The Conquest of Space (Lasser book)
Author | David Lasser |
---|---|
Language | English |
Genre | nonfiction |
Publisher | Penguin Press |
Publication date | September 1931 (original)[1] September 1, 2002 |
Pages | 192 |
ISBN | 978-1-896522-92-0 |
The Conquest of Space is a
According to the Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction, it contains the earliest known use of the word "astrogator", meaning space navigator.[6]
Reception
The book was generally well received. The New York Times stated on January 10, 1932 that "despite its literary and artistic faults the book cannot but capture the imagination of a reader interested in science."[4] Harold Horton Sheldon wrote the original introduction to the 1931 edition.[7] Arthur C. Clarke, who wrote the introduction to the 2002 edition, said that the book "was one of the turning points in [his] life."[4]
Despite being published in 1931, it "still stands up to scrutiny"[4] for many of its predictions in rocketry. However, other predictions appear to Larry McGlynn as "quaint" and "naive", among them the use of rockets solely for peaceful purposes.[5]
References
- ^ "Marine Park, Great Kills" (PDF). AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF AERONAUTICS AND ASTRONAUTICS. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 18, 2011. Retrieved 29 November 2011.
- ISBN 978-1-896522-92-0.
- ISBN 978-0-471-20505-0. Retrieved 29 November 2011.
- ^ ISBN 1896522920.
- ^ a b McGlynn, Larry. ""The Conquest of Space" by David Lasser Apogee Books Edition, 2002". collectspace.com. Retrieved 29 November 2011.
- ^ "Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction: astrogator". Retrieved 2022-11-14.
- ^ Winter, Frank H. (1983), Prelude to the space age, The Rocket Societies, 1924-1940, p. 76, retrieved November 22, 2015,
As science editor for The New York Tribune, Sheldon was a powerful voice in the promotion of space flight at the time. He also gave his own lectures and wrote the foreword for Lasser's book.