The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast - Vintage Sci-Fi Short Stories

Ralph Banks editor of Popular Crafts Monthly, was a short stocky man with a round pink face, a crisp crew cut, an intensely energetic manner.When a letter from the Smithsonian Institute came across his desk it caught his attention, A Practical Man's Guide by Jack Vance, that’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, with at least one lost vintage sci-fi short story in every episode.Thanks to K Vomer for another 5-star rating and review on Apple Podcasts, “Very enjoyable! Lots of vintage sci-fi stories! Love the narrator’s voice. Also­ – he gives a little snippet about the history of the writer or what magazine it came from. It’s fun to hear what people have imagined for the future and what life on other planets would be like. Double thumbs up!” Thanks K Vomer! Your reviews and ratings are always appreciated.John Holbrook Vance, better known as Jack Vance, was born and raised in California. Vance struggled to make ends meet as a young man and worked a number of jobs to survive, a bell-hop, in a cannery, and on a gold dredge, before entering the University of California, Berkeley where he studied mining engineering, physics, journalism and English. He worked for a while as an electrician in the naval shipyards at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. He left that job about a month before the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941.He started writing science fiction in the 1940s and his first published story was “The World-Thinker” in Thrilling Wonder Stories in the summer of 1945. He would go on to write about 50 short stories in the 40s, 50s and 60s and numerous novels.One of his best-known titles, “The Dying Earth”, began as a collection of short stories in 1950 and eventually expanded to become a whole series of books set in a far-off future. He won numerous awards: among them three Hugo awards, a Nebula and a World Fantasy award for lifetime achievement. In 1997 he was made a Grand Master of sci-fi, by the ScienceFiction Writers of America.A 2009 profile in the New York Times Magazine described Vance as "one of American literature’s most distinctive and undervalued voices."Our story written by the highly acclaimed author is featured in the second edition of Space Science Fiction Magazine, Volume 1 Number 2 in August 1957. And there would be no more Space Science Fiction Magazine. Two issues and that’s it. If you’re interested, you can pick up a copy of the August 57 Space Science Fiction Magazine on Ebay for $35.Turn to page 102 for A Practical Man's Guide by Jack Vance...Next week on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, Wives always try to cure husbands of bad habits, even on lonely asteroids! The Addicts by William Morrison.That’s next week onThe Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, with at least one lost vintage sci-fi short story in every episode.Support the showPlease participate in our podcast survey https://podcastsurvey.typeform.com/to/gNLcxQlk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fear and misfortune stalk the strange byways of a lonely planet. A Walk in the Dark by Arthur C. Clarke, that’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, with at least one lost vintage sci-fi short story in every episode.Thanks to uncle shaun for his 5 star review on Apple Podcasts! “Just what I wanted! This is a superb Sci-Fi podcast. I love everything about it. Keep ‘em coming!” Thanks uncle shaun, we will. We now have 98 ratings on Apple Podcasts in the US. We would love to get to 100 ratings and we could use more reviews too, if you would be so kind. Even if you listen to us using some other player you can go to Apple Podcasts and give us a 5 star rating, if you think it’s deserved and leave a review. We’ll leave a link to Apple Podcasts US, Canada, UK, Australia, Germany and the Netherlands in the description. Those are the countries where most, but certainly not all, our listeners come from. If you live somewhere else and need a link please send us an email, scott@lostscifi.com.U.S. - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-lost-sci-fi-podcast-vintage-sci-fi-stories-every-week/id1611620789Canada - https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-lost-sci-fi-podcast-vintage-sci-fi-stories-every-week/id1611620789U.K. - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-lost-sci-fi-podcast-vintage-sci-fi-stories-every-week/id1611620789Australia - https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-lost-sci-fi-podcast-vintage-sci-fi-stories-every-week/id1611620789Today marks the debut of Sir Arthur Charles Clarke on our podcast. Most people know him from the 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey, widely regarded as one of the most influential films of all time. Clarke was born in England in December 1917. He said his interest in science fiction began with the November 1928 issue of Amazing Stories magazine at the age of 11, which he read in 1929 after it had been shipped from the United States. Sir Arthur Charles Clarke remembered buying this life changing magazine at Woolworth’s and said, “How I used to haunt that once-famous store during my lunch hour, in search of issues of Amazing, Wonder, and Astounding, buried like jewels in the junk-pile of detective and western pulps!”Clarke did have some stories published between 1937 and 1945, those stories were published in fanzines. His first professional sale was published in Astounding Science Fiction in April 1946. He was still a member of the Royal Air Force at the time he sold his first two stories to Astounding in 1945. Rescue Party sold first, followed by Loophole which was the first story actually published. Over the next few years his stories appeared regularly in leading pulps, and he always acknowledged them as his ‘launch pad’ to become a writer.He wrote around 100 short science fiction stories during his career and dozens of novels. Support the showPlease participate in our podcast survey https://podcastsurvey.typeform.com/to/gNLcxQlk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The remarkable thing about Atummyc Afterbath Dusting Powder was that it gave you that lovely, radiant, atomic look—just the way the advertisements said it would. In fact, it also gave you a little something more!Breeder Reaction by Winston Marks, that’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, with at least one lost vintage sci-fi short story in every episode.We received more emails and comments last week than ever before and you overwhelmingly said longer episodes would be a good thing. So, in a few weeks look for either a Ray Bradbury not so short story or a Philip K. Dick story. Send us an email, scott@lostscifi.com or leave a comment and tell us which vintage sci-fi author you prefer.Thanks to you our podcast is now #4 in Poland for Science Fiction Podcasts. Thanks to our listeners in Warsaw and Gdansk and all of Poland.We received our first email from Zambia recently, “I found your channel a couple of months ago on YouTube and I love how you narrate and listen to you almost every morning. I have a hard time finding Jack Vance books maybe you could narrate some of his work. Please and thank you. Namukale” Well, Namukale, your request is my command, you will hear Jack Vance in two weeks.Winston Marks returns to The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast today for his 4th appearance and just 3 weeks after “The Water Eater”’.Today’s story can be found in the April 1954 “If Worlds of Science Fiction” magazine. The very first story in the magazine is Philip K. Dick’s “The Golden Man” which you will hear in a future episode.Turn with me to page 29, Breeder Reaction by Winston Marks...Next week on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, Fear and misfortune stalk the strange byways of a lonely planet. A Walk in the Dark by Arthur C. Clarke.That’s next week on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, with at least one lost vintage sci-fi short story in every episode.Support the showPlease participate in our podcast survey https://podcastsurvey.typeform.com/to/gNLcxQlk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Homer was a shy Faderfield bachelor; his visitor was a beautiful Pleiades girl. At any rate she was a girl, and Homer had a problem—A Matter of Ethics by Russ Winterbotham, that’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, with at least one lost vintage sci-fi short story in every episode.Thanks to Mur Dam for his 5 star review a few days ago on Apple Podcasts Great Britain, “Killer sci fi. Eagerly awaiting each new episode. Every one is a gem.” Thanks Mur Dam. We thank all of you for your reviews, ratings and comments. Send us an email and let us know how we’re doing or make a request for a vintage sci-fi story or author that you want to hear on the podcast. We are considering some longer stories on the podcast and we’d like your feedback please. If we added some vintage sci-fi that is an hour and a half up to almost two hours long would you listen? Please send us an email and let us know scott@lostscifi.com or leave a comment.We’ve got requests to fulfill coming soon. We will hear from Arthur C. Clarke in 2 weeks and Jack Vance a week after that, both by request.We’ve heard from today’s author, Russ Winterbotham before, you may remember “Three Spacemen Left To Die!” from last year. That story was paired with “Wanderlust” by Alan E. Nourse.We’ll find our story in the April 1955 “Imagination Stories of Science and Fantasy” magazine. Turn to page 78. Her mission on Earth was scientific; yet Homer saw her curves as a social crisis! A Matter of Ethics by Russ Wintherbotham...Next week on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, The remarkable thing about Atummyc Afterbath Dusting Powder was that it gave you that lovely, radiant, atomic look—just the way the advertisements said it would. In fact, it also gave you a little something more!Breeder Reaction by Winston MarksThat’s next week on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, with at least one lost vintage sci-fi short story in every episode.Support the showPlease participate in our podcast survey https://podcastsurvey.typeform.com/to/gNLcxQlk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Marooned! On the cold satellite of a dying sun, light-years away from home.... For Rex there was only one escape. But Carl called it murder! Distress Signal by Ross Rocklynne, that’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, with at least one lost vintage sci-fi short story in every episode.Born in 1913 in Cincinnati, Ohio, Ross Rocklynne said his love of science fiction began at the age of 12 when he said a Black janitor introduced him to the genre. Rocklynne remembered the story that turned him into a life-long fan, it was the first installment of E.E. Smith’s "The Skylark of Space" in the August 1928 issue of Amazing Stories.In 1939, he attended the firstWorld Science Fiction Conventionin New York City where met and became life-long friends withRay Bradbury, among others.Rocklynne’s professional writing debut, “Man of Iron” was published in Astounding Stories magazine in August 1935. He was 22. He followed that up with 7 more stories in the 1930s. The peak of his writing career occurred in the 1940s when he had 60 short science fiction stories published. There were 15 more in the 50s.Rocklynne stopped writing in 1954 because he developed an extremely painful affliction of the face and jaw. He found that he could forget the pain only when he was involved in some kind of physical activity or when socially engaged with others. When he was alone the pain tended to monopolize his attention and thus made writing very difficult, if not impossible.So, what do you do when you can’t do what you love? Well, Ross Rocklynne supported himself as a cab driver and dispatcher for the next 15 years. He resumed writing with about a dozen stories in the late 60s and early 70s.Today’s story was his first and only offering in 1947. It appeared just before his friend Ray Bradbury’s story Rocket Summer in the Spring 1947 edition of Planet Stories Magazine. Turn to page 35 for Distress Signal by Ross Rocklynne…Next week on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, Homer was a shy Faderfield bachelor; hisvisitor was a beautiful Pleiades girl. At anyrate she was a girl, and Homer had a problem—A Matterof Ethics by Russ WinterbothamThat’s next week onThe Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, with at least one lost vintage sci-fi short story in every episode.Support the showPlease participate in our podcast survey https://podcastsurvey.typeform.com/to/gNLcxQlk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Most experiments were dropped because they failed—and some because they worked too well! The Water Eater by Winston Marks, that’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, with at least one lost vintage sci-fi short story in every episode.Our latest 5-star review comes from Bedford Nick on Apple Podcasts in the UK. “Great discovery - Just found this and it’s a real gem. I love the enthusiasm and the narration. I find it a great escape.” Thanks Bedford Nick!The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast has climbed into the top 10 Science Fiction Podcasts in Ireland at #9! We’re #19 in France and #20 in Canada. Thank you for listening, rating, and sharing The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.And we love getting your emails, we received this from Noel in Edmonton AB Canada… “Thanks for the terrific podcast. I’m new to the show and am loving both the choice of stories and the narration. I also enjoy the introductory comments, which add colour to each episode.When I hear you talk about lost or forgotten authors it makes me think of James White, who wrote some of my favourite sci-fi short stories ever. He was, I believe, a British sci-fi writer in the 1960’s. I have never heard anything of his on audio.Keep up the great work!” Thanks Noel, we’re looking for James White stories that we can add to the podcast thanks to you.Winston Marks wrote a couple of short stories in the early 1940s and then disappeared for more than a decade. He showed up on the sci-fi scene again in 1953 when magazines published 4 of his short stories include The Water Eater.If Winston Marks sounds familiar it’s possibly because we’ve featured him twice before. You may remember “Never Gut-shoot A Wampus” and “So They Baked A Cake”.From the old, yellowed pages of Galaxy Science Fiction in June 1953 our story can be found on page 56. The Water Eater by Winston Marks…Next week on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, Marooned! On the cold satellite of a dying sun,light-years away from home.... For Rex there was only one escape. But Carl called it murder! Distress Signal by Ross Rocklynne. That’s next week on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, with at least one lost vintage sci-fi short story in every episode.Support the showPlease participate in our podcast survey https://podcastsurvey.typeform.com/to/gNLcxQlk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Whether the story of Gottfried Plattner is to be credited or not, is a pretty question in the value of evidence. On the one hand, we have seven witnesses—to be perfectly exact, we have six and a half pairs of eyes, and one undeniable fact; and on the other we have—what is it?—prejudice, common sense, the inertia of opinion. The Plattner Story by H. G. Wells that’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, with at least one lost vintage sci-fi short story in every episode.Special thanks to kumarido. Kumarido is the latest person to give us a 5 star rating and a very nice review on Apple Podcasts. “This is everything I ever wanted in a podcast. Great reading, great stories and a narrator who is a bit of a historian. He’s saving these works from oblivion as many of them may never be published again. If you like Sci Fi or if you are even mildly interested in speculative fiction you will enjoy this”Thank you kumarido. Did you know your ratings and reviews, comments and compliments encourage others to listen to The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast? They do! If you think we deserve it please rate, review, and share our podcast. And we received an email from Kristen Sierra at Shilshole Bay Marina, “Hi from the sailing vessel Bristol Blue in Ballard Washington (Seattle).I have been listening to your podcast for two weeks. Great work!” Thanks Kristen, if you sail south for a few days you can come visit us in Costa Rica! Your emails are always appreciated, scott@lostscifi.com.Today’s author, H. G. Wells is one of two men most often referred to as the father of science fiction. Can you guess the other? We’ll give you the answer at the end of our story.Herbert George Wells was an English writer born in London in 1866. Wells was a visionary who saw the arrival of aircraft, tanks, space travel, nuclear weapons, and satellite television long before they were invented. He coined the term “time machine” almost 130 years ago which is still used today. His science fiction novels, The Time Machine 1895, The Island of Dr. Moreau 1896, The Invisible Man 1897 and The War of the Worlds 1898 remain popular today and all have been seen on the big screen at least twice.Wells was busy writing novels but still found time to write almost 90 short stories. First published in the UK in 1897, The Plattner Story by H. G. Wells…So, besides H.G. Wells who is also often referred to as the father of science fiction? The answer, Jules Verne.Next week on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, Most experiments were dropped because they failed—and some because they worked too well! The Water Eater by Winston Marks.That’s next week on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, with at least one lost vintage sci-fi short story in every episode.Support the showPlease participate in our podcast survey https://podcastsurvey.typeform.com/to/gNLcxQlk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Earth maintained an important garrison on Asteroid Y-3. Now suddenly it was imperiled with a biological impossibility—men becoming plants! Piper in the woods written by Philip K. Dick… that’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, with at least one lost vintage sci-fi short story in every episode.Piper in the Woods is the 10th Philip K. Dick story here on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. While it won’t be the last story by Philip K. Dick, in the coming weeks were going to bring you stories by several authors who haven’t been heard from so far on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, H. G. Wells, Arthur C. Clarke, Jack Vance and Ross Rocklynne to name a few.Special thanks to Lifeonmarz via Apple Podcasts Canada on February 16th 2023. Lifeonmarz gave us a 5 star rating and a glorious review. “Scott Millers readings of these science fiction stories by well known and not so well know authors is fantastic. So glad I found this podcast.”Thank you Lifeonmarz. Your ratings and reviews, comments and compliments encourage others to listen to The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, so if you think we deserve it please rate, review, and share our podcast. As always, your emails matter to us, scott@lostscifi.comWe’ve got a rare treat for you today, from the inside cover of Imagination Stories of Science and Fantasy in February 1953, just over 70 years ago, Philip K. Dick in his own words… “Once, when I was very young, I came across a magazine directly below the comic books called STIRRING SCIENCE STORIES. I bought it, finally, and carried it home, reading it along the way. Here were ideas, vital and imaginative. Men moving across the universe, down into sub-atomic particles, into time; there was no limit. One society, one given environment was transcended. It was Faustian; it carried a person up and beyond.I was twelve years old, then. But I saw in it the same thing I see now: a medium in which the full play of human imagination can operate, ordered, of course, by reason and consistent development. Over the years science fiction has grown, matured toward greater social awareness and responsibility.I became interested in writing science fiction when I saw it emerge from the ray gun stage into studies of man in various types and complexities of society.I enjoy writing science fiction; it is essentially communication between myself, and others as interested as I in knowing where present forces are taking us. My wife and my cat Magnificat are a little worried about my preoccupation with science fiction. Like most science fiction readers, I have files and stacks of magazines, boxes of notes and data, parts of unfinished stories, a huge desk full of related material in various stages. The neighbors say I seem to “read and write a lot”. But I think we will see our devotion pay off. We may yet live to be present when the public libraries begin to carry the science fiction magazines, and someday, perhaps, even the school libraries.” Philip K. Dick in his own words.Let’s turn to page 88 for  Piper In The Woods…Next week on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, Whether the story of Gottfried Plattner is to be credited or not, is a pretty question in the value of evidence. On the one hand, we have seven witnesses—to be perfectly exact, we have six and a half pairs of eyes, and one undeniable fact; and on the other we have—what is it?—prejudice, common sense, the inertia of opinion. The Plattner Story by H. G. Wells...That’s next week on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, with at least one lost vintage sci-fi short story in every episode.Support the showPlease participate in our podcast survey https://podcastsurvey.typeform.com/to/gNLcxQlk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Shaan made the longest crawl in history—to avoid crawling before tyrants!... The Martian Shore written by Charles L. Fontenay... that’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, with at least one lost vintage sci-fi short story in every episode.Charles Louis Fontenay was born in Brazil in 1917, and raised in Tennessee from infancy, where he worked as a newspaperman for about half a century. He eventually became an editor for the Nashville Tennessean. In September 1954 Fontenay, the science fiction writer, was published for the first time in If Worlds of Science Fiction magazine with the short story, Disqualified. Seems he liked writing sci-fi and If Worlds of Science Fiction liked his work because he was back in the magazine a month later. Fontenay wrote a handful of novels and almost 40 short stories in the 1950s.We’ll find today’s story on page 78 in the April 1957 edition of Infinity Science Fiction magazine. The Martian Shore by Charles L. Fontenay...Next week on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, Philip K. Dick is back. Earth maintained an important garrison on Asteroid Y-3. Now suddenly it was imperiled with a biological impossibility—men becoming plants!That’s next week on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, with at least one lost vintage sci-fi short story in every episode.Support the showPlease participate in our podcast survey https://podcastsurvey.typeform.com/to/gNLcxQlk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The first great rocket flight into space, bearing intrepid pioneers to the Moon. The world's ecstasy flared into red mob-hate when President Stanley canceled the flight. How did he get that way? Rocket Summer by Ray Bradbury... that’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, with at least one lost vintage sci-fi short story in every episode.The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast is proud to be the #1 Science Fiction Podcast in Demark. Thank you to all our listeners in Denmark for making us #1.Reviews, emails and comments are coming to us from all over the world every week. Daniela left a review on Audible UK that I just discovered.Daniela says, “Brilliant! Great narrator and choice of stories” “Very happy with discovering this podcast! it is obvious that the narrator loves sci- fi and the introduction to each story makes it an even better experience. I have been a huge sci fi fan since childhood and still thanks to this podcast learn new interesting facts about the authors as well as discovering authors I haven't read before. Thank you for creating this wonderful podcast! I hope more sci fi fan learn about it as it is brilliant!”Thanks, Daniela, for you awesome review!Ray Giordano says, “Those were some great yarns from yesteryear and quite good narration to boot. Thanks!” Thank you Ray!And soundwaveshadlow says, “Excellent story listening in Ireland 🇮🇪” Thanks soundwaveshadlow we’re proudly podcasting in Costa Rica and happily sharing these amazing vintage sci-fi stories with the world.The Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award is a lifetime honor awarded no more than 6 times every 10 years by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) to no more than one living writer of fantasy or science fiction. There have been 25 awards given out so far to vintage sci-fi authors and of course, today’s author, Ray Bradbury is one of the 25. I just discovered a new to me Bradbury short story from 1948, read it and will be narrating it soon. Not sure when it will find its way to the podcast but I think you will love it when you hear it.Bradbury was born in Waukegan, Illinois, in 1920, and grew up in a small town where he spent much of his childhood reading books from the local library. He was particularly drawn to the works of Jules Verne, H.G. Wells, and Edgar Allan Poe. At the age of twelve, Bradbury had a life-changing experience that would set him on the path to becoming a writer.One day, Bradbury attended a carnival where a magician named Mr. Electrico performed a show. During the performance, Mr. Electrico touched Bradbury on the forehead with an electrified sword and shouted, "Live forever!" The experience left Bradbury feeling invigorated and inspired. After the show, Bradbury went home and began writing stories in his notebook. He spent countless hours writing, and by the time he was a teenager, he had written dozens of short stories. Bradbury credited Mr. Electrico with sparking his love for storytelling and inspiring him to pursue a career as a writer.In his own words this is what Ray Bradbury had to say about this life changing event, “The next day, even while attending an uncle’s funeral, I could not forget Mr. Electrico. As our car headed home for the family’s post-funeral wake, to my parents’ consternation I leaped out and raced down the hill to the carnival. I carried with me a ball-in-vase trick I had ordered through the mail from Johnson Smith & Co. as an excuse to see Mr. Electrico. I had to find out just how to “Live forever!”Support the showPlease participate in our podcast survey https://podcastsurvey.typeform.com/to/gNLcxQlk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.