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Title: The Pi Man

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Title: The Pi Man Title Record # 41066
Author: Alfred Bester
Date: 1959-10-00
Type: SHORTFICTION
Length: short story
Language: English
Note: First published in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, October 1959 and later revised for Star Light, Star Bright, Berkley/Putnam, 1976.
Synopsis: A man has the rare talent of sensing balance and imbalance in the universe, but with it comes the compulsion to correct any imbalance, no matter at what cost.
User Rating: 7.25 (4 votes) Your vote: Not cast VOTE
Current Tags: Merril05 (1), contemporary (1), only humans (1), OCD (1), romance (1), cosmic balance (1), first person point of view (1), science fiction (1), New York City (1) Add Tags

Other Titles

Translations
Year Language Title
1963 Italian Il signor Pi greco
1964Translated by Charlotte Winheller
German Der Pi-Mann
1967Translated by Michel Deutsch revised by Jacques Chambon for the LdO.
French Le compensateur
1967Translated by Hilja Brinis
Italian Il compensatore
1977Translated by Warner Flamen
Dutch De pi-man
1985Translated by Jorge Antonio Sánchez Rottner
Spanish El hombre Pi
1993Translated by Michael Koseler.
German Der Pi-Mann
1999Translated by Maria Manuel Tinoco.
Portuguese O homem pi
2003Translated by Josep María Verger.
Spanish El hombre Pi

Awards

Place Year and Award Category
Finalists 1960 Hugo Best Short Fiction

Publications

Displaying all variants and translations • Do not display translationsDo not display variants or translations

Title Date Author/Editor Publisher/Pub. Series ISBN/Catalog ID Price Pages Format Type Cover Artist Verif
The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, October 1959 1959-10-00 ed. Robert P. Mills Mercury Press, Inc.  
$0.50?$: US dollar
164
digest?Digest-size magazine, including both standard digest size, at about 7" by 4.5", and also large digest, such as recent issues of Asimov's, which are about 8.25" by 5.125".
mag Emsh Checkmark
The Best from Fantasy and Science Fiction: Ninth Series 1960-02-00 ed. Robert P. Mills Doubleday  
$3.95?$: US dollar
264
hc?Hardcover. Used for all hardbacks of any size.
anth Herb Mott  
The Best from Fantasy and Science Fiction: Ninth Series 1960-05-00 ed. Robert P. Mills Doubleday / SFBC  
$1.20?$: US dollar
264
hc?Hardcover. Used for all hardbacks of any size.
anth Herb Mott Checkmark
The Best from Fantasy and Science Fiction: Ninth Series 1962-00-00 ed. Robert P. Mills Gollancz  
18/-?Prior to decimilisation (1968-1971), UK books were priced in shillings, or shillings and pence, where 20 shillings equals one pound and 12 old pence equals one shilling. Shillings were indicated with a variety of suffixes, e.g. 3s, 3', 3", 3/ all mean 3 shillings. Any number after that is additional pence, usually 6 (half a shilling) but sometimes 3 or 9 (a quarter of a shilling or three-quarters of a shilling).
5+
260
hc?Hardcover. Used for all hardbacks of any size.
anth  
Fantasia e Fantascienza #3 1963-02-00 ed. G. Jori Editrice Minerva 3
Lit 250?Lit: Italian lira
136
digest?Digest-size magazine, including both standard digest size, at about 7" by 4.5", and also large digest, such as recent issues of Asimov's, which are about 8.25" by 5.125".
mag Ed Emsh Checkmark
Venture Science Fiction [UK], September 1963 1963-09-00 ed. uncredited Atlas Publishing and Distribution Co. Ltd  
2/6?Prior to decimilisation (1968-1971), UK books were priced in shillings, or shillings and pence, where 20 shillings equals one pound and 12 old pence equals one shilling. Shillings were indicated with a variety of suffixes, e.g. 3s, 3', 3", 3/ all mean 3 shillings. Any number after that is additional pence, usually 6 (half a shilling) but sometimes 3 or 9 (a quarter of a shilling or three-quarters of a shilling).
132
digest?Digest-size magazine, including both standard digest size, at about 7" by 4.5", and also large digest, such as recent issues of Asimov's, which are about 8.25" by 5.125".
mag  
The Best from Fantasy and Science Fiction: Ninth Series 1963-10-00 ed. Robert P. Mills The Science Fiction Book Club (UK) 78
6/-?Prior to decimilisation (1968-1971), UK books were priced in shillings, or shillings and pence, where 20 shillings equals one pound and 12 old pence equals one shilling. Shillings were indicated with a variety of suffixes, e.g. 3s, 3', 3", 3/ all mean 3 shillings. Any number after that is additional pence, usually 6 (half a shilling) but sometimes 3 or 9 (a quarter of a shilling or three-quarters of a shilling).
5+
260
hc?Hardcover. Used for all hardbacks of any size.
anth John Griffiths  
16 Science Fiction-Stories 1964-00-00 ed. Anthony Boucher Heyne (Heyne-Anthologien #5) HA05
DM 4.80?DM: German (Deutsche) mark
283
tp?Trade paperback. Any softcover book which is at least 7.25" (or 19 cm) tall, or at least 4.5" (11.5 cm) wide/deep.
anth Heinrichs & Piloty Checkmark
The Best from Fantasy and Science Fiction: 9th Series 1964-00-00 ed. Robert P. Mills Ace Books F-267
$0.40?$: US dollar
255
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
anth Emsh Checkmark
The Dark Side of the Earth 1964-05-00 Alfred Bester Signet / New American Library D2474
$0.50?$: US dollar
160
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
coll Checkmark
The Dark Side of the Earth 1964-05-00 Alfred Bester Signet / New American Library of Canada D2474
C$0.50?C$: Canadian dollar
160
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
coll Checkmark
The Best from Fantasy and Science Fiction: 9th Series 1964-09-00 ed. Robert P. Mills Panther 1738
3/6?Prior to decimilisation (1968-1971), UK books were priced in shillings, or shillings and pence, where 20 shillings equals one pound and 12 old pence equals one shilling. Shillings were indicated with a variety of suffixes, e.g. 3s, 3', 3", 3/ all mean 3 shillings. Any number after that is additional pence, usually 6 (half a shilling) but sometimes 3 or 9 (a quarter of a shilling or three-quarters of a shilling).
207
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
anth Checkmark
An Alfred Bester Omnibus 1967-00-00 Alfred Bester Sidgwick & Jackson 102199
30/-?Prior to decimilisation (1968-1971), UK books were priced in shillings, or shillings and pence, where 20 shillings equals one pound and 12 old pence equals one shilling. Shillings were indicated with a variety of suffixes, e.g. 3s, 3', 3", 3/ all mean 3 shillings. Any number after that is additional pence, usually 6 (half a shilling) but sometimes 3 or 9 (a quarter of a shilling or three-quarters of a shilling).
710
hc?Hardcover. Used for all hardbacks of any size.
omni  
Fiction, #160 1967-03-00 ed.
Alain Dorémieux?Alain Doremieux
OPTA  
F3.00?F: French frank
164
digest?Digest-size magazine, including both standard digest size, at about 7" by 4.5", and also large digest, such as recent issues of Asimov's, which are about 8.25" by 5.125".
mag Mario Sarchielli  
Urania #469 1967-08-27 ed. Carlo Fruttero, Franco Lucentini Mondadori 469
Lit 250?Lit: Italian lira
168
digest?Digest-size magazine, including both standard digest size, at about 7" by 4.5", and also large digest, such as recent issues of Asimov's, which are about 8.25" by 5.125".
mag Karel Thole Checkmark
The Dark Side of the Earth 1969-11-00 Alfred Bester Pan Books 0-330-02393-4
£0.25?£: UK pound
171
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
coll W. F. Phillipps Checkmark
Alpha One 1970-09-00 ed. Robert Silverberg Ballantine Books 0-345-02014-6
$0.95?$: US dollar
vii+
278
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
anth John Lindner Checkmark
The Dark Side of the Earth 1970-10-00 Alfred Bester Signet / New American Library of Canada T4402
C$0.75?C$: Canadian dollar
160
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
coll Bob Pepper Checkmark
Alpha One 1971-12-00 ed. Robert Silverberg Ballantine Books 0-345-02014-6
£0.35?£: UK pound
vii+
278
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
anth Chris Foss Checkmark
Star Light, Star Bright 1976-07-00 Alfred Bester Berkley/Putnam 0-399-11816-0
$7.95?$: US dollar
248
hc?Hardcover. Used for all hardbacks of any size.
coll Richard Powers Checkmark
Starlight: The Great Short Fiction of Alfred Bester 1976-12-00 Alfred Bester Nelson Doubleday / SFBC 3140
$3.98?$: US dollar
409
hc?Hardcover. Used for all hardbacks of any size.
omni Jack Woolhiser Checkmark
The Dark Side of the Earth 1977-00-00 Alfred Bester Pan Books 0-330-02393-4
£0.60?£: UK pound
171
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
coll Gino D'Achille Checkmark
Verrukkelijk Fahrenheit 1977-00-00 Alfred Bester Meulenhoff (M=SF #123) 90-290-0516-5   349
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
coll Paul Lehr Checkmark
Starlight: The Great Short Fiction of Alfred Bester 1977-07-00 Alfred Bester Berkley Medallion 0-425-03451-8
$1.95?$: US dollar
452
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
omni Richard Powers Checkmark
Star Light, Star Bright 1978-02-00 Alfred Bester Gollancz 0-575-02320-1
£4.50?£: UK pound
248
hc?Hardcover. Used for all hardbacks of any size.
coll  
Star Light, Star Bright 1979-00-00 Alfred Bester Fontana 0-00-615406-9
£0.95?£: UK pound
220
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
coll Tim White Checkmark
The Future I 1981-01-00 ed. Isaac Asimov, Martin Harry Greenberg, Joseph D. Olander Fawcett Crest 0-449-24366-4
$2.50?$: US dollar
381
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
anth Richard Courtney Checkmark
What If? Volume 2 1981-02-00 ed. Richard A. Lupoff Pocket Books 0-671-83190-9
$2.50?$: US dollar
239
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
anth Richard Powers Checkmark
What If? Volume 2 1981-02-00 ed. Richard A. Lupoff Pocket Books 0-671-83190-9
C$2.95?C$: Canadian dollar
239
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
anth Richard Powers Checkmark
Oh, luminosa y brillante estrella 1985-00-00 Alfred Bester Teorema (Visión Arcadia) 84-7604-042-3   281
tp?Trade paperback. Any softcover book which is at least 7.25" (or 19 cm) tall, or at least 4.5" (11.5 cm) wide/deep.
coll Tim White  
Le livre d'or de la science-fiction: Alfred Bester 1986-04-28 Alfred Bester Presses Pocket (Presses Pocket - Science Fiction #5234) 2-266-01736-5   312
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
coll Marcel Laverdet  
The Great SF Stories #21 (1959) 1990-06-00 ed. Isaac Asimov, Martin H. Greenberg DAW Books (DAW Collectors #823) 0-88677-428-4 / UE2428
$4.95?$: US dollar
347
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
anth Robin Hidden Checkmark
The Great SF Stories #21 (1959) 1990-06-00 ed. Isaac Asimov, Martin H. Greenberg DAW Books 0-88677-428-4
C$5.95?C$: Canadian dollar
347
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
anth Robin Hidden Checkmark
Die Hölle ist ewig 1993-00-00 Alfred Bester Suhrkamp (Phantastische Bibliothek #293) 3-518-38657-3
DM 14.00?DM: German (Deutsche) mark
191
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
coll Michael van Ofen Checkmark
The Ascent of Wonder: The Evolution of Hard SF 1994-07-00 ed. Kathryn Cramer, David G. Hartwell Tor 0-312-85062-X
$35.00?$: US dollar
990+
[2]
hc?Hardcover. Used for all hardbacks of any size.
anth Carol Russo Checkmark
The Ascent of Wonder: The Evolution of Hard SF 1994-10-00 ed. Kathryn Cramer, David G. Hartwell Orbit 1-85723-271-2
£25.00?£: UK pound
990
hc?Hardcover. Used for all hardbacks of any size.
anth John Berkey Checkmark
The Ascent of Wonder: The Evolution of Hard SF 1994-10-00 ed. Kathryn Cramer, David G. Hartwell Tor / SFBC 05435
$17.98?$: US dollar
990
hc?Hardcover. Used for all hardbacks of any size.
anth John Berkey Checkmark
The Ascent of Wonder: The Evolution of Hard SF 1997-09-00 ed. Kathryn Cramer, David G. Hartwell Orb 0-312-85509-5
$27.95?$: US dollar
990
tp?Trade paperback. Any softcover book which is at least 7.25" (or 19 cm) tall, or at least 4.5" (11.5 cm) wide/deep.
anth Checkmark
Virtual Unrealities: The Short Fiction of Alfred Bester 1997-11-00 Alfred Bester Vintage Books 0-679-76783-5
$14.00?$: US dollar
xiii+
366
tp?Trade paperback. Any softcover book which is at least 7.25" (or 19 cm) tall, or at least 4.5" (11.5 cm) wide/deep.
coll Evan Gaffney Checkmark
Virtual Unrealities: The Short Fiction of Alfred Bester 1997-11-00 Alfred Bester Topeka Bindery 1-4177-1932-X
$17.92?$: US dollar
 
hc?Hardcover. Used for all hardbacks of any size.
coll  
Virtual Unrealities: The Short Fiction of Alfred Bester 1998-08-00 Alfred Bester Vintage Books / SFBC 1-56865-805-2 / 17770
$10.98?$: US dollar
366
hc?Hardcover. Used for all hardbacks of any size.
coll  
Irrealidades virtuais, 2º volume 1999-06-00 Alfred Bester
Publicações Europa-América?Publicacoes Europa-America
(Livros de Bolso, série Ficção Científica #242)
972-1-04624-8   192
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
coll Estúdios PEA  
Irrealidades virtuales 2003-03-00 Alfred Bester Minotauro 84-450-7307-9   420
hc?Hardcover. Used for all hardbacks of any size.
coll  
Virtual Unrealities: The Short Fiction of Alfred Bester 2013-05-30 Alfred Bester Byron Preiss Visual Publications 0-679-76783-5
$16.95?$: US dollar
 
ebook?Used for all electronic formats, including but not limited to EPUB, eReader, HTML, iBook, Mobipocket, and PDF.
coll Evan Gaffney  
Alpha 1 2022-05-17 ed. Robert Silverberg ReAnimus Press 978-1-00-502459-8
$3.99?$: US dollar
 
ebook?Used for all electronic formats, including but not limited to EPUB, eReader, HTML, iBook, Mobipocket, and PDF.
anth John Lindner  
Alpha 1 2022-05-18 ed. Robert Silverberg ReAnimus Press 979-882935377-3
$26.99?$: US dollar
342
hc?Hardcover. Used for all hardbacks of any size.
anth John Lindner  
Alpha 1 2022-05-18 ed. Robert Silverberg ReAnimus Press 979-882935125-0
$16.99?$: US dollar
342
tp?Trade paperback. Any softcover book which is at least 7.25" (or 19 cm) tall, or at least 4.5" (11.5 cm) wide/deep.
anth John Lindner  
Starlight: The Great Short Fiction of Alfred Bester date unknown Alfred Bester Berkley Medallion 0-425-03451-8
$1.95?$: US dollar
452
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
omni Richard Powers Checkmark
The Best From Fantasy and Science Fiction: 9th Series date unknown ed. Robert P. Mills Ace Books 05448
$0.60?$: US dollar
255
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
anth Checkmark
The Dark Side of the Earth date unknown Alfred Bester Signet / New American Library T4402
$0.75?$: US dollar
160
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
coll Bob Pepper Checkmark
Virtual Unrealities: The Short Fiction of Alfred Bester date unknown Alfred Bester Vintage Books 0-679-76783-5
$14.00?$: US dollar
xiii+
366
tp?Trade paperback. Any softcover book which is at least 7.25" (or 19 cm) tall, or at least 4.5" (11.5 cm) wide/deep.
coll Evan Gaffney Checkmark
Virtual Unrealities: The Short Fiction of Alfred Bester date unknown Alfred Bester Vintage Books 978-0-679-76783-1
$16.95?$: US dollar
xiii+
366
tp?Trade paperback. Any softcover book which is at least 7.25" (or 19 cm) tall, or at least 4.5" (11.5 cm) wide/deep.
coll Evan Gaffney Checkmark
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