Contents (view Concise Listing)

• xiii • Introduction (Before the Golden Age) • (1974) • essay by Isaac Asimov
• 1 • Part One: 1920 to 1930 (Before the Golden Age) • (1974) • essay by Isaac Asimov
• 19 • Part Two: 1931 (Before the Golden Age) • (1974) • essay by Isaac Asimov
• 23 • The Man Who Evolved • (1931) • short story by Edmond Hamilton
• 40 • The Jameson Satellite • [Professor Jameson] • (1931) • novelette by Neil R. Jones
• 61 • Submicroscopic • [Submicroscopic • 1] • (1974) • novelette by S. P. Meek [as by Captain S. P. Meek]
• 86 • Awlo of Ulm • [Submicroscopic • 2] • (1974) • novella by S. P. Meek [as by Captain S. P. Meek]
• 144 • Tetrahedra of Space • (1931) • novelette by P. Schuyler Miller
• 181 • The World of the Red Sun • (1931) • novelette by Clifford D. Simak
• 207 • Part Three: 1932 (Before the Golden Age) • (1974) • essay by Isaac Asimov
• 211 • Tumithak of the Corridors • [Tumithak • 1] • (1932) • novella by Charles R. Tanner
• 264 • The Moon Era • (1932) • novella by Jack Williamson
• 313 • Part Four: 1933 (Before the Golden Age) • (1974) • essay by Isaac Asimov
• 317 • The Man Who Awoke • [The Man Who Awoke • 1] • (1933) • novelette by Laurence Manning
• 345 • Tumithak in Shawm • [Tumithak • 2] • (1933) • novella by Charles R. Tanner
• 417 • Part Five: 1934 (Before the Golden Age) • (1974) • essay by Isaac Asimov
• 423 • Colossus • [Colossus (Wandrei) • 1] • (1934) • novelette by Donald Wandrei
• 461 • Born of the Sun • (1934) • novelette by Jack Williamson
• 496 • Sidewise in Time • (1934) • novella by Murray Leinster
• 541 • Old Faithful • [Old Faithful • 1] • (1934) • novelette by Raymond Z. Gallun
• 575 • Part Six: 1935 (Before the Golden Age) • (1974) • essay by Isaac Asimov
• 580 • The Parasite Planet • [Ham Hammond] • (1935) • novelette by Stanley G. Weinbaum (variant of Parasite Planet)
• 606 • Proxima Centauri • (1935) • novella by Murray Leinster
• 653 • The Accursed Galaxy • (1935) • short story by Edmond Hamilton
• 671 • Part Seven: 1936 (Before the Golden Age) • (1974) • essay by Isaac Asimov
• 676 • He Who Shrank • (1936) • novella by Henry Hasse
• 729 • The Human Pets of Mars • (1936) • novella by Leslie F. Stone [as by Leslie Francis Stone]
• 776 • The Brain Stealers of Mars • [Penton and Blake] • (1936) • short story by John W. Campbell, Jr.
• 796 • Devolution • (1936) • short story by Edmond Hamilton
• 810 • Big Game • (1974) • short story by Isaac Asimov
• 813 • Part Eight: 1937 (Before the Golden Age) • (1974) • essay by Isaac Asimov
• 817 • Other Eyes Watching • [A Study of the Solar System] • (1937) • essay by John W. Campbell, Jr.
• 824 • Minus Planet • (1937) • novelette by John D. Clark, Ph.D. [as by John D. Clark]
• 843 • Past, Present and Future • [Past, Present and Future] • (1937) • novelette by Nat Schachner
• 879 • Part Nine: 1938 (Before the Golden Age) • (1974) • essay by Isaac Asimov
• 883 • The Men and the Mirror • [Colbie & Deverel] • (1938) • novelette by Ross Rocklynne