This book is a critical symposium on science fiction and contains essays by Ben Bova, Frederik Pohl, George Zebrowski, Frank Herbert, Theodore Sturgeon, Alan E. Nourse, Thomas N. Scortia, James Gunn, Alexei and Cory Panshin, Poul Anderson, Hal Clement, Anne McCaffrey, Gordon R. Dickson, and Jack Williamson on topics like the function of science fiction, science fiction publishing, science fiction and the visual arts,
Science fiction and the current state of the world, science fiction, morality, and religion, science fiction and how people adapt to change, science fiction as an imagined experiment, science fiction in the space age, science fiction, new and old trends, the creation of imaginary worlds, and the creation of imaginary beings; Science fiction's romance and splendor, its plausibility, as well as science fiction, critique and instruction. There is also a list of works that discuss science fiction. ( )

Contents:

'The Role of Science Fiction' by Ben Bova
'The Publishing of Science Fiction' by Frederik Pohl
'Science Fiction and the Visual Media' by George Zebrowski
'Science Fiction and a World in Crisis' by Frank Herbert
'Science Fiction, Morals, and Religion' by Theodore Sturgeon
'Science Fiction and Man's Adaptation to Change' by Alan E. Nourse
'Science Fiction as the Imaginary Experiment' by Thomas N. Scortia
'Science Fiction in the Age of Space' by Reginald Bretnor
'Science Fiction and the Mainstream' by James Gunn
'Science Fiction, New Trends and Old' by Alexei and Cory Panshin
'The Creation of Imaginary Worlds: the World Builder's Handbook and Pocket Companion' by Poul Anderson
'The Creation of Imaginary Beings' by Hal Clement
'Hitch Your Dragon to a Star: Romance and Glamour in Science Fiction' by Anne McCaffrey
'Plausibility in Science Fiction' by Gordon R. Dickson
'Science Fiction, Teaching and Criticism' by Jack Williamson
'A Critical Sampler (three pages listing books about science fiction)