It was first published in hardcover by Holt, Rinehart and Winston in August 1982; a paperback edition was issued by Bantam Books in September 1983.

British editions were issued by W. H. Allen (hardcover) and Star (paperback) in 1983; the latter under the variant title Nebula Winners Sixteen.

Publishers Weekly calls the volume "a valuable as well as an enjoyable book," singling out the Charnas ("calmly realistic and riveting"), Waldrop ("delightful") and Simak pieces for comment, while assessing those of Grant, Swanwick and Dick as "[g]ood work."

"[2] School Library Journal found the quality of the anthology's stories and essays "uneven," but noted that "[l]ibraries aiming for comprehensive science-fiction coverage will want [it] regardless."

The films review and retrospective listings of Nebula and Hugo winners were rated "[a]mong the assets" of the book.