An edition of Last and First Men (1930)

Last and First Men

New Ed edition
  • 3.00 ·
  • 8 Ratings
  • 36 Want to read
  • 1 Currently reading
  • 7 Have read
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  • 3.00 ·
  • 8 Ratings
  • 36 Want to read
  • 1 Currently reading
  • 7 Have read

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Last edited by ImportBot
December 4, 2022 | History
An edition of Last and First Men (1930)

Last and First Men

New Ed edition
  • 3.00 ·
  • 8 Ratings
  • 36 Want to read
  • 1 Currently reading
  • 7 Have read

One of the most succinct and accurate renderings of mankind's present state of mind and future progression. It documents the future of man from the start of WW2 and continues until the Sun engulfs the earth, and beyond. Considering this book was first published in 1931, it is remarkable, both in its honesty as regards human nature, and in its phenomenal span. By the time we reach chapter 3 of the 16 in this book, it is already 2300 AD and you feel like you have had the viewpoint of a God. So intense is the writing, that a few pages can take you hours to read and weeks to think about. What a writer, what a visionary. Of particular interest to me was the laconic way he can sum up an entire country's culture and people, and the accuracy of prediction in the first part of the book.

Points to note :-

All budding politicians should be forced to read this book. It should be part of any politics curriculum.
Strikingly accurate and plausible portent of homo sapiens future. Read in the context of 2002, it is easy to see mankind's current folly and the extrapolation of current scientific endeavours. For example, we may achieve global peace ("An Americanised Planet"") for a few millennia, but at the cost of spiritual and intellectual freedom and development. When the "Fall of the First Men" happened, recovery took a very long time :-

"Later, when the epidemic was spent, even though civilisation was already in ruins, a concerted effort of devotion might yet have rebuilt it on a more modest plan. But among the First Men, only a minority had ever been capable of wholehearted devotion. The great majority were by nature too much obsessed by private impulses."

Sounds like the malaise of current homo sapiens.

The theme of continual physical exertion and constant movement of attention as an underpinning for the lifestyles of all successful social inhabitants was beautifully described. This is so true of today's and future societies. No pause for reflection or contemplation. The abandonment of philosophy as a science in the future. The pig-headed clinging to pagan artefact or idol worship, rather than logic.

The brilliant description of the "Second Men", with his finer array of senses, and his natural propensity for altruism.

The plausible evolution of intelligent life on Mars in 10 million years time, with the subsequent misunderstanding of what is intelligent between Earth and Mars.

Man's creation of more evolved forms of man meshes brilliantly with current genetic research.

"Time travel" achieved by mental regression into past minds. The future remains unknown.

Conclusions :-

Apply common sense to the situation as it is now, to work out the best course of action. Never invoke traditions or old beliefs as these threaten your survival in an ever-changing environment.

Within the same species, organisms are equally complex biochemically. Therefore, any social structure that imposes arbitrary division within the species, is intrinsically flawed. This is true of current homo sapiens organisation, where certain people are far more highly regarded than others for stupid reasons, and divisions between cliques of people usually erupt in violence, rather than heated debate.

Just because someone cannot be convinced of your way of seeing things, doesn't mean that physical coercion becomes necessary.

"Live and let live" doesn't mean live it up and let the rest live in squalor.

Nothing should be regarded as taboo, save that which is unnatural.

There are absolutely no restrictions on what anyone can think.

If you can have it, then anyone can have it.

Publish Date
Publisher
Gollancz
Pages
307

Buy this book

Previews available in: English

Edition Availability
Cover of: Last and first men
Last and first men: a story of the near and far future
2011, Indo-European Publishing
in English - Rev. ed. revised by Alfred Aghajanian.
Cover of: Last and first men
Last and first men
2008, Dover Publications
in English
Cover of: Last and First Men
Last and First Men
2000, Gollancz
Paperback - New Ed edition
Cover of: Last and first men
Last and first men: a story of the near and far future
1988, J.P. Tarcher, Distributed by St. Martin's Press
in English - 1st ed.
Cover of: Last and first men

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Book Details


Edition Notes

Series
Sf Masterworks 11; SF Masterworks

The Physical Object

Format
Paperback
Number of pages
307
Dimensions
7.7 x 4.9 x 1 inches
Weight
9.1 ounces

ID Numbers

Open Library
OL9002734M
ISBN 10
185798806X
ISBN 13
9781857988062
OCLC/WorldCat
43880808
Library Thing
20872
Goodreads
564324

Excerpts

"... For love of France was the undoing of the French. They prized the truly admirable spirit of France so extravagantly, that they regarded all other nations as barbarians."
added by Mark Jacobs. "Establishing a nation's personality as fed by jingoism"
"... the practice of communism was gradually undermined. For the Russian state came increasingly under the influence of Western, and especially American, finance. The materialism of the official creed also became a farce, for it was foreign to the Russian mind. Thus between practice and theory there was, in both respects, a profound inconsistency. What was once a vital and promising culture became insincere."
added by Mark Jacobs. "Prophetic clarity of insight, especially considering when it was written."

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History

Download catalog record: RDF / JSON / OPDS | Wikipedia citation
December 4, 2022 Edited by ImportBot import existing book
August 19, 2020 Edited by ImportBot import existing book
June 19, 2012 Edited by AMillarBot remove series from title (SF Masterworks)
April 28, 2011 Edited by OCLC Bot Added OCLC numbers.
April 30, 2008 Created by an anonymous user Imported from amazon.com record.