This unique collection of speculative short fiction published in popular periodicals from the nineteenth century to contemporary time encourages students and scholars to engage with the remarkable expertise of Bob Gibson, an industrious and discerning fan, and with the practices of popular culture fandom more generally.  And yet, because Gibson’s compilations contain a wide range of materials (including reports on scientific developments, cartoons, poems, and Gibson’s original drawings) in addition to short stories, they also offer students and scholars the possibility of unexpected discoveries (one of the joys of research) and the opportunity to examine developments in periodical print culture, an important counterpoint to our digital culture.  The compilations are thus an invaluable resource for graduate and undergraduate course assignments that invite students to engage with primary materials and produce original work.

 Stefania Forlini, Assistant Professor, Department of English

Read about Stefania’s research in The Stuff of Science Fiction.
The Bob GIbson Collection of Speculative Fiction consisting of approximately 28,000 hardcover and paperback books, pulp magazines and other materials reflect the collecting activities of the late Bob (William Robert) Gibson.  It is a gift from his son Andrew Gibson to the University of Calgary. They are housed in Special Collections and may be viewed on request. This digitized collection contains a selection of 50 compilations/anthologies from the late 19th century.  Due to copyright restrictions some of the stories within some of the compilations cannot be posted.

Browse Collection