The World Of Science Fiction 1926 76 by Lester del Rey

A brisk, opinionated survey of science fiction's evolution from its magazine-pulp beginnings in the late 1920s through the mid-1970s, blending historical overview, critical appraisal, and personal anecdote. It traces key movements—pulp era, Golden Age, postwar diversification, and the New Wave—profiles influential writers and editors, discusses changing themes and publishing practices, and reflects on the genre's growing impact on popular culture and technological imagination. The tone is knowledgeable and candid, offering both celebration and critique of the field's achievements and excesses.