Within the context of the future history, the Rediscovery of Mankind refers to the Instrumentality's re-introduction of chance and unhappiness into the sterile utopia that they had created for humanity.

"Scanners Live in Vain" is preceded by a facsimile of Smith's (real name Paul Linebarger) original cover letter (dated March 9, 1948) in which, en passant, he mentions being a fan of A. E. van Vogt.

According to the book's introduction "Scanners Live in Vain" is printed, for the first time, from the original manuscript, restoring its chapterization and some text omitted from the magazine version.

The timeline does not include "Down to a Sunless Sea", which has no internal clues as to its placement within Smith's chronology.

The latter also includes the revised 1995 text of the novel Norstrilia (1975), previously split into two volumes with some abridgement and restructuring as The Planet Buyer (1964) and The Underpeople (1968).