Annual World's Best SF


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Donald A. Wollheim launched his solo annual series with his eponymously-named publishing imprint DAW, producing 19 volumes until his death in 1990. The co-editor, acknolwedged on the title pages but not the covers, was Arthur W. Saha. The books were paperback originals throughout the run, with hardcover editions from the US Science Fiction Book Club. (The photo below shows some of each.) As with the Wollheim/Carr series the title evoked a world-wide scope, though as with the earlier series, selections rarely came from outside familiar genre sources. Wollheim's selections tended to be more conservative than Carr's; the introduction to the first story in Wollheim's first volume expresses relief than Larry Niven, despite publishing a story in an anthology edited by Samuel R. Delany, had not "sold out" the "great tradition."


  • The 1972 Annual World's Best SF, (DAW, 1972) (isfdb)
  • The 1973 Annual World's Best SF, (DAW, 1973) (isfdb)
  • The 1974 Annual World's Best SF, (DAW, 1974) (isfdb)
  • The 1975 Annual World's Best SF, (DAW, 1975) (isfdb)
  • The 1976 Annual World's Best SF, (DAW, 1976) (isfdb)
  • The 1977 Annual World's Best SF, (DAW, 1977) (isfdb)
  • The 1978 Annual World's Best SF, (DAW, 1978) (isfdb)
  • The 1979 Annual World's Best SF, (DAW, 1979) (isfdb)
  • The 1980 Annual World's Best SF, (DAW, 1980) (isfdb)
  • The 1981 Annual World's Best SF, (DAW, 1981) (isfdb)
  • The 1982 Annual World's Best SF, (DAW, 1982) (isfdb)
  • The 1983 Annual World's Best SF, (DAW, 1983) (isfdb)
  • The 1984 Annual World's Best SF, (DAW, 1984) (isfdb)
  • The 1985 Annual World's Best SF, (DAW, 1985) (isfdb)
  • The 1986 Annual World's Best SF, (DAW, 1986) (isfdb)
  • The 1987 Annual World's Best SF, (DAW, 1987) (isfdb)
  • The 1988 Annual World's Best SF, (DAW, 1988) (isfdb)
  • The 1989 Annual World's Best SF, (DAW, 1989) (isfdb)
  • The 1990 Annual World's Best SF, (DAW, 1990) (isfdb)


Complete Contents by Author and Title


Brian W. Aldiss
  • Appearance of Life (1976) -- The 1977 Annual World's Best SF
  • North of the Abyss (1989) -- The 1990 Annual World's Best SF
    • Poul Anderson
  • Goat Song (1972) -- The 1973 Annual World's Best SF
  • A Little Knowledge (1971) -- The 1972 Annual World's Best SF
    • Isaac Asimov
  • The Bicentennial Man (1976) -- The 1977 Annual World's Best SF
  • Potential (1983) -- The 1984 Annual World's Best SF
  • Stranger in Paradise (1974) -- The 1975 Annual World's Best SF
    • J. G. Ballard
  • War Fever (1989) -- The 1990 Annual World's Best SF
    • Steven Barnes
  • The Locusts (by Larry Niven & SB) (1979) -- The 1980 Annual World's Best SF
    • T. J. Bass
  • Rorqual Maru (1972) -- The 1973 Annual World's Best SF
    • Barrington J. Bayley
  • The Bees of Knowledge (1975) -- The 1976 Annual World's Best SF
  • The Cabinet of Oliver Naylor (1976) -- The 1977 Annual World's Best SF
  • Death Ship (1989) -- The 1990 Annual World's Best SF
    • Greg Bear
  • Blood Music (1983) -- The 1984 Annual World's Best SF
  • Scattershot (1978) -- The 1979 Annual World's Best SF
    • Gregory Benford
  • Alphas (1989) -- The 1990 Annual World's Best SF
  • In Alien Flesh (1978) -- The 1979 Annual World's Best SF
    • Eddy C. Bertin
  • Timestorm (1971) -- The 1972 Annual World's Best SF
    • Alfred Bester
  • The Four-Hour Fugue (1974) -- The 1975 Annual World's Best SF
    • Michael Bishop
  • Allegiances (1975) -- The 1976 Annual World's Best SF
  • Cathadonian Odyssey (1974) -- The 1975 Annual World's Best SF
  • Death and Designation Among the Asadi (1973) -- The 1974 Annual World's Best SF
  • The House of Compassionate Sharers (1977) -- The 1978 Annual World's Best SF
    • Marion Zimmer Bradley
  • Elbow Room (1980) -- The 1981 Annual World's Best SF
    • David Brin
  • The Giving Plague (1988) -- The 1989 Annual World's Best SF
    • John Brunner
  • The Protocols of the Elders of Britain (1974) -- The 1976 Annual World's Best SF
  • The Taste of the Dish and the Savor of the Day (1977) -- The 1978 Annual World's Best SF
    • Edward Bryant
  • Particle Theory (1977) -- The 1978 Annual World's Best SF
    • F. M. Busby
  • Come to the Party (by FMB & Frank Herbert) (1978) -- The 1979 Annual World's Best SF
    • Octavia E. Butler
  • Bloodchild (1984) -- The 1985 Annual World's Best SF
    • Pat Cadigan
  • Angel (1987) -- The 1988 Annual World's Best SF
  • Pretty Boy Crossover (1986) -- The 1987 Annual World's Best SF
    • Orson Scott Card
  • America (1987) -- The 1988 Annual World's Best SF
  • Dogwalker (1989) -- The 1990 Annual World's Best SF
  • Unaccompanied Sonata (1979) -- The 1980 Annual World's Best SF
    • Jayge Carr
  • Blind Spot (1981) -- The 1982 Annual World's Best SF
  • Webrider (1985) -- The 1986 Annual World's Best SF
    • Jack L. Chalker
  • Adrift Among the Ghosts (1988) -- The 1989 Annual World's Best SF
  • Dance Band on the Titanic (1978) -- The 1979 Annual World's Best SF
    • C. J. Cherryh
  • Cassandra (1978) -- The 1979 Annual World's Best SF
  • Highliner (New York) (1981) -- The 1982 Annual World's Best SF
  • Pots (1985) -- The 1986 Annual World's Best SF
    • Arthur C. Clarke
  • Transit of Earth (1971) -- The 1972 Annual World's Best SF
    • J. Brian Clarke
  • Earthgate (1985) -- The 1986 Annual World's Best SF
    • Brenda W. Clough
  • Ain't Nothin’ but a Hound Dog (1988) -- The 1989 Annual World's Best SF
    • Michael G. Coney
  • Oh, Valinda! (1972) -- The 1973 Annual World's Best SF
  • The Sharks of Pentreath (1971) -- The 1972 Annual World's Best SF
  • The Summer Sweet, the Winter Wild (1980) -- The 1981 Annual World's Best SF
  • Those Good Old Days of Liquid Fuel (1976) -- The 1977 Annual World's Best SF
    • Richard Cowper
  • The Custodians (1975) -- The 1976 Annual World's Best SF
  • The Hertford Manuscript (1976) -- The 1977 Annual World's Best SF
  • Out There Where the Big Ships Go (1979) -- The 1980 Annual World's Best SF
    • John Dalmas
  • The Picture Man (1984) -- The 1985 Annual World's Best SF
    • Jack Dann
  • The Gods of Mars (by JD, Gardner Dozois & Michael Swanwick) (1985) -- The 1986 Annual World's Best SF
  • Playing the Game (by Gardner Dozois & JD) (1982) -- The 1983 Annual World's Best SF
    • Lester del Rey
  • Natural Advantage (1976) -- The 1977 Annual World's Best SF
    • Joseph H. Delaney
  • In the Face of My Enemy (1983) -- The 1984 Annual World's Best SF
    • Gordon R. Dickson
  • Twig (1974) -- The 1975 Annual World's Best SF
    • Stephen R. Donaldson
  • What Makes Us Human (1984) -- The 1985 Annual World's Best SF
    • Gardner Dozois
  • The Gods of Mars (by Jack Dann, GD & Michael Swanwick) (1985) -- The 1986 Annual World's Best SF
  • Playing the Game (by GD & Jack Dann) (1982) -- The 1983 Annual World's Best SF
    • George Alec Effinger
  • The Aliens Who Knew, I Mean, Everything (1984) -- The 1985 Annual World's Best SF
  • Schrödinger's Kitten (1988) -- The 1989 Annual World's Best SF
    • Doris Egan
  • Timerider (1986) -- The 1987 Annual World's Best SF
    • Gordon Eklund
  • Moby, Too (1973) -- The 1974 Annual World's Best SF
    • Suzette Haden Elgin
  • Lo, How an Oak E'er Blooming (1986) -- The 1987 Annual World's Best SF
    • Harlan Ellison
  • The Deathbird (1973) -- The 1974 Annual World's Best SF
  • Jeffty Is Five (1977) -- The 1978 Annual World's Best SF
  • One Life, Furnished in Early Poverty (1970) -- The 1972 Annual World's Best SF
  • With Virgil Oddum at the East Pole (1985) -- The 1986 Annual World's Best SF
    • Alan Dean Foster
  • With Friends Like These... (1971) -- The 1972 Annual World's Best SF
    • Mary Gentle
  • The Harvest of Wolves (1983) -- The 1984 Annual World's Best SF
    • Steven Gould
  • Peaches for Mad Molly (1988) -- The 1989 Annual World's Best SF
    • James Gunn
  • Child of the Sun (1977) -- The 1978 Annual World's Best SF
    • Joe Haldeman
  • A Time to Live (1977) -- The 1978 Annual World's Best SF
    • Dan Henderson
  • Carruthers' Last Stand (1978) -- The 1979 Annual World's Best SF
    • Frank Herbert
  • Come to the Party (by F. M. Busby & FH) (1978) -- The 1979 Annual World's Best SF
    • Lee Killough
  • Achronos (1980) -- The 1981 Annual World's Best SF
    • Damon Knight
  • I See You (1976) -- The 1977 Annual World's Best SF
  • Strangers on Paradise (1986) -- The 1987 Annual World's Best SF
    • C. M. Kornbluth
  • The Gift of Garigolli (by Frederik Pohl & CMK) (1974) -- The 1975 Annual World's Best SF
    • Michael P. Kube-McDowell
  • Slac// (1981) -- The 1982 Annual World's Best SF
    • R. A. Lafferty
  • All Pieces of a River Shore (1970) -- The 1972 Annual World's Best SF
  • Parthen (1973) -- The 1974 Annual World's Best SF
    • David J. Lake
  • Creator (1978) -- The 1979 Annual World's Best SF
  • The Last Day of Christmas (1981) -- The 1982 Annual World's Best SF
    • Geoffrey A. Landis
  • Ripples in the Dirac Sea (1988) -- The 1989 Annual World's Best SF
    • Ursula K. Le Guin
  • SQ (1978) -- The 1979 Annual World's Best SF
    • Rand B. Lee
  • Knight of Shallows (1983) -- The 1984 Annual World's Best SF
    • Tanith Lee
  • As Time Goes By (1983) -- The 1984 Annual World's Best SF
  • Crying in the Rain (1987) -- The 1988 Annual World's Best SF
  • Into Gold (1986) -- The 1987 Annual World's Best SF
  • A Madonna of the Machine (1988) -- The 1989 Annual World's Best SF
  • Medra (1984) -- The 1985 Annual World's Best SF
  • The Thaw (1979) -- The 1980 Annual World's Best SF
  • Written in Water (1982) -- The 1983 Annual World's Best SF
    • Fritz Leiber
  • Catch That Zeppelin! (1975) -- The 1976 Annual World's Best SF
    • Bob Leman
  • Window (1980) -- The 1981 Annual World's Best SF
    • Wallace MacFarlane
  • Changing Woman (1972) -- The 1973 Annual World's Best SF
    • Phyllis MacLennan
  • Thus Love Betrays Us (1972) -- The 1973 Annual World's Best SF
    • Barry N. Malzberg
  • Gehenna (1971) -- The 1972 Annual World's Best SF
    • George R. R. Martin
  • Nightflyers (1981) -- The 1981 Annual World's Best SF
  • A Song for Lya (1974) -- The 1975 Annual World's Best SF
  • The Storms of Windhaven (by Lisa Tuttle & GRRM) (1975) -- The 1976 Annual World's Best SF
  • The Way of Cross and Dragon (1979) -- The 1980 Annual World's Best SF
    • Jerry Meredith
  • Dream in a Bottle (by JM & Dennis E. Smirl) (1984) -- The 1987 Annual World's Best SF
    • Judith Moffett
  • Not Without Honor (1989) -- The 1990 Annual World's Best SF
    • James Morrow
  • Abe Lincoln in McDonald's (1989) -- The 1990 Annual World's Best SF
    • Pat Murphy
  • Rachel in Love (1987) -- The 1988 Annual World's Best SF
    • Larry Niven
  • The Fourth Profession (1971) -- The 1972 Annual World's Best SF
  • The Locusts (by LN & Steven Barnes) (1979) -- The 1980 Annual World's Best SF
    • P. J. Plauger
  • Child of All Ages (1975) -- The 1976 Annual World's Best SF
    • Frederik Pohl
  • Doomship (by FP & Jack Williamson) (1973) -- The 1974 Annual World's Best SF
  • Farmer on the Dole (1982) -- The 1983 Annual World's Best SF
  • Fermi and Frost (1985) -- The 1986 Annual World's Best SF
  • The Gift of Garigolli (by FP & C. M. Kornbluth) (1974) -- The 1975 Annual World's Best SF
  • The Gold at the Starbow's End (1972) -- The 1973 Annual World's Best SF
  • Spending a Day at the Lottery Fair (1983) -- The 1984 Annual World's Best SF
  • Waiting for the Olympians (1988) -- The 1989 Annual World's Best SF
    • Christopher Priest
  • Real-Time World (1971) -- The 1972 Annual World's Best SF
    • Ted Reynolds
  • Can These Bones Live? (1979) -- The 1980 Annual World's Best SF
  • Through All Your Houses Wandering (1981) -- The 1982 Annual World's Best SF
    • Stephen Robinett
  • Helbent 4 (1975) -- The 1976 Annual World's Best SF
    • Rudy Rucker
  • Peg-Man (1982) -- The 1983 Annual World's Best SF
    • Kristine Kathryn Rusch
  • Skin Deep (1988) -- The 1989 Annual World's Best SF
    • Joanna Russ
  • The Extraordinary Voyages of Amélie Bertrand (1979) -- The 1980 Annual World's Best SF
  • Gleepsite (1971) -- The 1972 Annual World's Best SF
  • My Boat (1976) -- The 1977 Annual World's Best SF
  • Souls (1982) -- The 1983 Annual World's Best SF
    • Don Sakers
  • All Fall Down (1987) -- The 1988 Annual World's Best SF
  • The Leaves of October (1983) -- The 1984 Annual World's Best SF
    • Bob Shaw
  • A Full Member of the Club (1974) -- The 1975 Annual World's Best SF
    • Michael Shea
  • Polyphemus (1981) -- The 1982 Annual World's Best SF
    • Robert Sheckley
  • A Suppliant in Space (1973) -- The 1974 Annual World's Best SF
    • Vadim Shefner
  • A Modest Genius (1973) -- The 1974 Annual World's Best SF
    • Raccoona Sheldon
  • The Screwfly Solution (1977) -- The 1978 Annual World's Best SF
    • Lucius Shepard
  • The Jaguar Hunter (1985) -- The 1986 Annual World's Best SF
  • R&R (1986) -- The 1987 Annual World's Best SF
  • Salvador (1984) -- The 1985 Annual World's Best SF
  • The Sun Spider (1987) -- The 1988 Annual World's Best SF
  • Surrender (1989) -- The 1990 Annual World's Best SF
    • John Shirley
  • Shaman (1988) -- The 1989 Annual World's Best SF
    • Gary Shockley
  • The Coming of the Goonga (1984) -- The 1985 Annual World's Best SF
    • Robert Silverberg
  • Against Babylon (1986) -- The 1987 Annual World's Best SF
  • Chip Runner (1989) -- The 1990 Annual World's Best SF
  • Homefaring (1983) -- The 1984 Annual World's Best SF
  • The Pardoner's Tale (1987) -- The 1988 Annual World's Best SF
  • Sailing to Byzantium (1985) -- The 1986 Annual World's Best SF
  • A Sleep and a Forgetting (1989) -- The 1990 Annual World's Best SF
    • Clifford D. Simak
  • Brother (1977) -- The 1978 Annual World's Best SF
  • Construction Shack (1973) -- The 1974 Annual World's Best SF
  • To Walk a City's Street (1972) -- The 1973 Annual World's Best SF
    • Dennis E. Smirl
  • Dream in a Bottle (by Jerry Meredith & DES) (1984) -- The 1987 Annual World's Best SF
    • Norman Spinrad
  • Prime Time (1980) -- The 1981 Annual World's Best SF
  • The Weed of Time (1970) -- The 1974 Annual World's Best SF
    • Brian Stableford
  • The Engineer and the Executioner (1975) -- The 1976 Annual World's Best SF
  • The Magic Bullet (1989) -- The 1990 Annual World's Best SF
  • The Sun's Tears (1974) -- The 1975 Annual World's Best SF
    • Bruce Sterling
  • Swarm (1982) -- The 1983 Annual World's Best SF
    • Craig Strete
  • The Bleeding Man (1974) -- The 1975 Annual World's Best SF
    • Theodore Sturgeon
  • Occam's Scalpel (1971) -- The 1972 Annual World's Best SF
    • Somtow Sucharitkul
  • Absent Thee from Felicity Awhile... (1981) -- The 1982 Annual World's Best SF
  • The Thirteenth Utopia (1979) -- The 1980 Annual World's Best SF
    • Timothy R. Sullivan
  • The Comedian (1982) -- The 1983 Annual World's Best SF
    • Gardner Dozois
  • The Gods of Mars (by Jack Dann, Gardner Dozois & MS) (1985) -- The 1986 Annual World's Best SF
    • S. C. Sykes
  • The Cyphertone (1981) -- The 1982 Annual World's Best SF
    • Stephen Tall
  • The Bear with the Knot on His Tail (1971) -- The 1972 Annual World's Best SF
    • Robert J. Tilley
  • "Willie's Blues" (1972) -- The 1973 Annual World's Best SF
    • James Tiptree, Jr.
  • Houston, Houston, Do You Read? (1976) -- The 1977 Annual World's Best SF
  • The Man Who Walked Home (1972) -- The 1973 Annual World's Best SF
  • Out of the Everywhere (1981) -- The 1982 Annual World's Best SF
  • Second Going (1987) -- The 1988 Annual World's Best SF
  • We Who Stole the Dream (1978) -- The 1979 Annual World's Best SF
    • E. C. Tubb
  • Evane (1973) -- The 1974 Annual World's Best SF
    • Leonard Tushnet
  • Aunt Jennie's Tonic (1971) -- The 1972 Annual World's Best SF
    • Lisa Tuttle
  • In Translation (1989) -- The 1990 Annual World's Best SF
  • A Spaceship Built of Stone (1980) -- The 1981 Annual World's Best SF
  • The Storms of Windhaven (by LT & George R. R. Martin) (1975) -- The 1976 Annual World's Best SF
    • Sydney J. Van Scyoc
  • Deathsong (1974) -- The 1975 Annual World's Best SF
    • John Varley
  • Beatnik Bayou (1980) -- The 1981 Annual World's Best SF
  • In the Hall of the Martian Kings (1977) -- The 1978 Annual World's Best SF
  • Options (1979) -- The 1980 Annual World's Best SF
  • Overdrawn at the Memory Bank (1976) -- The 1977 Annual World's Best SF
  • The Persistence of Vision (1978) -- The 1979 Annual World's Best SF
  • PRESS ENTER[] (1984) -- The 1985 Annual World's Best SF
  • The Pusher (1981) -- The 1982 Annual World's Best SF
    • Joan D. Vinge
  • Eyes of Amber (1977) -- The 1978 Annual World's Best SF
  • The Peddler's Apprentice (by JDV & Vernor Vinge) (1975) -- The 1976 Annual World's Best SF
    • Vernor Vinge
  • Long Shot (1972) -- The 1973 Annual World's Best SF
  • The Peddler's Apprentice (by Joan D. Vinge & VV) (1975) -- The 1976 Annual World's Best SF
    • Howard Waldrop
  • The Lions Are Asleep This Night (1986) -- The 1987 Annual World's Best SF
  • The Ugly Chickens (1980) -- The 1981 Annual World's Best SF
    • Ian Watson
  • The Flies of Memory (1988) -- The 1989 Annual World's Best SF
  • On the Dream Channel Panel (1985) -- The 1986 Annual World's Best SF
  • We Remember Babylon (1984) -- The 1985 Annual World's Best SF
    • Sharon Webb
  • Variation On a Theme from Beethoven (1980) -- The 1981 Annual World's Best SF
    • James White
  • The Scourge (1982) -- The 1983 Annual World's Best SF
    • Kate Wilhelm
  • Forever Yours, Anna (1987) -- The 1988 Annual World's Best SF
    • Walter Jon Williams
  • Dinosaurs (1987) -- The 1988 Annual World's Best SF
    • Jack Williamson
  • Doomship (by Frederik Pohl & JW) (1973) -- The 1974 Annual World's Best SF
    • Connie Willis
  • Cash Crop (1984) -- The 1985 Annual World's Best SF
  • The Curse of Kings (1985) -- The 1986 Annual World's Best SF
  • Daisy, in the Sun (1979) -- The 1980 Annual World's Best SF
  • A Letter from the Clearys (1982) -- The 1983 Annual World's Best SF
    • Richard Wilson
  • The Story Writer (1979) -- The 1980 Annual World's Best SF
    • Thomas Wylde
  • The Nanny (1983) -- The 1984 Annual World's Best SF
    • Timothy Zahn
  • Pawn's Gambit (1982) -- The 1983 Annual World's Best SF
    • Roger Zelazny
  • Permafrost (1986) -- The 1987 Annual World's Best SF

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    This page last updated Wednesday 5 Dec 2018 at 17:40 PT