[net.sf-lovers] Last and First Men

dk@sdlvax.UUCP (dk) (05/16/85)

Many years back I read a long tome called

	Last and First Men by Olaf Stapledon.

It was published by Penguin (or at least the copy I
had was). Subsequently I thought advancing years would
alter my outlook on it, so I tried to find it. No dice.
The old Penguin copy had gone walkies, and it is now out of print.

Does anyone know of the book, and if so of any existing copies.

I havn't looked hard - net news is sooooo easy.

Does anyone have any comments on the book as well?

slb@drutx.UUCP (Sue Brezden) (05/20/85)

A request was made for Olaf Stapledon's "Last and First Men."

My edition of The Last and First Men was purchased from Dover Books,
in an edition with Starmaker.  They still published it as of 1984.
They also have Odd John and Sirius, by the same author.  The last one 
is a favorite of mine.

Dover Books address is:  Dover Publications
                         31 East 2nd Street
                         Mineola, NY   11501

By the way--this is a fun publisher.  They specialize in reprints of
otherwise out of print books.  They put out lots of neat stuff like 
reprints of Newton and Galileo, art books, books on chess, the occult, 
and so on.  The books are good quality large paperbacks, and are pretty 
inexpensive.  They will send a catalog if you ask.
-- 

                                     Sue Brezden
                                     
Real World: Room 1B17                Net World: ihnp4!drutx!slb
            AT&T Information Systems
            11900 North Pecos
            Westminster, Co. 80234
            (303)538-3829 

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herbison@ultra.DEC (B.J.) (05/22/85)

> Many years back I read a long tome called
>
>         Last and First Men by Olaf Stapledon.
>
> It was published by Penguin ....
> The old Penguin copy had gone walkies, and it is now out of print.
>
> Does anyone know of the book, and if so of any existing copies.

This novel is available along with the related *Star Maker*
in a book published by Dover Publications (31 East 2nd Street;
Mineola, N.Y.  11501-3582), ISBN 0-486-21962.  Dover is mostly
a reprint house -- they release good out-of-print books in
paperback (but these are books that will last with solid covers,
good paper, and sewn bindings).  They cover a wide variety of
books; some SF, fantasy, old mysteries, textbooks, art books,
games, etc.  I have over 50 Dover books in my collection, and
I will keep buying more.
						B.J.
        Herbison@DEC-Hudson.ARPA       Herbison%Ultra.DEC@decwrl.ARPA
        {decvax,ucbvax,...}!decwrl!dec-rhea!dec-ultra!herbison

wfi@unc.UUCP (William F. Ingogly) (05/25/85)

Try Dover Publications; I seem to recall seeing an edition of Last and
First Men and Starmaker by Dover a while back. They specialize in
out-of-print books; their catalogs are real eye-openers.
Unfortunately, I don't have their address with me. Maybe some other
net reader can oblige.

I also read LaFM a number of years ago; it's worth the experience, but
it seems to go on forever. I prefer some of Stapledon's shorter works,
and recommend Sirius and Odd John (I think they're still in print in
the Penguin editions). To the best of my knowledge, these were the
first fictional treatments of artificial enhancement of mental
capabilities. Olaf's style tends to be wooden at times, but his
treatment of the impact of these enhancements on the characters
involved is well-done. 

                       -- Cheers, Bill Ingogly