.panix.com>,
> Scott Dorsey <kludge@panix.com> wrote:
> >James Nicoll <jdnicoll@panix.com> wrote:
> >>Robert Carnegie <rja.carnegie@excite.com> wrote:
> >>>This may be not a fatal point nor a correct one,
> >>>but if authors of the selected stories are selecting
> >>>the next stories to include, is it then no longer
> >>>"a book edited by Spider Robinson"?
> >>
> >>It is because he selected half the works, guided the process of
> >>picking the rest, and did all the work of organizing it and
> >>getting it to the point production could take over.
> >
> >Spider Robinson got paid for it, therefore he gets an editing credit. The
> >people who did all the work don't get anything at all. This is the key
> >to getting rich: get someone else to do the work while you get paid.
>
> Well, that's just nonsense. All of the authors whose work was used
> were paid and Ace staff would have been as well.

The Anatole France short story should had been out of copyright.

--
"We have advanced to new and surprising levels of bafflement."
Imperial Auditor Miles Vorkosigan describes progress in _Komarr_.
�-----------------------------------------------------
Robert Woodward robertaw@drizzle.com

In article <bj5jkiltqebed97g2cilodm1fdekuu37tt@4ax.com>,
The Horny Goat <lcraver@home.ca> wrote:
>On 6 Nov 2023 22:18:45 -0000, kludge@panix.com (Scott Dorsey) wrote:
>
>>Spider Robinson got paid for it, therefore he gets an editing credit. The
>>people who did all the work don't get anything at all. This is the key
>>to getting rich: get someone else to do the work while you get paid.
>
>Catch is what does writing and editting mean?
>
>That may sound silly but look how James Patterson 'writes' his books -
>he produces a 10-15 page outline of his book then his collaborator
>writes it and when done the two of them review the draft, lightly edit
>it and go to print.

In this case they both get paid for it! So they are both "writers."

>That's not exactly what Spider, RAH, Asimov and all the rest of our
>favorite writers do or have done.....

No, but it's what Victor Appleton and Franklin W. Dixon did!
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

In article <uic5nh$k2h$1@reader2.panix.com>,
James Nicoll <jdnicoll@panix.com> wrote:
>In article <uiboo5$4bf$1@panix2.panix.com>,
>Scott Dorsey <kludge@panix.com> wrote:
>>James Nicoll <jdnicoll@panix.com> wrote:
>>>Robert Carnegie <rja.carnegie@excite.com> wrote:
>>>>This may be not a fatal point nor a correct one,
>>>>but if authors of the selected stories are selecting
>>>>the next stories to include, is it then no longer
>>>>"a book edited by Spider Robinson"?
>>>
>>>It is because he selected half the works, guided the process of
>>>picking the rest, and did all the work of organizing it and
>>>getting it to the point production could take over.
>>
>>Spider Robinson got paid for it, therefore he gets an editing credit. The
>>people who did all the work don't get anything at all. This is the key
>>to getting rich: get someone else to do the work while you get paid.
>
>Well, that's just nonsense. All of the authors whose work was used
>were paid and Ace staff would have been as well.

Wait, wait! Ace paid someone?
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

On 2023-11-07, Scott Dorsey <kludge@panix.com> wrote:
> In article <uic5nh$k2h$1@reader2.panix.com>,
> James Nicoll <jdnicoll@panix.com> wrote:
>>In article <uiboo5$4bf$1@panix2.panix.com>,
>>Scott Dorsey <kludge@panix.com> wrote:
>>>James Nicoll <jdnicoll@panix.com> wrote:
>>>>Robert Carnegie <rja.carnegie@excite.com> wrote:
>>>>>This may be not a fatal point nor a correct one,
>>>>>but if authors of the selected stories are selecting
>>>>>the next stories to include, is it then no longer
>>>>>"a book edited by Spider Robinson"?
>>>>
>>>>It is because he selected half the works, guided the process of
>>>>picking the rest, and did all the work of organizing it and
>>>>getting it to the point production could take over.
>>>
>>>Spider Robinson got paid for it, therefore he gets an editing credit. The
>>>people who did all the work don't get anything at all. This is the key
>>>to getting rich: get someone else to do the work while you get paid.
>>
>>Well, that's just nonsense. All of the authors whose work was used
>>were paid and Ace staff would have been as well.
>
> Wait, wait! Ace paid someone?

My recollection is that Ace was quite a bit above average in speed and
reliability at paying authors it had contracts with. (Authors it did
not have contracts with but published anyways was a different story!)

Chris

The Horny Goat wrote:
> On 6 Nov 2023 22:18:45 -0000, klu...@panix.com (Scott Dorsey) wrote:
>
> >Spider Robinson got paid for it, therefore he gets an editing credit. The
> >people who did all the work don't get anything at all. This is the key
> >to getting rich: get someone else to do the work while you get paid.
> >--scott
> Catch is what does writing and editting mean?

The prolific editing triumvirate of Isaac Asimov, Martin H. Greenberg, and Charles G. Waugh may provide some insight. In someone's explanation of how they worked, and how they worked so well together, the process of anthology editing was laid out with three major tasks. I have forgotten what they were. Something like knowing what stories exist and pair well for an anthology (in pre-YASID days, that would include having the title and author straight), locating actual copy to work with, and negotiating the reprint rights. Each was said to be so good at one phase that they edited many an anthology, all three taking credit and splitting the pie three ways.

(Then there is the normal work of editing: correcting typos, regularizing spelling and punctuation, etc. Seeing where to revise the story to improve it is mostly off the table for reprints, convincing the author not to may occassionally become part of the job.)

--
-Jack

In article <kqus1kF2ovrU1@mid.individual.net>,
Chris Buckley <alan@sabir.com> wrote:
>On 2023-11-07, Scott Dorsey <kludge@panix.com> wrote:
>> In article <uic5nh$k2h$1@reader2.panix.com>,
>> James Nicoll <jdnicoll@panix.com> wrote:
>>>In article <uiboo5$4bf$1@panix2.panix.com>,
>>>Scott Dorsey <kludge@panix.com> wrote:
>>>>James Nicoll <jdnicoll@panix.com> wrote:
>>>>>Robert Carnegie <rja.carnegie@excite.com> wrote:
>>>>>>This may be not a fatal point nor a correct one,
>>>>>>but if authors of the selected stories are selecting
>>>>>>the next stories to include, is it then no longer
>>>>>>"a book edited by Spider Robinson"?
>>>>>
>>>>>It is because he selected half the works, guided the process of
>>>>>picking the rest, and did all the work of organizing it and
>>>>>getting it to the point production could take over.
>>>>
>>>>Spider Robinson got paid for it, therefore he gets an editing credit. The
>>>>people who did all the work don't get anything at all. This is the key
>>>>to getting rich: get someone else to do the work while you get paid.
>>>
>>>Well, that's just nonsense. All of the authors whose work was used
>>>were paid and Ace staff would have been as well.
>>
>> Wait, wait! Ace paid someone?
>
>My recollection is that Ace was quite a bit above average in speed and
>reliability at paying authors it had contracts with. (Authors it did
>not have contracts with but published anyways was a different story!)
>
This was period dependent. As it happens, I just came across a
comment on my blog quoting Niven's first meeting with Doherty
just after he took over Ace:

I met Tom Doherty by walking into the Ace party at the
World Science Fiction Convention in Miami Beach, Florida, Labor Day
weekend 1977. Tom had just taken over at Ace Books.

He met me at the door. He knew my name. He had a good smile and
(I tend to notice) an impressively large head, roomy enough for the brain
of a blue whale. He was talking to Adele Hull of Pocket Books, and he
started to tell me how good she was ... and caught himself. It occurred
to him that he shouldn't be praising the opposition in front of a solid
author.

I said, "I have to tell you, it probably will never cost you a nickel."

"Why not?"

Oh my God. He didn't know! And I realized that I was going to have
to tell him. Who else would?

So I did. "Nobody deals with Ace Books unless all the other choices
are used up. Nobody expects royalties; the advance is it. Overseas money
is never reported ..."

Tom Doherty is a careful businessman. He didn't take over Ace without
checking first. He checked back for two years and found no complaints
lodged against Ace ... not because there weren't any, as he thought, but
because no writer ever expected to get money due from the old Ace books.

The encounter with Larry Niven was his second awful shock of the
day. He had already met Jerry Pournelle that afternoon.

"I'm Jerry Pournelle, President of the Science Fiction Writers of
America, and we want to look at your books!"

Tom wound up paying several hundred thousand dollars in back fees
to authors.

--
My reviews can be found at http://jamesdavisnicoll.com/
My tor pieces at https://www.tor.com/author/james-davis-nicoll/
My Dreamwidth at https://james-davis-nicoll.dreamwidth.org/
My patreon is at https://www.patreon.com/jamesdnicoll