To Ride Pegasus is a collection of four science fiction stories by American writer Anne McCaffrey, published by Ballantine Books in 1973 and later under its Del Rey imprint. "To Ride Pegasus" is also the title of the novella, the first of the four stories that was original to the collection. To Ride Pegasus originates the fictional premise of the Talents universe, the setting for seven novels published 1990 to 2000: two more "Pegasus" books and five "Tower and Hive" books. All eight books feature so-called Talents, people with psionic powers such as empathy, telepathy, teleportation, telekinesis, clairvoyance, precognition, and the ability to find what is lost ('finders'). Pegasus is a symbol for Talent, early adopted by Henry Darrow: "You'd see a lot from the back of a winged horse ..." (p. 11). "When you ride the winged horse, you can't dismount. ... We'll find our bridle, I think, with time and training and more practice at riding". Novella The novella "To Ride Pegasus" is a prequel to the three previously published stories. It explains the fortunate scientific discovery of psionic powers and the earliest establishment of the Talents in human society, in Greater New York late during the 20th century (in the future depicted, the conurbation spreading from New Jersey to Manhattan gets named "Jerhattan"). The 'precog' Henry Darrow does not avoid his own foreseen automobile accident. In the hospital, a talented nurse notices his unusual electroencephalograph (EEG) recordings and they complete the discovery together (as well as fall in love and get married). Darrow recognizes the crucial breakthrough: Now we can prove parapsychic powers exist and who has them. We can discredit the charlatans and clowns who've given the rest of us a bad name. The real Talents will be registered with the Center and we'll have graphs to prove they've had valid Incidents. The Center will supply them with the specialized jobs that utilize their Talents. Darrow turns from high-price consultation about the future (astrology) to his lifework, setting the Talents surely on the way to a personally respected, legally protected, and highly paid status. Important early tasks are demonstration of scientific validity and detectability, private fund-raising, and creation of a coordinating and protective institution. Darrow comes to direct the nonprofit North American Center for Parapsychic Talents. In his lifetime the Center identifies many Talents and begins to train them and place them in appropriate jobs. It