Science Fiction Book Club
The Science Fiction Book Club (SFBC) was a UK book club started by publishers Sidgewick & Jackson in 1953, the same year as the American Science Fiction Book Club although Ted Carnell's comment below and advertisements in contemporary prozines imply that the UK version was first.
Conceived by Herbert Jones, the SFBC issued its first book in January 1953 and in one form or another carried on until the end of 1982. The first title was George R. Stewart's Earth Abides, and the last Anne McCaffrey's The Worlds of Anne McCaffrey. The club issued approximately 324 books in total, most is special Club editions with varying designs although half-a-dozen or so late titles, such as the McCaffrey, were standard publisher's editions offered to Club members.
Ken Slater explained how it would work in A Sort of Newsletter for Operation Fantast (February 1953)[1]:
titles will be issued bimonthly, & each book costs 6/-. If you reside outside the UK, you must subscribe for the first six books in one payment of 39/-. (The actual cost of the book is 6/-, but there is also 6d postage on each.) American & Canadian folk should remit $5.50 for the six books. The first three titles are: Earth Abides: George Stewart. Mar/Apr. The Martian Chronicles: Bradbury. May/Jun. Last and First Men: Olaf Stapledon. Jul/Aug ... Oh, I forgot one thing... with each selection you'll also get Science Fiction News Sheet, describing current and forthcoming publications, and containing specially written articles, correspondence from members, etc. This is where O.F. goes out of business, it appears! They're getting professional in the "fan-club" game now!
The Club was mentioned in New Worlds 19 (January 1953), and in 20 (March 1953) Ted Carnell welcomed its creation:
In the book field 1953 heralds in an outstanding world event in Sidgwick & Jackson's SCIENCE FICTION BOOK CLUB. This is an unprecedented step in the science-fiction field. As with the International Fantasy Award idea, Great Britain is one step ahead of the Americans again – to keep us there the Book Club needs the support of every enthusiast in the country. Naturally it will be to your ultimate advantage.
Full-page advertisements for the American Club appeared in Galaxy (April 1953) and Astounding (June 1953). This does seem to confirm Carnell's contention that the UK Club was first, albeit only marginally, and it seems likely that they were parallel developments rather than one inspiring the other.
The selection panel initially included Carnell, Arthur C. Clarke Dr J. G. Porter[2]. and Edward Shanks[3], and later Angus Wilson, Jones and Kingsley Amis.
The club newsletter, Science Fiction News, was edited for its first 37 issues (March 1953 –March 1959) by Jones. Oliver Caldecott[4] then edited issues 38 (May 1959) to 46 (September 1960). Issues 47 (September 1960) to 50 (March 1961) were edited by Ildiko Hayes. Later issues are uncredited although some editorial matter is signed "O. C." suggesting Caldecott resumed control. Science Fiction News included a number of reprints from fanzines such as Zenith and Vector, a dozen or more instances of fiction, and a poetry competition judged by Robert Conquest and featuring a poem by Beryl Henley. There were also letters, occasionally quite critical and argumentative, some of them by known fan names, and classified ads of a sort which again sometimes included a known name such as Roger Peyton.
In its final years, Peter Roberts worked for the company and wrote some of the jacket copy.
Greg Pickersgill's website (link below) includes detailed history of the UK SFBC including lists of published titles, cover scans, and copies of the newsletter.
Links
- The UK SFBC at gostak.org.uk
- Science Fiction Book Club entry at the The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction
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- ↑ at fanac.org (PDF).
- ↑ A Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society based at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, and a well-known broadcaster on astronomical subjects
- ↑ Edward Shanks at ISFDB; his death on May 4, 1953, meant his involvement was brief.
- ↑ A South African born editor and artist, later chief editor of fiction at Penguin books. He was the husband of Moyra Caldecott (Wikipedia).
| Publisher | 1953—1982 |
| This is a publisher page, referring to science fiction book and prozine publishers. |
