The Future Is Female! 25 Classic Science Fiction Stories by Women, from Pulp Pioneers to Ursula K. Le Guin

Space-opera heroines, gender-bending aliens, post-apocalyptic pregnancies, changeling children, interplanetary battles of the sexes, and much more: a groundbreaking new collection of classic American science fiction by women from the 1920s to the 1960s

SF-expert Lisa Yaszek presents the biggest and best survey of the female tradition in American science fiction ever published, a thrilling collection of twenty-five classic tales. From Pulp Era pioneers to New Wave experimentalists, here are over two dozen brilliant writers ripe for discovery and rediscovery, including Leslie F. Stone, Judith Merril, Leigh Brackett, Kit Reed, Joanna Russ, James Tiptree Jr., and Ursula K. Le Guin. Imagining strange worlds and unexpected futures, looking into and beyond new technologies and scientific discoveries, in utopian fantasies and tales of cosmic horror, these women created and shaped speculative fiction as surely as their male counterparts. Their provocative, mind-blowing stories combine to form a thrilling multidimensional voyage of literary-feminist exploration and recovery.

CONTENTS
Introduction by LISA YASZEK

CLARE WINGER HARRIS The Miracle of the Lily (1928) 

LESLIE F. STONE The Conquest of Gola (1931)

C. L. MOORE The Black God’s Kiss (1934) 

LESLIE PERRI Space Episode (1941) 

JUDITH MERRIL That Only a Mother (1948)
 
WILMAR H. SHIRAS In Hiding (1948) 

KATHERINE MACLEAN Contagion (1950)

MARGARET ST. CLAIR The Inhabited Men (1951)

ZENNA HENDERSON Ararat (1952)

ANDREW NORTH All Cats Are Gray (1953) 

ALICE ELEANOR JONES Created He Them (1955)

MILDRED CLINGERMAN Mr. Sakrison’s Halt (1956) 

LEIGH BRACKETT All the Colors of the Rainbow (1957) 

CAROL EMSHWILLER Pelt (1958) 

ROSEL GEORGE BROWN Car Pool (1959) 

ELISABETH MANN BORGESE For Sale, Reasonable (1959) 

DORIS PITKIN BUCK Birth of a Gardner (1961) 

ALICE GLASER The Tunnel Ahead (1961) 

KIT REED The New You (1962) 

JOHN JAY WELLS & MARION ZIMMER BRADLEY Another Rib (1963) 

SONYA DORMAN When I Was Miss Dow (1966) 

KATE WILHELM Baby, You Were Great (1967) 

JOANNA RUSS The Barbarian (1968) 

JAMES TIPTREE JR. The Last Flight of Dr. Ain (1969)

URSULA K. LE GUIN Nine Lives (1969)

Standard and Primary covers are widely available through general retailers. They often have higher print runs and can be cheaper, especially during sales.

In contrast, Direct Market (DM) and variant covers are primarily sold in comic shops. DM editions tend to have more limited availability and may be more valuable to collectors.

The main differences lie in artwork style, availability, price, and collector appeal. Ultimately, the choice between standard and variant covers depends on personal preference, budget, and individual collecting goals.

Comic book enthusiasts have various formats to choose from when collecting their favorite stories.
Here's a brief overview of the main types:

Omnibus

• Large, hardcover collections
• Usually contain complete runs or extensive story arcs
• Typically 800-1000+ pages
• Higher price point, often €100-€150

Oversized Hardcover (OHC)

• Similar dimensions to omnibus, but thinner
• Collect shorter runs or story arcs
• Usually 300-600 pages
• Priced between €30-€50

Hardcover (HC)

• Standard-sized hardcover books
• Collect 6-12 issues typically
• Similar dimensions to single issues, but with a hard cover
• Priced around €25-€35

Trade Paperback (TP)

• Softcover collections
• Standard comic book size
• Usually collect 4-6 issues
• Most affordable option, typically €15-€25

Other Formats

• Absolute Editions: Oversized, deluxe hardcovers (mainly DC Comics)
• Compendiums: Massive paperback collections
• Graphic Novels (OGN/GN): Original stories not previously released as single issues

The choice between these formats often depends on personal preference, budget, and collecting goals. Omnibus and OHC editions offer larger artwork and more content but at a higher price, while TPs provide a more affordable way to collect complete story arcs