Jeffrey Smith’s Free Book Giveaway

By Jeffrey Smith:  Here in Baltimore we have a used bookstore called The Book Thing that is either unique or close to it. You enter the warehouse, pick the unlimited amount of books you want, and leave. They’re all free. Since 2000, they’ve given away thousands upon thousands upon thousands of books. Millions upon millions, maybe. Over the years, I’ve given them a couple thousand books – we take a carton or two, and try to bring home fewer books than we’ve donated. They had a recent shut-down because of a fire, and during repairs they fell behind on their taxes and their tax-exempt paperwork, so that kept them closed, and just as they were finishing all that up, the pandemic hit. They’ve been open just one day a month lately, and only occasionally accepting donations. I have stacks of cartons marked “discards” taking up space in my house, waiting for a normalcy that may never return.

So I consulted with Mike, and decided to sort out the sf books to give them away to Filers. Who better to receive them, anyway? Most of these are paperbacks from the 1970s.

Below are a number of lots. If you see one (just one per Filer, please) that you would like, write the number in the comments. Then it’s yours, and no-one else should waste everybody’s time by trying to claim it a second time. Check the comments to see which ones are claimed and which ones are still available. (And don’t say you’d like this book from lot 7 and this one from lot 12 – they’re all boxed up and ready to go.) No bidding necessary, they’re all free, including postage anywhere.

Send a shipping address to smith1339 (at) gmail (dot) com

Some of these books are from my collection, some from Alli Sheldon’s. Sometimes she would write on the table of contents of magazines or anthologies which stories she liked and which she didn’t, and I noticed that on a couple here, but I didn’t look through each one so I can’t tell you which are and which aren’t. Some of the books are beat up a little, but most are very good, and many are unread. Alli was a smoker, but all her books have been in my house for 34 years now, so that should no longer be an issue.

Claim these books! Get them out of my house!

LOT #1  Brian W. Aldiss, Barefoot in the Head :: Michael Bishop, Blooded on Arachne :: David R. Bunch, Moderan :: Italo Calvino, T Zero :: DG Compton, Chronocules :: DG Compton, Synthajoy

LOT #2  Poul Anderson, The Devil’s Game :: The Guardians of Time :: The Man Who Counts :: Mirkheim :: The Night Face :: Satan’s World :: Tau Zero :: Time Patrolman :: Trader to the Stars :: The Trouble Twisters

LOT#3  [Ballantine Adult Fantasies: Poul Anderson, The Broken Sword :: William Beckford, Vathek :: Hannes Bok, Beyond the Golden Stair :: Hannes Bok, The Sorcerer’s Ship] :: John Bellairs, The Face in the Frost :: John Brunner, The Traveler in Black :: Terry Carr,  editor, Fantasy Annual IV :: New Worlds of Fantasy #3 :: Richard Grant, Rumors of Spring :: Donald Wollheim & George Ernsberger, editors, The Avon Fantasy Reader

LOT #4  Brian N. Ball, The Regiments of Night :: A. Bertram Chandler, The Hard Way Up/Robert Lory, The Veiled World :: Lester del Rey, The Sky Is Falling/Lester del Rey, Badge of Infamy :: [Star Trek: The Next Generation] Peter David, Strike Zone :: [Star Wars] Alan Dean Foster, Splinter of the Mind’s Eye

LOT #5  JG Ballard, Chronopolis :: Crash :: The Drowned World :: The Impossible Man :: Vermilion Sands :: David R Bunch, Moderan :: Samuel R Delany, City of a Thousand Suns :: The Towers of Toron :: editor w/Marilyn Hacker, Quark/4

LOT #6  Gregory Benford & Gordon Eklund, Find the Changeling :: Hal Clement, Close to Critical :: Hal Clement, Cycle of Fire :: L. Sprague de Camp, A Gun for Dinosaur :: Lester del Rey, Robots and Changelings :: Wilson Tucker, Ice & Iron

LOT #7  Alfred Bester, The Demolished Man :: James Blish, All the Stars a Stage :: Avram Davidson, Mutiny in Space :: Damon Knight, A for Anything :: The Worlds of Jack Vance (The Brains of Earth, The World Between and Other Stories, part of The Many Worlds of Magnus Ridolph)

LOT #8  Michael Bishop, No Enemy but Time :: Algis Budrys, The Amsirs and the Iron Thorn :: Budrys, Unexpected Dimension :: Michael Coney, Friends Come in Boxes :: Richard Cowper, Out There Where the Big Ships Go :: Harry Harrison, Homeworld :: Harrison, One Step from Earth :: Harrison, Starworld :: John Varley, The Ophiuchi Hotline

LOT #9  Leigh Brackett, The Ginger Star :: The Hounds of Skaith :: The Reavers of Skaith :: The Long Tomorrow :: Phyllis Ann Karr, The Idylls of the Queen :: Fritz Leiber, Swords and Ice Magic :: Dee Morrison Meaney, An Unkindness of Ravens :: Felicity Savage, Humility Garden

LOT # 10  Leigh Brackett, The Ginger Star :: Marion Zimmer Bradley, Darkover Landfall :: The House Between the Worlds :: The Winds of Darkover/John Rackham, The Anything Tree :: The World Wreckers :: Bradley, editor, Greyhaven :: Anne McCaffrey, Decision at Doona :: To Ride Pegasus

LOT #11  Marion Zimmer Bradley, The Winds of Darkover :: Linda E Bushyager, Master of Hawks :: The Spellstone of Shaltus :: Diane Duane, The Door into Shadow :: Bill Fawcett & Brian Thomsen, editors, Masters of Fantasy :: Robert Don Hughes, The Prophet of Lamath :: The Wizard in Waiting :: Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Fantasy Life

LOT #12  Edgar Rice Burroughs, The Eternal Savage :: John Carter of Mars :: The Moon Maid :: The Outlaw of Torn :: The People That Time Forgot :: Robert E. Howard, Conan the Conqueror :: Conan the Usurper (Howard & de Camp) :: Conan the Buccaneer (de Camp & Carter) :: John Jakes, When the Star Kings Die

LOT #13  [Hardcovers, Science Fiction Book Club editions except for the Carr]  Terry Carr, Cirque :: Arthur C. Clarke, Prelude to Mars (Prelude to Space, The Sands of Mars, 16 short stories) :: Ursula K. Le Guin, The Wind’s Twelve Quarters :: Vonda N. McIntyre, Fireflood and Other Stories :: Michael Moorcock, An Alien Heat :: Robert Silverberg, editor, New Dimensions 5

LOT #14  Burt Cole, The Funco File :: James Gunn, Crisis! :: Isidore Haiblum, Transfer to Yesterday :: Zach Hughes, The Stork Factor :: Dean McLaughlin, The Man Who Wanted Stars :: Robert F. Young, The Last Yggdrasill

LOT #15  [Uncorrected Proofs/Advance Readers’ Copies]  Richard Cowper, Out There Where the Big Ships Go :: Philip K. Dick, Radio Free Albemuth :: Gardner Dozois, Strangers :: Elizabeth Lynn, Watchtower :: Larry Niven, A World Out of Time :: Tom Reamy, Blind Voices :: Pamela Sargent, The Golden Space

LOT #16  Gordon R. Dickson, Alien Art :: The Dragon and the George (hardcover, book club) :: The Far Call :: Mission to Universe :: The Outposter :: Pro :: Steel Brother :: Time Storm (hardcover, book club) :: Three to Dorsai! (hardcover, book club) (omnibus of Necromancer, Tactics of Mistake, Dorsai!)

LOT #17  Ursula K. Le Guin, Orsinian Tales :: Vonda N. McIntyre, The Exile Waiting :: Fireflood and Other Stories ::  editor, w/Susan Janice Anderson, Aurora: Beyond Equality :: Pamela Sargent, Cloned Lives :: Starshadows :: editor, Women of Wonder :: Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, Ariosto :: Cautionary Tales :: The Godforsaken :: Time of the Fourth Horseman

LOT #18  Frederik Pohl, The Abominable Earthman :: The Coming of the Quantum Cats :: Digits & Dastards :: Gateway :: The Gold at the Starbow’s End :: Jem :: The Man Who Ate the World :: Syzygy :: Pohl & Williamson, Undersea Quest :: Jack Williamson, Manseed

LOT #19  Robert Silverberg, Conquerors from the Darkness :: Lord Valentine’s Castle ::The Mountains Of Majipoor ::Thorns :: A Time of Changes :: To Open the Sky ::Tower of Glass :: Valentine Pontifex

LOT #20  [Star Trek]  James Blish, Star Trek 1-9, Spock Must Die!

LOT #21  [Star Trek, oversized]  14 Official Blueprints :: Star Trek Maps :: Spaceflight Chronology :: Intergalactic Puzzles

LOT #22  [Non-fiction}  Brian W Aldiss, Billion Year Spree :: David Hartwell, Age of Wonders (hardcover) :: Sam J Lundwall, Science Fiction: What It’s All About :: Alexei Panshin, Heinlein in Dimension (trade paperback, second printing 1971) :: Charles Platt, Dream Makers

[Anthologies, listed by editor] 

LOT #23  Isaac Asimov w/Greenberg & Olander, 100 Great Science Fiction Short Short Stories :: Judy-Lynn del Rey, Stellar #4 :: Roger Elwood, Demon Kind :: James Frankel, The Best from IF #1 :: Stephen Goldin, The Alien Condition :: Vonda N. McIntyre & Susan Janice Anderson, Aurora: Beyond Equality :: Jerry Pournelle, 2020 Vision (1974 anthology about life in the year 2020, and I’m guessing no one wrote about a global pandemic) :: Donald A. Wollheim & Terry Carr, World’s Best Science Fiction 1970

LOT #24  James Baen, The Best from IF #3 :: James Blish, New Dreams This Morning :: Judy-Lynn Del Rey, Stellar #4 :: James Frankel, The Best from IF #1 :: Stephen Goldin, The Alien Condition :: Vonda N. McIntyre & Susan Janice Anderson, Aurora: Beyond Equality :: Frederik Pohl w/Greenberg & Olander, Galaxy #2

LOT #25  John Carnell, New Writings in SF, UK editions :: Volumes 1, 2, 4, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19

LOT #26  John Carnell, New Writings in SF, US editions :: Volumes 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8

LOT #27  John Carnell, New Writings in SF 5 (US) :: Terry Carr, The Best Science Fiction of the Year #2 :: #3 :: #10 :: Anthony Cheetham, Science Against Man :: Edward Ferman & Barry Malzberg, Final Stage :: David Gerrold, Protostars :: Stephen Goldin, The Alien Condition :: Vonda N. McIntyre & Susan Janice Anderson, Aurora: Beyond Equality :: Frederik Pohl, Best Science Fiction for 1972 :: Rob Sauer, Voyages: Scenarios for a Ship Called Earth :: Thomas N. Scortia & Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, Two Views of Wonder

LOT #28  Terry Carr, Universe 2 :: Edward Ferman & Barry Malzberg, Final Stage :: Damon Knight, Orbit 2, 3, 4, 7, 9, 10, 12, 13 :: Marta Randall & Robert Silverberg, New Dimensions 11, 12

LOT #29  Richard Curtis, Future Tense :: Raymond Healy & J Francis McComas, More Adventures in Time and Space :: Ivan Howard, Now & Beyond :: Mayo Mohs, Other Worlds, Other Gods: Adventures in Religious Science Fiction :: Carol & Frederik Pohl, Science Fiction: The Great Years :: Robert Silverberg, Beyond Control

LOT #30  Judy-Lynn del Rey, Stellar 1, 4, 5, 7 :: Roger Elwood, Continuum 1, 2 :: James Frankel, The Best from IF #1 :: Roy Torgeson, Chrysalis 3, 4

LOT #31  [Magazines]  Amazing 3/70, 7/71, 5/72 :: Asimov’s 9/28/91, Mid-Dec 85 :: Fantastic 8/72 :: F&SF 10/82, 10/85, 11/87 :: IF 8/74

LOT #32  [Magazines]  Analog 3/68, 9/69, 10/70, 6/77 :: Asimov’s 9/28/91, Mid-Dec 85 :: Galaxy 3/69 :: Strange Fantasy Spring 69 :: Thrilling Science Fiction 2/73

LOT #33  [Magazines]  Analog 9/69 :: Asimov’s 9/28/81 :: Galaxy 1/69, 3/69, 4/69, 5/76 :: IF 8/74 :: Tesseract Fall 78

LOT #34  [Magazines]  F&SF 10/61, 8/62, 4/63, 4/64, 8/64, 10/65, 2/66, 3/66 (cover torn), 5/66, 6/66

LOT #35  [Magazines]  F&SF 6/66, 8/66, 7/67, 9/67, 11/67, 2/68, 3/68, 6/68, 9/68, 3/69

LOT #36  [Magazines]  F&SF 10/77, 10/79, 10/82, 10/85, 11/87, 2/06, 7/06, 9/06 :: Venture 1/58, 11/69

LOT #37  [Magazines]  Galaxy 1/69, 3/69, 4/69, 5/76, 3-4/79 :: IF 6/68, 8/74 :: Worlds of Fantasy Spring 71

LOT #38  [Not SF]  These are interesting, if anybody would like them, a literary magazine in paperback form from the UK in the 1940s: The Penguin New Writing, volumes I, II, 30, 31, 33, 34, 35, 37, 38, 39

I also have cartons of mostly thrillers, with some mysteries, primarily from the 1990s, primarily by little-known writers. If anybody would like a truly random selection of those, just specify hardcover or paperback.

57 thoughts on “Jeffrey Smith’s Free Book Giveaway

  1. And we’re done. Every lot has been claimed, thank you all for your participation. I’m glad the books are ending up in your hands; I’m very happy to have done this.

    Still waiting on addresses for three lots (2, 10, 24).

  2. #5 received and reading has commenced! Thanks again for this extraordinarily generous act.

  3. Lot #3 received moments ago, with gratitude!

    Thank you for this generous gift – I plan to pass it forward when (and if?) in-person conventions resume.

  4. Thank YOU, Jeff, for a lovely (and I hope not too expensive) gesture to our community. May you acquire lovely books in the place of the ones you have sent to new homes!

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