I don't know how I missed Samuel R. Delany in my traversals of the speculative fiction multiverse. Reading the short stories collected in Aye, And Gomorrah I've landed in strange, beautiful, undiscovered country.

Most of the stories in this collection were written in the latter half of the 60s, a few were born in '70-'71 and a single odd tale from '88 was added for good measure. Delany, a black, gay science fiction writer, wove self, times and cultural context into his fiction. With this single volume, he's landed on my top ten favorites list.

The social commentary and insights on the human condition he spins are just as relevant today as they were in days of smoke and roses. Some of these insights are simply wonderful indications of a great writer. Others, such as 60s-era racial issues ("There's this little nigger girl, Bim" - from a situation in Corona) force the realization of their continued relevance today, a sad statement on the same separating bigotry almost half a century later ("They're so poor, and so black" - Wolf Blitzer characterizing our national disgrace in New Orleans).

Delany writes with intense descriptive power. The colors and images in his words are reminiscent of another of my favorite authors, Roger Zelazny. No coincidence then: I'd just made the comparison and found Delany dedicating the masterpiece of gender hierarchy versus gender equality of We, in Some Strange Power's Employ, Move on a Rigorous Line to R. Zelazny, even naming the main character Roger. Again, how did I miss this writer?

You'll find stories here of humanity's future ranging the stars, where there are still family problems and fucked-up kids (The Star Pit), interplanetary thieves, artists, law-enforcers and the honor amongst them (Time Considered as a Helix of Semi-precious Stones), riffs on self, reality and their intersection (Night and the Loves of Joe Dicostanzo), fairy tale style fantasy on growth, authenticity and self-awareness (Prismatica), brilliant re-imaginings of the old adage "the more things change the more they stay the same" (Driftglass) and many other mind-openers.

My to-read queue is stacked 30+ deep at this point, but I've placed three of Delany's longer works (Dhalgren, Nova and Stars In My Pocket Like Grains Of Sand) right on the top. The books beneath can wait.