Handbook for Space Pioneers

by L. Stephen Wolfe, Roy L. Wysack

Discover the fascinating opportunities in employment, education, recreation, and living space in the intergalactic System. A true vintage book for your collection.

Genres: Science Fiction

197 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1978

Reviews

[Scott Beck · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've had my copy of this since the early eighties.

I approached the bookshop, a small child clutching his birthday money, which itself had travelled from England to the colonial backwater of New Zealand courtesy of Her Majesty's Postal Service before being changed from mighty Pounds into rough Nu Zild Dillard's.

The money had been expressly designated for a book or books, a sentiment with which I agreed. There were misgivings about trading my precious cash for the unknown potentialities of an unknown book.

But the first book I saw was this one. Not with the cover pictured above but with bright yellow lettering against a picture of space and a spaceship. I picked it up and flicked through it but I was already hooked. As a 9yr old, what could be cooler than being a space pioneer? And this book would teach me how to do it. I'd already decided.

I made a cursory examination of the bookshop's selections and even trekked up the road to the other bookshop. Even at that young age, I knew it wasn't a great idea to buy the first thing you saw. But eventually I satisfied my urges to be careful and bought the book.

I'm so glad I did.

I devoured it as a kid, reading the stories again and again. It satisfied my preteen imagination and pointed me towards other science fiction.

I rediscovered it at about 14 years old. I didn't realise at the time but it's an excellent study of geography and the way in which environments shape societies. a great companion to Social Studies and Geography. The descriptions of the Poseidons in particular blended with aspects of the Heinleins I'd recently discovered in a heady masturbatory mix that has probably affected my sexuality on a lifelong scale.

Time went on, I went off to university and took a pile of books with me. Inevitably I discovered marijuana and spent many stoned hours rereading of alien world's.

Recently I saw it on a friend's bookshelf and was quite amazed. Even thirty years after purchase, I can still discuss minute details of the text and the different planets.

The ideas in the book have stayed with me for a long time and will last a lifetime. Everybody has some things that are just 'special to them and this book is one of mine.

[Norman Howe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book piqued my interest. At no time does it indicate that it is fictional. The simple idea that someone out there was recruiting space colonists was exciting. I would go.

Mars is on my bucket list.

[Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can not even guess how many times young me read and re-read this book, pouring over the details of each story and map and diagram. As an adult, I am still only MOSTLY sure it is not actually a relic from the future that somehow ended up in that used book store I found it in.

[Frederick Gault · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great deal of effort went into constructing the worlds, spaceships and people in this book. It reads like a report on planets one can travel to as a colonist. Very clever, and fun to read.

[David Auerbach · Rating 5 out of 5]

A hidden gem. Mostly world-building with a few lovely stories.

[John Freeman]

I rediscovered this in my bookshelf. It is a lot of fun to read. Lets me indulge my inner sci-fi nerd.