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Carmen Miranda's Ghost Is Haunting Space Station 3
She began as the daughter of struggling immigrants and became the embodiment of the fiery South American Spirit. She went on to take Hollywood by storm and became an immortal cultural icon. To this very day, her spirit lives—on Space Station Three!
Nineteen stories by nineteen authors, all based on one unforgettable image in a song by Leslie Fish: “Carmen Miranda’s Ghost is Haunting Space Station Three”. Stories range from horror to romance to satire to…just plain silly. This volume would be a cult classic, if only a fitting cult could be found.
Contents: Professional solution / B. W. Clough — Basket case / Bruce B. Barnett — The entertainer / Eric Blackburn — Carmen Miranda and the maracas of death / Julia Ecklar — Shadows on the wall / Ron Robinson — Confessional booths / Susan Shwartz — If Madam likes you… / Anne McCaffrey — The Carmen Miranda gambit / Melissa Scott & Lisa A. Barnett — That Souse American way / S. N. Lewitt — Rolling down the floor / Amanda Allen — The never-ending battle / L. D. Woeltjen — The man who travelled in rocketships / Don Sakers — Bertocci’s proof / Leslie Fish — Wing / C. J. Cherryh — In the can / Esther Friesner — Tarawa rising / Don Sakers — And now the news: / Betsy Marks & Anne G. DeMaio — La vita nuova / B. W. Clough — The Pigeon sisters on Space Station Three / Mary L. Mand
Nineteen stories by nineteen authors, all based on one unforgettable image in a song by Leslie Fish: “Carmen Miranda’s Ghost is Haunting Space Station Three”. Stories range from horror to romance to satire to…just plain silly. This volume would be a cult classic, if only a fitting cult could be found.
Contents: Professional solution / B. W. Clough — Basket case / Bruce B. Barnett — The entertainer / Eric Blackburn — Carmen Miranda and the maracas of death / Julia Ecklar — Shadows on the wall / Ron Robinson — Confessional booths / Susan Shwartz — If Madam likes you… / Anne McCaffrey — The Carmen Miranda gambit / Melissa Scott & Lisa A. Barnett — That Souse American way / S. N. Lewitt — Rolling down the floor / Amanda Allen — The never-ending battle / L. D. Woeltjen — The man who travelled in rocketships / Don Sakers — Bertocci’s proof / Leslie Fish — Wing / C. J. Cherryh — In the can / Esther Friesner — Tarawa rising / Don Sakers — And now the news: / Betsy Marks & Anne G. DeMaio — La vita nuova / B. W. Clough — The Pigeon sisters on Space Station Three / Mary L. Mand
305 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 1990
About the author
Don Sakers
64 books13 followersDon Sakers was launched the same month as Sputnik One, so it was perhaps inevitable that he should become a science fiction writer. A Navy brat by birth, he spent his childhood in such far-off lands as Japan, Scotland, Hawaii, and California. In California, rather like a latter-day Mowgli, he was raised by dogs.
As a writer and editor, he has explored the thoughts of sapient trees (The Leaves of October), brought ghosts to life (Carmen Miranda's Ghost is Haunting Space Station Three, Baen 1989), and beaten the "Cold Equations" scenario ("The Cold Solution," Analog 7/91, voted best short story of the year.)
Sakers is a member of the CoastLine SF Writers Group. He has taught sf-writing through Howard Community College.
In 2009, Don took up the position of book reviewer for Analog Science Ficiton & Fact, where he writes the "Reference Library" column in every issue.
In his day job, Don works for the Public Library.
Don lives at Meerkat Meade in suburban Baltimore with his spouse, costumer Thomas Atkinson.
As a writer and editor, he has explored the thoughts of sapient trees (The Leaves of October), brought ghosts to life (Carmen Miranda's Ghost is Haunting Space Station Three, Baen 1989), and beaten the "Cold Equations" scenario ("The Cold Solution," Analog 7/91, voted best short story of the year.)
Sakers is a member of the CoastLine SF Writers Group. He has taught sf-writing through Howard Community College.
In 2009, Don took up the position of book reviewer for Analog Science Ficiton & Fact, where he writes the "Reference Library" column in every issue.
In his day job, Don works for the Public Library.
Don lives at Meerkat Meade in suburban Baltimore with his spouse, costumer Thomas Atkinson.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
June 12, 2013
I read it a long time ago but I enjoyed it. Very fun.
February 12, 2022
Well, sometimes you just find a book with a ridiculous enough title that you go "now I HAVE to know what that's about!" And honestly, a book featuring Carmen Miranda's ghost in space has got to be at least somewhat fun, right? Though be warned -- this isn't a novel, but a collection of short stories based around a common theme. And there's a WIDE variety of stories here... and while a few of them are only barely related to said theme and there are some duds, I had enough fun reading this that I recommend other sci-fi enthusiasts pick it up as well.
According to the book's afterword, the book's title comes directly from a filk song by Leslie Fish, and a group of authors were amused enough by said song to write short stories. Soon more authors contributed, until the result was an entire anthology of stories about the Brazilian actress and her ghost haunting a hapless space station. And there are some surprisingly well-known authors involved in this anthology, from Anne McCaffrey to CJ Cherryh to Esther Friesner. Some are goofy, some are horrifying, some are more old-fashioned detective stories or hard sci-fi, but all of them do their best to stay true to the spirit of the song in some way.
I have to confess that not all of these stories are winners -- some were downright dull. But there were plenty of fun ones as well, with Esther Friesner's "In the Can," Betsy Marks and Anne G. DeMaio's "And Now the News," and "The Man Who Traveled in Rocketships" by Don Sakers (who also edited this anthology) being some of my favorites. Like any anthology, expect story quality to vary, though most of them are pretty enjoyable.
As an added bonus, this anthology comes with the lyrics for the original song and the sheet music... though if you can't read sheet music you can easily find the song on YouTube. It's well worth a listen.
Definitely a goofy romp, but still entertaining, this is a great collection that never takes itself seriously and will amuse both hardcore sci-fi fans and people who just generally like quirky fiction.
According to the book's afterword, the book's title comes directly from a filk song by Leslie Fish, and a group of authors were amused enough by said song to write short stories. Soon more authors contributed, until the result was an entire anthology of stories about the Brazilian actress and her ghost haunting a hapless space station. And there are some surprisingly well-known authors involved in this anthology, from Anne McCaffrey to CJ Cherryh to Esther Friesner. Some are goofy, some are horrifying, some are more old-fashioned detective stories or hard sci-fi, but all of them do their best to stay true to the spirit of the song in some way.
I have to confess that not all of these stories are winners -- some were downright dull. But there were plenty of fun ones as well, with Esther Friesner's "In the Can," Betsy Marks and Anne G. DeMaio's "And Now the News," and "The Man Who Traveled in Rocketships" by Don Sakers (who also edited this anthology) being some of my favorites. Like any anthology, expect story quality to vary, though most of them are pretty enjoyable.
As an added bonus, this anthology comes with the lyrics for the original song and the sheet music... though if you can't read sheet music you can easily find the song on YouTube. It's well worth a listen.
Definitely a goofy romp, but still entertaining, this is a great collection that never takes itself seriously and will amuse both hardcore sci-fi fans and people who just generally like quirky fiction.
July 9, 2017
Super fun, pulpy sci-fi short stories (and poem). Bought 'cuz funny name but I have not regrets. Also a great conversation starter. Put it front and center and let friends borrow it.
July 11, 2019
A fun, light read. Best if you're familiar with the Leslie Fish song of the same name, but entertaining either way.
March 12, 2021
For a bunch of short stories, these are pretty good. They have stayed with me for more than 20 years. Especially the Jewish/Sukkos one. You will be singing.
December 26, 2018
Only Baen (my favourite all time publisher!) would publish this anthology! When I picked this up in a bargain bin, I was intrigued by the cover (and the McCaffrey/Cherryh byline) thinking: "oh, that's a neat idea for a story", and thought it must be a catchy title gleaned from one if the submissions. Nope! Every story inside contains the ghost of Carmen Miranda on Space Station 3.... And several mention trails of fruit left behind after the specter's appearance. The result is a fun mix of okay to really good short stories. There is even an ad at the back to purchase an accompanying music tape with the song that inspired the collection.
Want to read
September 9, 2014If you want to hear the Leslie Fish song that started this anthology it can be found on YouTube: “Carmen Miranda’s Ghost is Haunting Space Station Three”.
There was also a cassette album called Carmen Miranda's Ghost.
Carmen Miranda's Ghost
Dawson's Christian
Good Ship Manatee
Bomber
Some Kind of Hero
Spaceman's Dilemma
Guardians
One Last Battle
New Sins For Old
Space Hero
Sam Jones
Spacer's Home
There was also a cassette album called Carmen Miranda's Ghost.
Carmen Miranda's Ghost
Dawson's Christian
Good Ship Manatee
Bomber
Some Kind of Hero
Spaceman's Dilemma
Guardians
One Last Battle
New Sins For Old
Space Hero
Sam Jones
Spacer's Home
August 7, 2010
From what I could gather, the authors in this collection were all given a song to listen to entitled "Carmen Miranda's Ghost is Haunting Space Station 3" and then asked to write a story inspired by it. The problem with that is that most of the stories end up seeming very derivative of the song: they've all got common themes and narrative arcs. It makes for a very dull, repetitive read. The good stories in it are really good, but they're just too few and far between.
Read
April 11, 2009The stories vary widely in quality and tone, though they all spring from the song.
My first reading of this book caused me to buy a tape of Leslie Fish's songs, along with a few other filk cassettes. Wish I could read music, but I don't regret buying the cassettes--some good stuff on some of them.
My first reading of this book caused me to buy a tape of Leslie Fish's songs, along with a few other filk cassettes. Wish I could read music, but I don't regret buying the cassettes--some good stuff on some of them.
January 16, 2012
Most of the stories in this anthology are excellent, especially from having come from quite a random premise. Some elements are very similar from story to story, and a couple of the stories were not as entertaining, but overall, an anthology I would recommend to my most science-fiction-fan friends.
October 5, 2014
I really liked the concept of this anthology. I liked some stories more than others (and some didn't really seem related to the song at all), but I feel that's par for the course with anthologies. None of them were bad, though.
April 12, 2010
Hilarious and haunting, this is a wonderful collection of short stories.
Want to read
December 18, 2011{Valerie RECO, 12-16-2011 for story of chess game}.
August 19, 2012
A very uneven anthology of short stories all based on Leslie Fish's song of the same name.
July 10, 2013
One of my favorite short story collections.
Want to read
May 13, 2017If Madam likes you… / Anne McCaffrey
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews