THROUGH EYES OF WONDER;

Like Notes to a Science Fiction loiter (925, J-307) this is a spinoff from Bova's duties as editor of Analog magazine, and here even the endpapers are reproductions of Analog covers. Boys traces the evolution of organized human curiosity (i.e. science) all the way up from the prosimians and concludes by defending that beleaguered "minority group" the scientist. And he climbs up on his soapbox to make some hifalutin claims for sci fi as the literature of the future. . . isn't it finally being taught in the schools instead of Silas Marner and The Mill on the Floss (of the latter, "no one has read such books outside of an English class assignment since approximately 1919"). Along the way, he fills us in on the growth of American sci fi from Hugo Gernsback to John Campbell, explains the rules of The Game which separates hard core science fiction from mere fantasy, and tells some good stories of how prescient writers beat the scientists to big discoveries. Of course sci fi has been unfairly scorned and it does inspire that "sense of wonder" he talks about. But is it necessary to claim that the sci fi mags attract readers from "among the topmost ranks of intelligence" and turns them into "worshipers of science and knowledge"? The gentleman protests too much. . . and too often.