Greatest Hits (Herald Classics)

This book is amazing!

Got this for the "I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream" novel and did not disappoint. Good read!

These short stories were crazy and gut wrenching. I mainly got this book to read "I Have No Mouth, And I Must Scream" which was very good. Harlan knew how to write a story.

A lot of the problems with this box of CD's are obviously endemic to the Hard Copy Audio-Book industry, and can wait till after I discuss the good points.1- A collection of H.E.'s most awarded stories, designed with variety and new readers in mind.They have scoured 40 years of archives to provide a number of these stories read by the author! The audio quality and recording style will vary therefore.Harlan's style fairly jumps off of the page, but is rarely captured by professional readers. NOBODY reads an Ellison story as well as Harlan did. These readers seem more carefully selected here than usual, do a better job, and seem selected, in part, for racial/gender sensitivity to stories written in a voice *clearly*other than HE's own.That being said, "I'm Looking for Kadak" has to be played on at least 1.5X speed to get the performance authentically.2- Contains 2 Bonus Tracks and some story commentary from Harlan that were from the original recordings. BONUS!- "Shattered Like a Glass Goblin"- “The Prowler in the City at the Edge of the World”3- STRANGELY, it differs from the Audible version! The version on CD, has more of Harlan reading than professional readers. The Audible version (for example) has a different reader on "How's the Nightlife on Cissalda?" Probably because the recording of Harlan, live at what was probably a college, is of poor technical quality, but is AMAZINGLY performed.4- It contains very influential stories and observations about the human condition that vary from insightful, experimental, heart wrenching, hysterical to bleakest despair. Although not every one is a favorite, and some are of their time, it is a great collection for the reader unfamiliar with his work.Which makes these CD's a bit of a disappointment, that I will add an extra star to recommend.THE PRODUCT ITSELF:The packaging is SO BAD that it MUST be industry standard to get away with it!A stack of numbered CDs on a spindle in a clamshell with NO useful information. No BASIC INFORMATION. . . Like CONTENTS!- No "contents" list on the box,- no titles on the discs,- no insert with contents/ lists,- no track listings on the discs when loaded into a computer's media player.Just 350 or so 3 minute tracks across 14 discs - hope you bought a copy of the book to find your way through!Some of the stories are split onto different discs, so if you're not listening sequentially you have NO WAY to find the story!Especially in a collection where you really might want to skip some stories & replay others like you would songs. Imagine a music CD where every track displays "Track#". as title.A listing on the back cover would've been a reasonable workaround. Does anyone who shops for books on CD do so in a brick & mortar store? Where you might have to worry about using the back to sell the product . . . Can any of you think of a store that SELLS Audio Book CD's in person? No? Neither can I. I think that market is specialty and orders their CDs for themselves or libraries online.Which means that you don't need the back for selling the book as much as using the discs!Shame on Blackstone for dropping the ball on this.Whether this is a good buy for you or not depends on how much you spend & how much you need Harlan's recordings.All that being said, if you are a fan of Harlan Ellison, it really may be worth it just to get recordings of his readings, and hear some of the anecdotes. It was for me.Glory to Blackstone for publishing this.

Love the quality, and I love the stories, I would definitely recommend this others

Harlan Ellison would sometimes show up at small, independent bookstores, sit behind a desk (conveniently and prominently placed in the display window), set his typewriter on it and start hammering away. He would complete entire stories there, often with a premise supplied by the store's patrons. He was showing off, yes: Showing off his ability, his need, to write. It was a need fed by a well of energy that never dried. His creativity was practically boundless. These are just some of the fruits plucked from that always-ripe tree. Savor them.Savor the wit, the humor, the sly grin you can see in your mind's eye, as he leans in close to tell you a joke about the human condition. And then, when he's got his arm around your shoulder, got you chuckling, off guard...he'll tear your heart out. Not to be cruel. But to make you hurt, just like he hurts. Violence in an Ellison story isn't there to thrill you, or to sicken you - its there to make you feel. To feel for the person getting hurt. To maybe, just maybe, make you step outside yourself for just one moment, and know the cold terror of what we do to ourselves.There is a reason so many authors you most likely already know loved him. Consider taking the time to find out why. This book is a fine start.

My daughter wanted this to read I have no mouth. We enjoyed it. Some stories better than others but overall worthwhile read.

If I said it one time, I have said it a thousand times; Harlan Ellison Needs A Golden Statue of himself in the lobby of every Library in the World.Every AI interface in the world should meet each user session with AM's "Hate" monologue to remind everyone of the dangers and shortsightedness of those playing around with it - To be ever mindful of its powers....I have no mouth, and I must scream!