Authentic Science Fiction, December 1951 — page 113: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

IIL our_ book review We just have to devote the whole of this space to a notice ‘of only one book. For it is a work of tremendous importance for everyone who has ever read a word of science fiction, and cannot be too strongly recom- amended to all with the slightest interest in space travel. THE EXPLORATION OF SPACE is a new non-fiction work from the pen of Arthur 'C. Clarke, B.Sc. F.R.AS., Chairman of the British Inter- planetary Society. It is a kind of extension of his earlier SJNTERPLANETARY FLIGHT and is put out by the same pub- disher—Temple Press, Bowling Green Lane, London, E.C.1, at 12/6. There are 198 pages, four- teen plates (four in full colour) and a host of clear, fully- explanatory drawings in the text. The cook is entirely non- technical and can be understood »y any intelligent layman, ~whether he already knows any- thing of the subject or not. Eighteen chapters in lucid Hanguage, dotted with Clarke’s own brand of humour, deal of extra~ with every aspect And we terrestial exploration. mean every. The book starts with the shaping of the Dream, the ideas that have come down to us from the past. It covers the rocket in a way that makes this vehicle understandable to anyone. It then goes on to deal fully and completely with escape from Earth, life in space, navigation, the Lunar and Martian bases, the inner and outer planets, space stations, other suns than ours, and even has a chapter on journeys to the stars. There is a full, but simple, discussion of all the problems involved in-space exploration— medical, engineering, political and legal. And there is a fine resume of the effect that the conquest of space will-have on mankind. Through it all, you can be sure that every fact presented is accurate, and that every opinion—clearly labelled as such—is -based on the author’s extensive experience in this field of human enquiry. Authentic Science Fiction is a periodical published on the 15th ef each month. This issue is No. 16, and has a publishing date of December 15th, 1951. The contents are copyright and must not 4e reproduced in whole or in part except with the written per- anission of the publishers. Science fiction manuscripts are invited, but in all cases return postage and cover should be enclosed. No responsibility is accepted for damaged or lost MSS. comicbooks.com