I have read this before--pre-Goodreads. Haldeman is a capable and prolific author, and I have so far enjoyed all of his short stories and novels. Here are summaries of the stories that struck me especially:

Anniversary p.71: a million years in the future, future man is getting ready to celebrate the millionth anniversary of the written word. However, barely anybody reads anymore, so a time trawler picks up a newly married couple on a beach in 1952. Their task is to read the classics ( like Faust) so the future-humans can telepathically share what it feels like. And sex--nobody has sex anymore--but future-man doesn't let on that that will also telepathically be shared.

Lindsay and the Red City Blues p. 129: Why do American tourists act so stupid? This particular one goes to marrakesh and lets a boy lead him into a market for a beer. He can't find his way out without the boy, but he tries. He hooks up with a hooker, and gets beaten and robbed. Think that's bad? Wait for the ending. Best story for a misandrist.

More than the Sum of His Parts p.163: Shades of Flowers for Algernon. An electrical engineer working for a mining operation on the moon accidentally walks through aluminum vapor and 3/4 of his body is burnt away. Drs and scientists replace and create parts with cybernetics. His developing power goes to his head and a monster is created. But he kept two diaries and the secret one was discovered by a Dr. Fascinating plot.

Seasons p. 216: A friendly, Pacific alien is observed by explorers for 4 seasons: however, it wasn't realized until the next expedition that there're 6 seasons--the fifth one is where they become...well...alien. Fast-paced, a lot of sex (I suppose if you have a chance of dying, you get horny).

For White Hill p. 383: 27 artists are chosen from the inhabited planets, to do an artwork commemorating Earth, on Earth, in Amazonia, after Earth has had all animal and plant life exterminated by a "virus" set down by the enemy. Two of the artists fall in love and then find out the enemy has accelerated Sol's death. Well, if you believe in "love," this might make you unhappy. Me? Meh.

The Mars Girl p.472: This story is entertaining and fun. It's about a 16-yr-old girl who, along with her family, gets to migrate to the Mars colony. She is working at an online degree (she's advanced) and has to work, helping to build new modules for the colony. When the colony's leader (who hates kids) humiliates her for the second time in front of all the colonists, Carmen takes out her anger by going for a night walk on Mars' surface. Falling through a lava cone, she breaks her ankle and a rib or so, and breaks her suit's heater. She figures she's going to die, but wakes up to a "hospital room" with two Martian"doctors." They cure her and bring her back to the colony, but nobody will believe her story. Then she gets sick with a lung fungus growing and making her cough up blood. Carmen decides that since she caught it from the Martians, maybe they can cure her, and tries to signal them. It works, but when the colonists misunderstand and try to laser open their airlock, things could be bad... ( )

Stories by Joe Haldeman are always a good things and Subterranean Press has recently put out this �??Best ofƒ? collection edited by Jonathan Strahan. The hardcover book has 504 pages and includes a general introduction by Joe Haldeman and 19 of his stories. Each story also has a short introduction which reveals some insight into its crafting ƒ?? perhaps where the idea came from, or some trouble he had writing or placing it, or how he did his research, or his interactions with his agent or editor. Iƒ??m not a writer, but I always find these author introductions interesting.

The stories are, in order:
Read more:
http://www.fantasyliterature.com/reviews/the-best-of-joe-haldeman/ ( )