I've received an amazing box of second hand golden age science fiction gold from an amazing SS redditor!

I managed to hit the book exchange jackpot - my gifter actually runs a secondhand bookshop. From the sound of it, it's one I think I'd quite enjoy,too.

Magnificent redditor Unmoderated did some excellent stalking, and appears to have discovered my not-at-all hidden love for science fiction. I've received a huge box containing some amazing books:

'Mercury' by Ben Bova (whom I loved since I read 'Orion' as a teenager, and who I'm looking forward to getting into again)

'The Cave Girl' by Edgar Rice Burroughs (although I read Tarzan as a kid, I never actually read any of his other work)

'Gather, Darkness' by Fritz Lieber (one of the giants of golden age scifi, whom I'm ashamed to say I've never read)

'Shuteye for the Timebroker' by Paul Di Filippo (short stories by an author I've not encountered, but who sounds interesting)

'Orbit 5' an anthology edited by Damon Knight(with late golden age scifi stories by the likes of Ursula Le Guin)

'Between Worlds' an anthology by Robert Silverberg (a more recent book including a story by Stephen Baxter, whom I'm quite keen on)

'Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Treasury' edited by Asimov, Martin Greenberg and Joseph Olander (I'm a huge Asimov fan, and this contains some absolutely amazing, seminal stories from the 50s, 60s and 70s, including "Flowers for Algernon", which I've always wanted to read)

'Radical Graphic Radicals' by Laurel Harper (a fantastic coffee table book about graphic design, which I will spend hours browsing)

'The Complete War of the Worlds' edited by Brian Holmsten and Alex Lubertozzi( which contains not only the full text of HG Wells' novel, but the original illustrations, and the text of Orson Wells' legendary Mercury Theatre broadcast, as well as a CD with the broadcast and a few other interviews, including an astonishing conversation between the two Wells - I'm ripping the CD onto my phone now)

'Brave New World' by Aldous Huxley (with an AMAZING pulp cover. This is one of my all-time favourite books, and one of the few books I had to read in high school that I managed to come away enjoying. Even if I didn't already adore this book, I'd love it for the delicious pulpiness of the cover)

and last, but most certainly not least:

'Forgotten Bookmarks' by UNMODERATED HIMSELF! this is a gorgeous collection of the left behind, forgotten things people left in the books unmoderated sells, and was only recently published. It's signed, it's wonderful, and it's already being passed around and read by my family. I may have to seek out a few more copies come birthday season...

Not only did Unmoderated send this enormous package all the way from the US to Australia, he actually did it twice! For some odd reason, USPS or Australia decided to return the box back to him, and he was kind and generous enough to send it to me yet again. What a guy.

Unmoderated, you magnificent bastard, I'm staggered by your generosity. If I ever make it over to the other side of the world, I'll pop in for a browse. If you ever make it here, drop me a line and I'll buy you a beer or two.