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Conditionally Human

Walter M. Miller, Jr.

First published February 1952
Type Short Fiction
Length Novella

Notes

The text in Conklin's 5 Unearthly Visions either published an early version of the shortfiction or was shortened on Conklin's own terms: it has only novelette length. The first book publication in Year's Best Science Fiction Novels: 1953 definitely was longer than the Conklin publication. However, the original appearance in Galaxy was a shorter version, probably the same text as the Conklin reprinting. I don't know if the longer version was Miller's original (that H. L. Gold may have cut) or if he expanded it for Dikty's anthology. A note in the Dikty book mentions that most of the stories were "perfected" by the authors, and that one story (possibly "Conditionally Human"?) had a substantial new episode added.)
The text was seemingly revised in addition by Miller, Jr.: the average life expectancy for man is stated as 80 years in the Conklin version and as 110 years in later publications, for example.

Publications (24)

Date Publication Publisher Type Page
February 1952 Galaxy Science Fiction, February 1952 Galaxy Publishing Corporation MAGAZINE 30
March 1953 Year's Best Science Fiction Novels: 1953 Frederick Fell Anthology 251
1962 Conditionally Human Ballantine Books Collection 7
December 1963 Conditionally Human Gollancz Collection
November 1964 Conditionally Human The Science Fiction Book Club (UK) Collection
1965 5 Unearthly Visions Fawcett Gold Medal Anthology 50
February 1966 Conditionally Human Panther Collection 7
December 1967 5 Unearthly Visions Fawcett Gold Medal Anthology 50
December 1978 The Science Fiction Stories of Walter M. Miller, Jr. Gregg Press Collection
May 1980 The Best of Walter M. Miller, Jr. Pocket Books Collection 207
October 1980 The Best of Walter M. Miller, Jr. Pocket Books / SFBC Collection 207
July 1982 Conditionally Human and Other Stories Corgi Collection 7
July 2000 The Best of Walter M. Miller, Jr. Gollancz Collection 207
April 2007 Dark Benediction Gollancz / Orion Collection 207
May 2013 Dark Benediction Gollancz / Orion Collection
2015 Dark Benediction Gateway / Orion Collection |90
August 2015 Dark Benediction Gollancz / Orion Collection
April 2016 Conditionally Human Project Gutenberg Chapbook
April 2016 Fantastic Stories Presents the Galaxy Science Fiction Super Pack #2 Positronic Publishing Anthology |5
April 2016 Fantastic Stories Presents the Galaxy Science Fiction Super Pack #2 Positronic Publishing Anthology |5
April 2016 The 12th Science Fiction Megapack Wildside Press Anthology
April 2018 Fantastic Stories Presents the Galaxy Science Fiction Super Pack #2 Positronic Publishing Anthology |5
May 2021 The Best of Walter M. Miller, Jr. Blackstone Publishing Collection |10
May 2021 The Best of Walter M. Miller, Jr. Blackstone Publishing Collection |10