BEST FROM STARTLING STORIES, THE SHAPE OF THINGS, WONDER STORIES 1957 and other reprints from the Thrilling Group science fiction titles

After Standard Magazines/Better Publications shut down their Thrilling Group pulp magazines in 1955, they concentrated their activities mostly in the Paperback Library division of the Ned Pines organization...but James Hendryx, Jr. was given the task over the next decade to edit reprint magazines (with a couple of stories reprinted from the slicks rather than pulp back issues): two almost identical issues of Wonder Stories (the first in digest format, the second in pulp size) and eventually three issues of Treasury of Great Science Fiction Stories (with the last cutting the title down), also in pulp format.  (Treasury also had a western fiction companion.)

Cover painting by Richard Powers

• Publication: Wonder Stories, 1957
  (View All Issues) (View Issue Grid)
• Editors: Jim Hendryx, Jr.
• Year: 1957-00-00
• Publisher: Better Publications, Inc.
• Price: $0.35
• Pages: 132
• Binding: digest

Contents:

• 2 • Shadow on the Sand • (1950) • novella by John D. MacDonald
• 30 • A Sound of Thunder • (1952) • shortstory by Ray Bradbury
• 40 • All the Time in the World • (1952) • shortstory by Arthur C. Clarke
• 51 • Man of Distinction • (1951) • shortstory by Fredric Brown
• 59 • Thanasphere • (1950) • shortstory by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
• 72 • Spacemate • (1950) • shortstory by Walt Sheldon
• 81 • The Monitor • (1954) • shortstory by Margaret St. Clair
• 86 • Star Bride • (1951) • shortstory by Anthony Boucher

• Publication: Wonder Stories, 1963
  (View All Issues) (View Issue Grid)
• Editors: Jim Hendryx, Jr.
• Year: 1963-00-00
• Publisher: Better Publications, Inc.
• Price: $0.50
• Pages: 100
• Binding: pulp

Contents:

• fep •  Shadow on the Sand [2] • (1950) • interior artwork by Virgil Finlay
• 2 • Shadow on the Sand • (1950) • novella by John D. MacDonald
• 2 •  Shadow on the Sand • (1950) • interior artwork by Virgil Finlay
• 32 • All the Time in the World • (1952) • shortstory by Arthur C. Clarke
• 32 •  All the Time in the World • (1952) • interior artwork by J. Dreany
• 40 • A Sound of Thunder • (1952) • shortstory by Ray Bradbury
• 40 •  A Sound of Thunder • (1954) • interior artwork by Ed Emshwiller [as by Emsh ]
• 48 • Robert • (1953) • shortstory by Evan Hunter
• 48 •  Robert • (1953) • interior artwork by uncredited
• 53 • The Monitor • (1954) • shortstory by Margaret St. Clair
• 57 • The Hunters • (1952) • shortstory by Walt Sheldon
• 59 • Man of Distinction • (1951) • shortstory by Fredric Brown
• 59 •  Man of Distinction • (1951) • interior artwork by uncredited
• 65 • Star Bride • (1951) • shortstory by Anthony Boucher
• 67 • Thanasphere • (1950) • shortstory by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
• 67 •  Thanasphere • (1959) • interior artwork by Virgil Finlay
• bep •  Shadow on the Sand [3] • (1950) • interior artwork by Virgil Finlay

• Publication: Treasury of Great Science Fiction Stories, Number 1
  (View All Issues) (View Issue Grid)
• Editors: Jim Hendryx, Jr.
• Year: 1964-00-00
• Publisher: Popular Library, Inc.
• Price: $0.50
• Pages: 100
• Binding: pulp

Contents:

• 4 • The Earth Men • [The Martian Chronicles] • (1948) • shortstory by Ray Bradbury
• 4 •  The Earth Men • (1948) • interior artwork by Virgil Finlay
• 14 • The Portable Star • (1955) • shortstory by Isaac Asimov
• 14 •  The Portable Star • (1955) • interior artwork by Ed Emshwiller [as by Emsh ]
• 23 • Happy Ending • (1948) • novelette by Henry Kuttner and C. L. Moore [as by Henry Kuttner ]
• 23 •  Happy Ending • (1948) • interior artwork by uncredited
• 35 • The Three • (1953) • shortstory by Gordon R. Dickson
• 35 •  The Three • (1953) • interior artwork by C. A. Murphy
• 43 • The Last Test • (1952) • shortstory by Robert Zacks
• 43 •  The Last Test • (1952) • interior artwork by J. Dreany
• 46 • Quest of the Starhope • (1949) • shortstory by Leigh Brackett
• 46 •  Quest of the Starhope • (1949) • interior artwork by uncredited
• 56 • Sibling • (1953) • shortstory by Leslie Waltham
• 56 •  Sibling (reprint) • (1953) • interior artwork by Virgil Finlay
• 63 • The Rotohouse • [Oona and Jick] • (1948) • shortstory by Margaret St. Clair
• 63 •  The Rotohouse • (1948) • interior artwork by Virgil Finlay
• 70 • The Blunderer • (1952) • shortstory by L. Sprague de Camp
• 70 •  The Blunderer • (1952) • interior artwork by Vincent Napoli [as by Napoli ]
• 78 • Keyhole • (1951) • shortstory by Murray Leinster
• 78 •  Keyhole • (1951) • interior artwork by uncredited
• 89 • Hero • (1939) • shortstory by H. L. Gold
• 89 •  Hero • (1939) • interior artwork by uncredited

• Publication: Treasury of Great Science Fiction Stories, Number 2 (View All Issues) (View Issue Grid)
• Editors: Jim Hendryx, Jr.
• Year: 1965-00-00
• Publisher: Popular Library, Inc.
• Price: $0.50
• Pages: 100
• Binding: pulp

Contents:

• fep • Fact Chases Fiction • essay by uncredited
• 4 • The Woman from Altair • (1951) • novelette by Leigh Brackett
• 5 •  The Woman from Altair • (1951) • interior artwork by Paul Orban [as by Orban ]
• 24 • Purpose • (1950) • shortstory by Ray Bradbury (variant of The City)
• 24 •  Purpose • (1950) • interior artwork by uncredited
• 29 • Affair of State • (1953) • shortstory by Charles A. Stearns
• 29 •  Affair of State • (1953) • interior artwork by uncredited
• 35 • Columbus Was a Dope • (1947) • shortstory by Robert A. Heinlein
• 35 •  Columbus Was a Dope • (1947) • interior artwork by Astarita
• 38 • Percy the Pirate • (1945) • shortstory by Henry Kuttner
• 38 •  Percy the Pirate • (1945) • interior artwork by Virgil Finlay
• 46 • De Profundis • (1945) • shortstory by Murray Leinster
• 46 •  De Profundis • (1945) • interior artwork by uncredited
• 54 • Planet of the Black Dust • (1946) • shortstory by Jack Vance
• 54 •  Planet of the Black Dust • (1946) • interior artwork by uncredited
• 66 • Music of the Spheres • (1950) • shortstory by Walt Sheldon
• 66 •  Music of the Spheres • (1950) • interior artwork by uncredited
• 73 • Wanderer of Time • (1944) • shortstory by John Russell Fearn [as by Polton Cross ]
• 73 •  Wanderer of Time • (1944) • interior artwork by Virgil Finlay
• 84 • What's It Like Out There? • (1952) • novelette by Edmond Hamilton
• 84 •  What's It Like Out There? • (1952) • interior artwork by Paul Orban [as by Orban ]

• Publication: Great Science Fiction Stories, Number 3
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• Editors: Jim Hendryx, Jr.
• Year: 1966-00-00
• Publisher: Popular Library, Inc.
• Price: $0.50
• Pages: 100
• Binding: pulp

Contents:

• fep •  untitled • interior artwork by Virgil Finlay
• 4 • The Truants • (1950) • novelette by Leigh Brackett
• 4 •  The Truants • (1950) • interior artwork by uncredited
• 21 •  The Naming of Names • (1949) • interior artwork by uncredited
• 21 • The Naming of Names • (1949) • shortstory by Ray Bradbury (variant of Dark They Were, and Golden-Eyed)
• 30 • A Walk in the Dark • (1950) • shortstory by Arthur C. Clarke
• 30 •  A Walk in the Dark • (1950) • interior artwork by uncredited
• 37 • Mating Time • (1953) • shortstory by Joseph Shallit
• 37 •  Mating Time • (1953) • interior artwork by Paul Orban [as by Orban ]
• 44 • Messenger • (1949) • shortstory by Theodore Sturgeon
• 44 •  Messenger • (1949) • interior artwork by Astarita
• 51 • Continued Story • (1952) • shortstory by Margaret St. Clair
• 51 •  Continued Story • (1952) • interior artwork by Peter Poulton
• 63 • Noise • (1952) • shortstory by Jack Vance
• 63 •  Noise • (1952) • interior artwork by Emsler
• 72 • A Condition of Beauty • (1949) • shortstory by John D. MacDonald
• 72 •  A Condition of Beauty • (1949) • interior artwork by uncredited
• 78 • Atomic! • (1947) • novelette by Henry Kuttner
• 78 •  Atomic! • (1947) • interior artwork by Virgil Finlay
• 96 • Remembrance of Things to Come • (1952) • shortstory by William Ratigan
• 96 •  Remembrance of Things to Come • (1952) • interior artwork by Peter Poulton
• bep •  untitled • interior artwork by uncredited

And the anthologies drawn from the Thrilling Group magazines:

cover painting by Alex Schomberg

The Best from Startling Stories ed. Samuel Mines (Henry Holt LCC# 53-8980, 1953, $3.50, 301pp, hc) Also as Startling Stories and Moment Without Time

• vii · Foreword: Blueprint for Tomorrow · Samuel Mines · in
• ix · Introduction · Robert A. Heinlein · in
• 1 · The Wages of Synergy · Theodore Sturgeon · nv Startling Stories Aug 1953
• 61 · The Perfect Gentleman · R. J. McGregor · ss Startling Stories Sep 1952
• 81 · Moment Without Time · Joel Townsley Rogers · nv Thrilling Wonder Stories Apr 1952
• 113 · The Naming of Names · Ray Bradbury · ss Thrilling Wonder Stories Aug 1949
• 135 · No Land of Nod · Sherwood Springer · ss Thrilling Wonder Stories Dec 1952
• 163 · Who’s Cribbing? · Jack Lewis · ss Startling Stories Jan 1953
• 173 · Thirty Seconds — Thirty Days · Arthur C. Clarke · nv Thrilling Wonder Stories Dec 1949
• 207 · Noise · Jack Vance · ss Startling Stories Aug 1952
• 225 · What’s It Like Out There? · Edmond Hamilton · nv Thrilling Wonder Stories Dec 1952
• 255 · Dormant · A. E. van Vogt · ss Startling Stories Nov 1948
• 279 · Dark Nuptial · Robert Donald Locke · ss Thrilling Wonder Stories Feb 1953

Cover painting by Eugene Berman

The Shape of Things ed. Damon Knight (Popular Library SP352, 1967, 50¢, 206pp, pb)

• Introduction · Damon Knight · in
• Don’t Look Now · Henry Kuttner · ss Startling Stories Mar 1948
• The Box · James Blish · ss Thrilling Wonder Stories Apr 1949
• The New Reality · Charles L. Harness · nv Thrilling Wonder Stories Dec 1950
• The Eternal Now · Murray Leinster · nv Thrilling Wonder Stories Fll 1944
• The Sky Was Full of Ships · Theodore Sturgeon · ss Thrilling Wonder Stories Jun 1947
• The Shape of Things · Ray Bradbury · ss Thrilling Wonder Stories Feb 1948
• The Only Thing We Learn · C. M. Kornbluth · ss Startling Stories Jul 1949
• The Hibited Man · L. Sprague de Camp · ss Thrilling Wonder Stories Oct 1949
• Dormant · A. E. van Vogt · ss Startling Stories Nov 1948
• The Ambassadors · Anthony Boucher · ss Startling Stories Jun 1952
• A Child Is Crying · John D. MacDonald · ss Thrilling Wonder Stories Dec 1948

My review of The Shape of Things

Indices and images from ISFDB and Homeville.