Spectrum-Edited by Kingsley Amis & Robert Conquest

The paperback edition has seven stories out of the twelve in the hardcover edition. The stories are from 1941,49,51,54,56.

Favorites: “Null-P” (1951) – William Tenn –  After a devastating war the United States is run by the statistical average man. This leads to a great story with a terrific ending. Tenn’s sense of humor is in full force.

“Inanimate Objection” (1954 novelette) – H.Chandler Elliott – A man is put into an insane asylum because he believes inanimate objects have it in for us. The chief psychiatrist doesn’t think the man is crazy especially after a number of mishaps. Another story with a good sense of humor.

“By His Bootstraps” (1941 novella) – Robert A. Heinlein – An excellent story about getting caught up in time travel. Bob Wilson is writing a thesis about time travel when he gets transported through a time gate to a thousand years in the future by a stranger named Joe. The story was originally published in “Astounding” under Heinlein’s pseudonym Anson MacDonald.

Other authors: Frederik Pohl, Clifford D.Simak, Algis Budrys and Robert Sheckley.