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FROM THE SHARED SHELF · 2006–2026 SAMPLE
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THE WORD OF MOUTH
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Olaf Stapledon, Last and First Men (1930) Olaf Stapledon, Star Maker (1937) Rather difficult reads for me as a non-native english speaker, but it was worth it. It is hard to imagine a more epic science fiction scenario than "Star Maker".
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Last and First Men by Olaf Stapledon, 1930 (free online text), https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Last_and_First_Men > A work of unprecedented scale in the genre, it describes the history of humanity from the present onwards across two billion years and eighteen distinct human species, of which our own is the first.
For a moment I thought you were going to say "The First and Last Men" - but then I realized I'd mis-remembered the title: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Last_and_First_Men This is an excellent sci-fi exploration of possible future, especially given the year in which it was written. I've not re-read it since I've only finished it a few months ago, but it was an excellent read.
Thanks, that was a thought-provoking essay on its own merits. The book itself is worth reading for the relentless pace of socio-techno-cultural change, best experienced as a dramatic deluge rather than exceprts.
Nine Hundred Grandmothers, by R.A. Lafferty (out of print except for "The Books of Sand") Last and First Men, by Olaf Stapledon, free at http://www.feedbooks.com/book/2028/last-and-first-men Accelerando, by Charles Stross, free at http://www.antipope.org/charlie/blog-static/fiction/accelera... (http://www.antipope.org/charlie/blog-static/fiction/accelerando/accelerando.html) The Doubter's Companion, by John Ralston Saul, http://www.amazon.com/The-Doubters-Companion-Dictionary-Aggr... (http://www.amazon.com/The-Doubters-Companion-Dictionary-Aggressive/dp/0743236602)
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Same for 1930's Last and First Men, by Olaf Stapledon, which spans 2 billion years and eighteen species of variously augmented humans, https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Last_and_First_Men
Last and First Men is incredible and one of my favourites. Also because of it's unprecedented time scale.
Stanislaw lem.. i agree... Solaris was special.. and most purists seemed to suggest the translation from Polish was bad!... Olaf stapledon's last and first men, starMaker were both stunning... Ursula le guin also come to mind
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