The Promise of Space
by Arthur C. Clarke
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Found this at a used book sale, and picked it up just so I could be depressed. :-)
This is a book about space travel that came out around 1968. (The version I have, however, is a slightly revised edition that takes into account the successful moon landing of 1969.) Clarke hits the subject of space travel from all angles, including rocketry, the physics of gravity wells, the physical limits of space travel, and the potential benefits. The depressing part, of course, is that from a 2013 perspective (which is when I read it) the actual progress we've made in space travel falls far short of the 1968 expectations.
Clarke writes with great knowledge and enthusiasm, and overall this is a pretty good book.
This is a book about space travel that came out around 1968. (The version I have, however, is a slightly revised edition that takes into account the successful moon landing of 1969.) Clarke hits the subject of space travel from all angles, including rocketry, the physics of gravity wells, the physical limits of space travel, and the potential benefits. The depressing part, of course, is that from a 2013 perspective (which is when I read it) the actual progress we've made in space travel falls far short of the 1968 expectations.
Clarke writes with great knowledge and enthusiasm, and overall this is a pretty good book.
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The Non-Fiction Works of Arthur C. Clarke
27 works; 2 members
Author Information
860+ Works 130,119 Members
Arthur C. Clarke was born in Minehead, Somerset, England, on December 16, 1917. During World War II, he served as a radar specialist in the RAF. His first published piece of fiction was Rescue Party and appeared in Astounding Science, May 1946. He graduated from King's College in London with honors in physics and mathematics, and worked in show more scientific research before turning his attention to writing fiction. His first book, Prelude to Space, was published in 1951. He is best known for his book 2001: A Space Odyssey, which was later turned into a highly successful and controversial film under the direction of Stanley Kubrick. His other works include Childhood's End, Rendezvous with Rama, The Garden of Rama, The Snows of Olympus, 2010: A Space Odyssey II, 2062: Odyssey III, and 3001: The Final Odyssey. During his lifetime, he received at least three Hugo Awards and two Nebula Awards. He died of heart failure on March 19, 2008 at the age of 90. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- The Promise of Space
- Original publication date
- 1968
- Important events
- Apollo 11 Moon Landing
- First words
- A generation has now arisen that can hardly remember -- and can scarcely credit -- the days when anyone who talked seriously about space travel was likely to have his sanity questioned.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)The challenge of the great spaces between the worlds is a stupendous one; but if we failed to meet it, the story of our race will be drawing to its close. Humanity will have turned its back upon the still untrodden heights and will be descending the long slope that stretches, across a thousand million years of time, down to the shores of the primeval sea.
- Original language
- English
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Statistics
- Members
- 321
- Popularity
- 98,912
- Reviews
- 1
- Rating
- (3.97)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper
- ISBNs
- 6
- ASINs
- 14
