Isaac Asimov Presents The Great SF Stories 23 (1961)

The Great SF Stories series was an ambitious anthological project curated by Isaac Asimov and Martin H. Greenberg, designed to chronicle the most significant short fiction published during the Golden Age of science fiction. Volume 23 specifically focuses on the year 1961, a period when the genre was transitioning from the pulp-era sensibilities toward the more complex, socially conscious narratives that would define the New Wave movement. DAW Books published this volume as part of their long-running commitment to maintaining the visibility of foundational sci-fi literature for new generations of readers.

The design of this edition follows the classic DAW aesthetic of the early 1990s, characterized by illustrative cover art intended to evoke a sense of wonder while maintaining a consistent visual identity across the multi-volume series. The selection process for the stories included in this volume was intended to provide a historical snapshot of the year 1961, emphasizing authors who were shaping the genre at the time. The collection was generally well-received by scholars and enthusiasts as a reliable reference point for understanding the stylistic evolution of science fiction throughout the mid-twentieth century.