This brilliant single-author collection of stories comes to you from Dr. Stanley Schmidt, the long-time editor of ANALOG Science Fiction / Science Fact Magazine. Stanley Schmidt has been writing even longer that he's been editing, and his skill and experience show. Here are many of his favorite and best stories, ranging from the hardest of hard science fiction to the exploration of complex philosophical ideas. What is the nature of time? Is it best for humanity to be on top of the food chain, or would it keep us on our toes if we let someone else be the top predator? If extinction can be reversed, should it be? The author's introduction to the collection tells the stories behind the stories, explores his approach to fiction, and reveals one or two tricks of the trade along the way. It's a single-author collection that belongs on the shelf of every serious reader of short-form science fiction.