Debuting within a couple months of the first volumes of Wollheim and Carr's separate series, this line from Dutton was the first hardcover best-of-year series since the end of Judith Merril's run. The books were shorter than comparable series, running 200-250 pages. Each volume opened with a Foreword, usually about the nature of the genre, and closed with a five or six page summary of the field, "The Science Fiction Yearbook." Del Rey's selections were generally conservative, especially compared with those of the much younger Gardner Dozois, who took over the series with volume 6.
Most reprinted authors: R.A. Lafferty (4), then Poul Anderson, Thomas N. Scortia, Robert Silverberg, and Clifford D. Simak (3 each).
Most frequent sources:
Analog and
F&SF (16 each), then
Galaxy (9) and
If (7). 20 of the 73 stories were from various anthologies.
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Best Science Fiction Stories of the Year: First Annual Collection, (Dutton, 1972)
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Best Science Fiction Stories of the Year: Second Annual Collection, (Dutton, 1973)
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Best Science Fiction Stories of the Year: Third Annual Collection, (Dutton, 1974)
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Best Science Fiction Stories of the Year: Fourth Annual Collection, (Dutton, 1975)
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Best Science Fiction Stories of the Year: Fifth Annual Collection, (Dutton, 1976)
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Combined Contents by Author and Title
Poul Anderson
The Bitter Bread
(Analog Dec 1975)
-- Vol. #5
A Little Knowledge
(Analog Aug 1971)
-- Vol. #1
The Problem of Pain
(F&SF Feb 1973)
-- Vol. #3
Isaac Asimov
The Greatest Asset
(Analog Jan 1972)
-- Vol. #2
Alfred Bester
Something Up There Likes Me
(Astounding, 1973)
-- Vol. #3
Mildred Downey Broxon
The Night Is Cold, the Stars Are Far Away
(Universe 5, 1974)
-- Vol. #4
John Brunner
What Friends Are For
(Fellowship of the Stars, 1974)
-- Vol. #4
B. Alan Burhoe
Ornithanthropus
(If Dec 1971)
-- Vol. #1
F. M. Busby
If This Is Winnetka, You Must Be Judy
(Universe 5, 1974)
-- Vol. #4
Theodore R. Cogswell
The Population Implosion
(Astounding, 1973)
-- Vol. #3
Robert L. Davis
Teratohippus
(Worlds of If Nov/Dec 1972)
-- Vol. #2
Gordon R. Dickson
Enter a Pilgrim
(Analog Aug 1974)
-- Vol. #4
Phyllis Eisenstein
Tree of Life
(Galaxy Mar 1975)
-- Vol. #5
Gordon Eklund
Underbelly
(Worlds of If Sep/Oct 1972)
-- Vol. #2
Harlan Ellison
The Human Operators
(by HE & A. E. van Vogt)
(F&SF Jan 1971)
-- Vol. #1
Sleeping Dogs
(Analog Oct 1974)
-- Vol. #4
Philip José Farmer
The Sliced-Crosswise Only-On-Tuesday World
(New Dimensions I, 1971)
-- Vol. #1
Burt K. Filer
Hot Potato
(The Many Worlds of Science Fiction, 1971)
-- Vol. #1
Alan Dean Foster
Dream Done Green
(Fellowship of the Stars, 1974)
-- Vol. #4
Carolyn Gloeckner
Earth Mother
(The Long Night of Waiting, 1974)
-- Vol. #4
Miscount
(Analog Nov 1972)
-- Vol. #2
Jack C. Haldeman II
Watchdøg
(Amazing May 1972)
-- Vol. #2
Harry Harrison
Ad Astra
(Vertex Aug 1974)
-- Vol. #4
The Wicked Flee
(New Dimensions I, 1971)
-- Vol. #1
Robert Hoskins
Pop Goes the Weasel
(F&SF Apr 1975)
-- Vol. #5
Liz Hufford
The Book Learners
(F&SF May 1975)
-- Vol. #5
Harvey Jacobs
Dress Rehearsal
(F&SF Jul 1974)
-- Vol. #4
C. M. Kornbluth
The Meeting
(by Frederik Pohl & CMK)
(F&SF Nov 1972)
-- Vol. #2
Mute Inglorious Tam
(by Frederik Pohl & CMK)
(F&SF Oct 1974)
-- Vol. #4
Michael Kurland
Think Only This of Me
(Galaxy Nov 1973)
-- Vol. #3
R. A. Lafferty
And Name My Name
(Orbit 13, 1974)
-- Vol. #4
Eurema's Dam
(New Dimensions II, 1972)
-- Vol. #2
The Man Underneath
(If Jan 1971)
-- Vol. #1
Parthen
(Galaxy May 1973)
-- Vol. #3
A. Lentini
Autumntime
(Galaxy Nov 1971)
-- Vol. #1
David M. Locke
The Power of the Sentence
(F&SF Apr 1971)
-- Vol. #1
Wallace MacFarlane
To Make a New Neanderthal
(Analog Sep 1971)
-- Vol. #1
Phyllis MacLennan
Thus Love Betrays Us
(F&SF Sep 1972)
-- Vol. #2
George R. R. Martin
With Morning Comes Mistfall
(Analog May 1973)
-- Vol. #3
Vonda N. McIntyre
The Mountains of Sunset, the Mountains of Dawn
(F&SF Feb 1974)
-- Vol. #4
Larry Niven
Cloak of Anarchy
(Analog Mar 1972)
-- Vol. #2
Rammer
(Galaxy Nov 1971)
-- Vol. #1
Donald G. Noakes
The Long Silence
(Analog Mar 1972)
-- Vol. #2
Stan Nodvik
The Postponed Cure
(Vertex Jun 1974)
-- Vol. #4
Hayford Peirce
High Yield Bondage
(Galaxy Aug 1975)
-- Vol. #5
Mail Supremacy
(Analog Mar 1975)
-- Vol. #5
P. J. Plauger
Child of All Ages
(Analog Mar 1975)
-- Vol. #5
Frederik Pohl
The Meeting
(by FP & C. M. Kornbluth)
(F&SF Nov 1972)
-- Vol. #2
Mute Inglorious Tam
(by FP & C. M. Kornbluth)
(F&SF Oct 1974)
-- Vol. #4
Stephen Robinett
Helbent 4
(Galaxy Oct 1975)
-- Vol. #5
Bill Rotsler
Patron of the Arts
(Universe 2, 1972)
-- Vol. #2
Thomas N. Scortia
Thou Good and Faithful
(Two Views of Wonder, 1973)
-- Vol. #3
When You Hear the Tone
(Galaxy Jan 1971)
-- Vol. #1
Woman's Rib
(Galaxy Jul 1972)
-- Vol. #2
Robert Silverberg
Good News from the Vatican
(Universe 1, 1971)
-- Vol. #1
The Man Who Came Back
(New Worlds Feb 1961)
-- Vol. #4
When We Went to See the End of the World
(Universe 2, 1972)
-- Vol. #2
Clifford D. Simak
The Birch Clump Cylinder
(Stellar, 1974)
-- Vol. #4
Construction Shack
(Worlds of If Jan/Feb 1973)
-- Vol. #3
Senior Citizen
(F&SF Oct 1975)
-- Vol. #5
Norman Spinrad
The National Pastime
(Nova 3, 1973)
-- Vol. #3
A Thing of Beauty
(Analog Jan 1973)
-- Vol. #3
Theodore Sturgeon
Occam's Scalpel
(If Aug 1971)
-- Vol. #1
Cogswell Thomas
Paradise Regained
(Saving Worlds, 1973)
-- Vol. #3
James Tiptree, Jr.
I'll Be Waiting for You When the Swimming Pool Is Empty
(Protostars, 1971)
-- Vol. #1
The Man Who Walked Home
(Amazing May 1972)
-- Vol. #2
A. E. van Vogt
The Human Operators
(by Harlan Ellison & AEvV)
(F&SF Jan 1971)
-- Vol. #1
Joan D. Vinge
The Peddler's Apprentice
(by JDV & Vernor Vinge)
(Analog Aug 1975)
-- Vol. #5
Vernor Vinge
Long Shot
(Analog Aug 1972)
-- Vol. #2
The Peddler's Apprentice
(by Joan D. Vinge & VV)
(Analog Aug 1975)
-- Vol. #5
Edward Wellen
Androids Don't Cry
(F&SF May 1973)
-- Vol. #3
Kate Wilhelm
Whatever Happened to the Olmecs?
(F&SF Oct 1973)
-- Vol. #3
Robert F. Young
Ghosts
(Worlds of If Jan/Feb 1973)
-- Vol. #3
