Books

New York: The Gnome Press, Inc, 1954. First American hardcover edition. First American hardcover edition. Signed by Arthur C. Clarke on title page, inscribed to former owner. 191 pp. Bound in publisher's patterned boards with yellow spine lettering, Currey's "A" binding. Fine in a bright, attractive pictorial dust jacket, rubbed along edges, else Fine, unclipped ($2.50). A speculative space travel novel about a journey to the Moon written before the Apollo program.

Prelude to Space is Arthur C. Clarke's first science fiction novel, first published in 1951. It narrates the events leading up to humanity's first mission to the moon, exploring the ambitious dreams and technological challenges of the space race that was to come. As with much of Clarke's work, it emphasizes the scientific aspects and possibilities of spacefaring, with a mixed focus on engineering issues and human perspectives.

Check for the World Editions Inc. logo and '1951' on the copyright page.