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The Other Side of the Sky
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The Other Side of the Sky (Corgi SF Collector's Library)
The Other Side of the Sky presents a glimpse of our future: a future where reality is no longer contained in earthly dimensions, where man has learned to exist with the knowledge that he is not alone in the universe. These stories of other planets and galactic adventures show Arthur C. Clarke at the peak of his powers: sometimes disturbing, always intriguing.
Corgi SF Collector's Library
Published
(first published 1958)
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Précis This is a collection of 24 short stories by Clarke that have a space exploration theme. Some are very short - 3-4 pages, others are more typical and the final one is 38 pages. 12 of the stories are grouped into two very specific themes of six each. For all intents they are chapters in a longer story.
My favorites:
The Nine Billion Names of God - A computer maker is asked to supply their latest machine to a Tibetan monastery in order to compute all the names of God. When asked why the monks...more
My favorites:
The Nine Billion Names of God - A computer maker is asked to supply their latest machine to a Tibetan monastery in order to compute all the names of God. When asked why the monks...more
This collection was published the year I was born, 1958. Along with Isaac Asimov, such futuristic fare was meat and bread to those scientific geeks of my generation who were looking for a glimpse of the world of our adulthood.
However, perhaps I ought to have not read him again, like I should never watch the original Star Trek re-runs, with its cardboard sets and dodgy technology.
Nonetheless, I found it interesting how, on the one hand, Clarke was over-optimistic, while, on the other, he didn't t...more
However, perhaps I ought to have not read him again, like I should never watch the original Star Trek re-runs, with its cardboard sets and dodgy technology.
Nonetheless, I found it interesting how, on the one hand, Clarke was over-optimistic, while, on the other, he didn't t...more
This book gets 5 stars just because....
I found this book, as if dropped by God, lying in my path walking from the school bus-stop. I wish I could remember the year - early to mid 80's I suppose. It was the first science fiction book I read. I devoured each short story and wanted more. I cleaned out the meager Clarke collection at our library which led me to others. Herbert, Heinlein, Delany, the list goes on.
I later found out that it had fallen out of a neighbor's pocket on his drunken trek from...more
I found this book, as if dropped by God, lying in my path walking from the school bus-stop. I wish I could remember the year - early to mid 80's I suppose. It was the first science fiction book I read. I devoured each short story and wanted more. I cleaned out the meager Clarke collection at our library which led me to others. Herbert, Heinlein, Delany, the list goes on.
I later found out that it had fallen out of a neighbor's pocket on his drunken trek from...more
It was the following quote from the brilliant NY Times math puzzle website Tierney Lab that turned me on to this collection of short stories. Two engineers, George and Chuck, are making their getaway, having provided a group of monks with a computer about to finish printing the Nine Billion Names of God. The monks believe the creation of this list will cause the universe to end.
"…George swung round in his saddle. He could just see Chuck’s face, a white oval turned toward the sky.
“Look,” whispere...more
"…George swung round in his saddle. He could just see Chuck’s face, a white oval turned toward the sky.
“Look,” whispere...more
Oct 15, 2012
Stephanie "Jedigal"
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Stephanie "Jedigal" by:
Dad's book
Shelves:
sci-fi,
short-stories
Wow, realized my to-be-read shelf has a LOT of sci-fi, and a lot of short stories, and a lot of the short stories are sci-fi. Decided to work some in.... Will try to make a note about the individual stories as I go.
NOTE - SPOILERS!!!! (Although I intend to keep the De-tail level DOWN.)
2* The Nine Billion Names of God
Very short, ok. Maybe because I've run across similar ideas in other sci-fi before? Super computer helps speed mankind's completion of its "ultimate purpose" (per some Tibetan monks...more
NOTE - SPOILERS!!!! (Although I intend to keep the De-tail level DOWN.)
2* The Nine Billion Names of God
Very short, ok. Maybe because I've run across similar ideas in other sci-fi before? Super computer helps speed mankind's completion of its "ultimate purpose" (per some Tibetan monks...more
Contains at least two excellent stories by Clarke: "The Nine Billion Names of God" (later published as the lead story in a collection also containing "The Sentinel") and "The Star." Each may give you shivers at the end--the important point is made only in the final sentence--and "The Star" sympathetically evokes the plight of one man, a Jesuit priest, even achieving a kind of pathos. Time has washed away details of my early reading and probably entire books as well, but not these two stories.
2 likes · like · see review
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A great collection of early short stories by The Master. I don't know that it says for his state of mind in the 40s and 50s and for that period itself, but there's an awful lot of apocalyptic stories in here. He destroys the Earth and/or mankind in a number of interesting and entertaining ways. Possibly his definitive collection, definitely recommended (some of the stories even have negative Arthur C. Clarke Points ;) ).
A collection of Arthur C Clarke's short stories. They are well written with a kind of efficiency that grabs your attention and makes you think about the subject matter without becoming bloated or boring. These stories, although being classified as Sci-Fi are really (like all good Sci-Fi) stories about people set in a future context where space exploration or technology has moved beyond what we currently know.
My introduction to Arthur C Clarke and one of my favorite books by him; this book led me to read all the others. Some fantastic inspiring material, with a good mix of hard SF and good storytelling. Absolutely loved it.
I think I ordered this through my elementary school book club, one of the books that the bible-thumpers didn't forbid.
I think I ordered this through my elementary school book club, one of the books that the bible-thumpers didn't forbid.
I found this book by accident. I never thought I would be interested in "science fiction" but this collection of short stories by Arthur Clarke convinced me otherwise. The stories are wonderfully detailed and particularly prescient for being written in the 1950's - before the public could imagine a computer.
The Other Side of the Sky is a collection of science-fiction stories that are funny, thrilling and thought-provoking. Special mention to "The Star".
Oct 04, 2008
Eric Wisdahl
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Anyone looking to get into sci-fi, Any Fan of Clarke.
Shelves:
sci-fi
This was an enjoyable collection of short stories, coming in at about 150 pgs and 14 shorts. I especially enjoyed this books two serials, The Other Side of the Sky and Venture to the Moon. Although none of these stories would be considered great literature, they are good quick reads, often with an intelligent punch line to finish them off. Also, remember the time frame that they were written (Between 1947 and 1957) and it becomes quite clear how much of a pioneer Arthur C. Clarke really was. I'm...more
Absolute before it's time, a very good book to read at night with a sky full of stars!
Includes the thought provoking 9 billiion words for God
excellent. check out The Star and the 90 Billion Names of God. a really good entry level book of scifi short stories by the master.
No grade. Short stories.
10
A fine example of the pure mastery that was Arthur C Clarke. He left his mark on liturate with everyone of his stories and his spirit lives on through his life's work. Stimulating both scientists and dreamers he has had and will always have a profound impact on the way we view the universe around (and under) us.
I read this in the early days of the space race and loved it. Some of the stories now appear a little dated, but some, curiously, are not at all. One of the latter, and probably my favorite story in the collection, is "The Star," which is not to be missed!
Always have loved Clarke's short stories. This anthology contains "The Nine Billion Names of God," quite possibly his best short story and one of the Top Ten short stories ever written (IMHO).
Classic Arthur C. Clarke style. This is a set of solid scifi short stories - nothing earth-shaking (no pun intended) but some very good imaginings nonetheless. Fun.
My copy, purchased with all the change I could gather in 7th grade, is totally falling apart. The Wall of Darkness still haunts my dreams.
A good collection of short stories.
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Arthur C. Clarke was one of the most important and influential figures in 20th century science fiction. He spent the first half of his life in England, where he served in World War Two as a radar operator, before emigrating to Ceylon in 1956. He is best known for the novel and movie 2001: A Space Odyssey, which he co-created with the assistance of Stanley Kubrick.
Clarke was a graduate of King's Co...more
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Clarke was a graduate of King's Co...more
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