The Arkham Sampler, Winter 1949

The Arkham Sampler, Winter 1949 This all-science-fiction issue features a comprehensive symposium on essential science-fiction literature, with contributors including Ray Bradbury, A. E. Van Vogt, Theodore Sturgeon, and others debating twenty core titles for any basic SF library. H. G. Wells's *Seven Famous Novels* ranks first with nine listings, followed by Olaf Stapledon's *Last and First Men* and Aldous Huxley's *Brave New World* with seven each. The issue includes original fiction: Bradbury's "The Spring Night," Van Vogt's "Dear Pen Pal," John Beyon Harris's "Time to Rest," and Stephen Grendon's "Open Sesame!" Essays address science-fiction's case and history, while reprints feature Jules Verne and analysis of the genre's development. A Clark Ashton Smith poem and critical book reviews round out the contents, alongside editorial commentary on science-fiction's place in literature and upcoming collections from Arkham House.