I notice that several brickbats have come into your hands and that you have printed them. Well, that shows sportsmanship on your part. I would suggest to those who are not satisfied with Astounding Stories to duck their head in a pail of water and pull it out after a period of ten minutes. Those who criticize the stories because of the lack of science have no idea what it takes to write a story. Please be willing to concede the Author the right of way. He is giving his theories and not yours. However, in some cases where the truth is an established fact, I can see where the Readers may present a justified argument. But they should remember that we are not all perfect and that mistakes are made by all. It is not fair to criticize an Author by denouncing him. I don't favor reprints at all, but I can stay with the majority if they do. It is a foregone conclusion that you can fool some of the people some of the time, but you can't fool all of the people all the time. In this case substitute the word "please" in the saying for "fool." I am at present reading Charles W. Diffin's novel "The Pirate Planet." It is one of the best interplanetary novels that I have ever read. Give us some more of Diffin; he has the goods. I must say that you have an immensely long list of popular authors, and it must cost quite a little amount of money to maintain them. Keep the size of the magazine as it is now; it fits conveniently into my bookcase, and I believe many of your Readers will say the same. Now some of my favorite stories. "The Ape-Men Of Xlotli" was one of the best stories that I have read in years. Give us some more along this line. It offers rest after one has just finished reading an interplanetary novel. "Monsters of Moyen" was another story that I greatly enjoyed. Very few people believe that the world shall ever have a conqueror again, and I am one of them; but it is interesting to see if there ever will be a conqueror and what means he shall employ to get that title. "Brigands of the Moon" was the worst story I read in your magazine. That must have been Mr. Cummings' off story. But he certainly has come back fine through his later stories. "The Tentacles from Below" was another great masterpiece. Anthony Gilmore's tale was the first that I have read of that author, and I will be delighted to see more. Funny how I developed into a Reader of Science Fiction. I exhausted all other fields of reading, and having nothing else to read I delved into a science magazine and here I am.--Michael Racano, 51 Brookwood St., East Orange, N. J. _Turns to It First_ Dear Editor: