The James White Information Site

Trouble with Emily

First published
1958

It must have been one of the big colonial transports of the type which had carried four generation of colonists between the stars before the hyperdrive made such gargantuan ships obsolete, Conway though, as he stared at the great tear-drop shape framed in the direct vision port beside O'Mara's desk.

'Trouble with Emily' is the second official Sector General short story to see print, and its also my personal favourite. Mainly, I confess, because of the dinosaur-alien named after one of the Brontë sisters -- Emily Brontosaurus. O'Mara to Conway: "I must say that I feel a pathological interest in a mind which thinks like that . . ." Conway groans in sympathy. As did Bob Shaw, and every other member of the Belfast Science Fiction Group.

First Published: NEW WORLDS No 77, November 1958

Publishing History: Out of this World 2, Blackie and Sons, May 1961 Hospital Station (see under Books); Out of this World Choice Blackie, 1972, edited by Williams-Ellis/Owen.

Synopsis by
Graham Andrews

In magazines

Title Published as Language Editor Date
New Worlds 77, November 1958 cover
New Worlds 77, November 1958 English John Carnell November 1958
Galassia 32, 15 August 1963 cover
Galassia 32, 15 August 1963 Il pupo; Emergenza; Emily Italian Roberta Rambelli 15 August 1963
Galaktika folyóirat, April 1987 cover
Galaktika folyóirat, April 1987 Általános szektor (part 2 of 2); Bajok Emilyvel; Látogató nagyban (part 1 of 2) Hungarian Sziládi János April 1987

In James White's books

Title Type Year
Hospital Station, Ballantine, 1962 cover
Hospital Station Fix-up novel 1962
Beginning Operations, Orb cover
Beginning Operations Omnibus 2001
Data sources
James White Information (original site). Synopsis by Graham Andrews.
ISFDB title record (CC BY 4.0).