Introduction
Isaac Asimov introduces this first volume of Hugo winners, beginning with the 1955, 13th Convention, in Cleveland, at which he had been Guest of Honor. This was the Convention at which awards for stories became a regular feature, although the book isn’t clear about what was considered and nominated in each year, as stories from ’54, ’55 and ’56 variously appear in the 1955 and 1956 Awards. And with the subsequent conventions each making up their own rules as to what to provide awards for, there’s no real consistency across the years.
This volume provides the winning story in each category – with differing awards being made at each convention. The information below regarding the other nominees has been taken from the excellent SF Awards Database where it is available.
1955 13th Convention. Cleveland.
Interestingly, Jo Walton noted in her Tor.com article in 2010 that the details of nominees for the 1955 Award were never actually revealed by the convention, and ‘They’d Rather Be Right’ by Mark Clifton and Frank Riley, which won the Best Novel Award that year, is generally held to be the worse novel to ever win the Hugo, and what the convention and it’s attendees were thinking of is a mystery, and that there are even conspiracy theories. Plus ca change.
Best Novelette:
The Darfsteller. Walter M Miller, Jr.
Originally in Astounding Science Fiction, January 1955.
I tried reading this in a Year’s Best anthology a couple of years ago, where I wrote :
“Robots have replaced human actors on the theatrical stage, and now ex-thespian Ryan Thornier is in reduced circumstances. He is now a janitor in a theatre, somewhat half-heartedly so, looking back on his days as a successful actor. It’s a long read, one which I haven’t completed after a couple of attempts. The theatre manager is stereotyped Italian (fortunately not a Jewish stereotype!) and the sfnal elements set up a long character-led theatrical drama. For a review of the story from someone who enjoyed it read the review by Robert Wilfred Franson on the troynovant.com website.” Or you can read the story in the Internet Archive PDF of the issue of Astounding it appeared in.
Best Short Story: Allamagoosa. Eric Frank Russell.
Originally in : Astounding, May 1955.
I did read this story in this volume a few years ago, and I wrote this then
“A fairly weak shaggy dog story with the sfnal element minimal and not at all crucial to the story. Best SF review here.” Or read the story in the Internet Archive PDF of the issue of Astounding it originally appeared in
1956 14th Convention. New York.
Best Novelette:
Exploration Team. Murray Leinster.
Summary to follow.
Other nominees :
– F. L. Wallace. The Assistant Self. (Fantastic Universe March 1956)
– Alan E. Nourse. Brightside Crossing. (Galaxy January 1956). Read this story in the Internet Archive PDF of this issue of Galaxy
– Algis Budrys. The End of Summer. (Astounding November 1954)
– L. Sprague de Camp. A Gun for Dinosaur. (Galaxy March 1956)
– Henry Kuttner & C. L. Moore. Home There’s No Returning. (No Boundaries, Ballantine 1955). Chosen by Judith Merril in one of her Year’s Best anthologies of the 1950s, where I read it and reviewed it.
– Eric Frank Russell. Legwork. (Astounding April 1956)
– Theodore Sturgeon. Who? (Galaxy March 1955)
Best Short Story: The Star. Arthur C. Clarke.
Summary to follow.
Other nominees :
– Ray Bradbury. The Dragon. (Esquire August 1955)
– F. L. Wallace. End as a World. (Galaxy September 1955)
– Cordwainer Smith. The Game of Rat and Dragon. (Galaxy October 1955) Read the story in the Internet Archive PDF of this issue of Galaxy
– James Blish. King of the Hill. (Infinity November 1955)
– Algis Budrys. Nobody Bothers Gus. (Astounding November 1955). Chosen by Judith Merril in one of her Year’s Best anthologies of the 1950s, where reviewed it.
– Robert Sheckley. Spy Story. (Playboy September 1955)
– Theodore Sturgeon. Twink. (Galaxy August 1955). Be careful if you google this one! Or just read the story in the Internet Archive PDF of this issue of Galaxy
1957 15th Convention. London.
No Awards.
1958 16th Convention. Los Angeles.
Best Short Story:
Or All the Seas with Oysters. Avram Davidson.
Summary to follow.
1959 17th Convention. Detroit.
Best Novelette:
The Big Front Yard. Clifford D. Simak.
Summary to follow.
Other nominees:
- Captivity. Zenna Henderson (F&SF Jun 1958)
- A Deskful of Girls. Fritz Leiber (F&SF Apr 1958)
- The Miracle-Workers. Jack Vance (Astounding Jul 1958)
- Rat in the Skull. Rog Phillips (If Dec 1958)
- Second Game. Katherine MacLean & Charles V. De Vet (Astounding Mar 1958)
- Shark Ship. C.M. Kornbluth (Vanguard Jun 1958)
- Unwillingly to School. Pauline Ashwell (Astounding Jan 1958)
Best Short Story:
The Hell-Bound Train. Robert Bloch.
Summary to follow.
Other nominees:
- The Advent on Channel Twelve. C.M. Kornbluth (Star Science Fiction Stories No. 4)
- The Edge of the Sea. Algis Budrys (Venture Mar 1958)
- The Men Who Murdered Mohammed. Alfred Bester (F&SF Oct 1958)
- Nine Yards of Other Cloth. Manly Wade Wellman (F&SF Nov 1958)
- Rump-Titty-Titty-Tum-Tah-Tee. Fritz Leiber (F&SF May 1958)
- Space to Swing a Cat. Stanley Mullen (Astounding Jun 1958)
- Theory of Rocketry. C.M. Kornbluth (F&SF Jul 1958)
- They’ve Been Working On… Anton Lee Baker (Astounding Aug 1958)
- Triggerman. J.F. Bone (Astounding Dec 1958)
1960 18th Convention. Pittsburgh.
Best Short Fiction:
Flowers for Algernon. Daniel Keyes. (F&SF April 1959)
Summary to follow.
Other nominees:
- The Alley Man, Philip José Farmer (F&SF Jun 1959)
- Cat and Mouse, Ralph Williams (Astounding Jun 1959)
- The Man Who Lost the Sea, Theodore Sturgeon (F&SF Oct 1959)
- The Pi Man, Alfred Bester (F&SF Oct 1959)
1961 19th Convention. Seattle.
Best Novelette:
The Longest Voyage. Poul Anderson.
Summary to follow.
Other nominees:
- The Lost Kafoozalum. Pauline Ashwell (Analog Oct 1960)
- Need. Theodore Sturgeon (Beyond)
- Open to Me, My Sister. Philip José Farmer (F&SF May 1960)