It was first published in hardback by Nelson Doubleday in October 1976 and in paperback by Ballantine Books in January 1977, as a volume in its Classic Library of Science Fiction.

[1] The book contains nineteen short works of fiction and an afterword by the author (reprinted from his 1954 collection The Explorers), together with an introduction by editor Frederik Pohl.

[1] Lester del Rey in Analog Science Fiction/Science Fact writes that the collection indeed "includes some of [Kornbluth's] very best work, as well as a few earlier stories written before his style had fully evolved."

"[3] Mark Rich writes "Critics judging Kornbluth by this anthology, edited by Pohl, have seen a growing bitterness in his later stories.

These tales demonstrate Kornbluth's effective use of everyday individuals from a variety of ethnic backgrounds as well as his well-tuned ear for dialect.