Other Americas

Norman Spinrad has been on the cutting edge of contemporary science fiction ever since he first hurtled onto the scene with his terrifyingly brilliant novels and short stories. Now, in his own inimitable style, Spinrad examines one of his most compelling obsessions-the possible "futures" of America.

Here are four stunning novellas, including the never-before-published "La Vie Continue," that plumb the very heart of the darkest American Dreams: our cities reduced to savage slay-grounds roamed by human scavengers; our civilization become the ancient history of future archaeologists; our people held hostage by a Third-World fanatic wielding a nuclear weapon; our right to think and speak freely censored by an oppressive CIA-run government.