1941 Retro Hugos: Best Short Story
The short story length was by far the most popular in 1940, so there’s a lot to choose from. Don’t be fooled into nominating anything by Ray Bradbury or Arthur C. Clarke - they were still amateur writers publishing in fanzines.
Stories included in The Great Science Fiction Stories Volume 2, 1940, edited by Isaac Asimov and Martin H. Greenberg, are marked with an asterisk.
- *The Automatic Pistol, Fritz Leiber, Weird Tales, May 1940
- The Callistan Menace, Isaac Asimov, Astonishing Stories, April 1940
- Clerical Error, Clifford D. Simak, Astounding Science-Fiction, August 1940
- *Dark Mission, Lester del Rey, Astounding Science-Fiction, July 1940
- Derm Fool, Theodore Sturgeon, Unknown Fantasy Fiction, March 1940
- *The Dwindling Sphere, Willard Hawkins, Astounding Science-Fiction, March 1940
- Emergency Refueling, James Blish, Super Science Stories, March 1940
- The Fiddler's Fee, Robert Bloch, Weird Tales, July 1940
- The Gods Gil Made, Ross Rocklynne, Unknown Fantasy Fiction, November 1940
- Guinea Pig, Ph.D., Alfred Bester, Startling Stories, March 1940
- He Shuttles, Theodore Sturgeon, Unknown Fantasy Fiction, April 1940
- *Hindsight, Jack Williamson, Astounding Science-Fiction, May 1940
- Homo Sol, Isaac Asimov, Astounding Science-Fiction, September 1940
- *The Impossible Highway, Oscar J. Friend, Thrilling Wonder Stories, August 1940
- Martian Quest, Leigh Brackett, Astounding Science-Fiction, February 1940
- *Postmarked for Paradise (aka Postpaid to Paradise), Robert Arthur, Argosy, June 15, 1940
- Queen of the Metal Men, Robert Bloch, Fantastic Adventures, April 1940
- *Quietus, Ross Rocklynne, Astounding Science-Fiction, September 1940
- *Requiem, Robert A. Heinlein, Astounding Science-Fiction, January 1940
- Revolt of the Ants, Milton Kaletsky, Amazing Stories, April 1940
- The Sea Thing, A. E. van Vogt, Unknown, January 1940
- *Strange Playfellow (aka Robbie), Isaac Asimov, Super Science Stories, September 1940
- Sunspot Purge, Clifford D. Simak, Astounding Science-Fiction, November 1940
- *The Warrior Race, L. Sprague de Camp, Astounding Science-Fiction, October 1940
- Wine of the Sabbat, Robert Bloch, Weird Tales, November 1940
Stories included in The Great Science Fiction Stories Volume 2, 1940, edited by Isaac Asimov and Martin H. Greenberg, are marked with an asterisk.
- *The Automatic Pistol, Fritz Leiber, Weird Tales, May 1940
- The Callistan Menace, Isaac Asimov, Astonishing Stories, April 1940
- Clerical Error, Clifford D. Simak, Astounding Science-Fiction, August 1940
- *Dark Mission, Lester del Rey, Astounding Science-Fiction, July 1940
- Derm Fool, Theodore Sturgeon, Unknown Fantasy Fiction, March 1940
- *The Dwindling Sphere, Willard Hawkins, Astounding Science-Fiction, March 1940
- Emergency Refueling, James Blish, Super Science Stories, March 1940
- The Fiddler's Fee, Robert Bloch, Weird Tales, July 1940
- The Gods Gil Made, Ross Rocklynne, Unknown Fantasy Fiction, November 1940
- Guinea Pig, Ph.D., Alfred Bester, Startling Stories, March 1940
- He Shuttles, Theodore Sturgeon, Unknown Fantasy Fiction, April 1940
- *Hindsight, Jack Williamson, Astounding Science-Fiction, May 1940
- Homo Sol, Isaac Asimov, Astounding Science-Fiction, September 1940
- *The Impossible Highway, Oscar J. Friend, Thrilling Wonder Stories, August 1940
- Martian Quest, Leigh Brackett, Astounding Science-Fiction, February 1940
- *Postmarked for Paradise (aka Postpaid to Paradise), Robert Arthur, Argosy, June 15, 1940
- Queen of the Metal Men, Robert Bloch, Fantastic Adventures, April 1940
- *Quietus, Ross Rocklynne, Astounding Science-Fiction, September 1940
- *Requiem, Robert A. Heinlein, Astounding Science-Fiction, January 1940
- Revolt of the Ants, Milton Kaletsky, Amazing Stories, April 1940
- The Sea Thing, A. E. van Vogt, Unknown, January 1940
- *Strange Playfellow (aka Robbie), Isaac Asimov, Super Science Stories, September 1940
- Sunspot Purge, Clifford D. Simak, Astounding Science-Fiction, November 1940
- *The Warrior Race, L. Sprague de Camp, Astounding Science-Fiction, October 1940
- Wine of the Sabbat, Robert Bloch, Weird Tales, November 1940