Store of the Worlds

Jonatham Lethem and Alex Abramovich present over 25 darkly satirical sci-fi short stories by “one of science fiction’s seminal humorists, a precursor to Douglas Adams” (New York Times). Robert Sheckley was an eccentric master of the American short story, and his tales—whether set in dystopic city­scapes, ultramodern advertising agencies, or aboard spaceships lighting out for hostile planets—are among the most startlingly original of the 20th century. Today, as the new worlds, alternate universes, and synthetic pleasures Sheckley foretold become our reality, his vision begins to look less absurdist and more prophetic. This retrospective selection, chosen by Jonathan Lethem and Alex Abramovich, brings together the best of Sheckley’s deadpan farces, proving once again that he belongs beside such mordant critics of contemporary mores as Bruce Jay Friedman, Terry Southern, and Thomas Pynchon. “Let’s say you are a devoted fan of Kurt Vonnegut’s books, love the sardonic comeuppance stories of John Collier and Roald Dahl, own all of Edward Gorey’s little albums and enjoy watching reruns of ‘The Twilight Zone.’ Where else can you find similar instances of sly, macabre wit, of such black-humored, gin-and-tonic fizziness in storytelling? . . . Robert Sheckley.” —The Washington Post