Brain Wave
by Anderson, Poul (SIGNED!)
- Used
- Good
- Paperback
- Signed
- Condition
- Good
- Seller
-
Tucson, Arizona, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
Ballantine 393K, 1960 Second Ballantine printing May 1960 in Good condition. From Copyright page through page 2 there is a 1/2 inch tear opposite spine, one inch tear on bottom front cover at spine. Signed by Poul Anderson at a local book show.. Signed by Author. Mass Market Paperback. Good.
Synopsis
What if we're all designed to be smarter than we actually are? That is, in short, the premise of master science fiction novelist Poul Anderson's 1954 debut work, Brainwave. Unbeknownst to its inhabitants, the solar system has, for millions of years, been caught in a force field that has had the effect of suppressing intelligence. When, in the course of normal galactic movement the solar system finally breaks free of the force field and its inhibiting effects, a remarkable change begins to sweep across the earth. In fact, the entire world is turned upside-down, and Anderson's novel is devoted to detailing the sometimes-surprising, sometimes-chilling aftereffects of this watershed event. In one of the novel's opening scenes, Archie Brock, a mentally disabled man, finds himself suddenly awash in new kinds of thoughts as he looks up at the night sky. In another scene, a young boy on summer break works out the basic foundations of calculus before breakfast. Human life is dramatically transformed, as people with IQ's of 400 find themselves living within social structures and institutions designed for people of considerably less intelligence. There are also those who refuse to accept what has happened and band together to rebel against the new order. In another interesting twist, human relationships with other creatures on the planet are also thrown into upheaval, as animals rediscover their native intelligence. Archie Brock, for instance finds working on a farm with intelligent animals a frustrating, comic and confounding experience, as some animals band together and escape while others befriend their former masters.A fascinating "what if" novel, Brainwave is really an exploration into the ways human society is organized and the assumptions that are made about how life is valued. It is also a novel about equality and what happens when the hierarchical structures by which we arrange our daily lives disappear.
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Details
- Bookseller
- Massoglia Books
(US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- A01643
- Title
- Brain Wave
- Author
- Anderson, Poul (SIGNED!)
- Format/Binding
- Paperback
- Book Condition
- Used - Good
- Publisher
- Ballantine 393K
- Date Published
- 1960
- Keywords
- Signed Autographed Science Fiction SciFi SF
Terms of Sale
Massoglia Books
Shipping: Postage and handling (USPS Priority within the USA): $7.00 for the first book. No charge for additional books shipped to the same address at the same time. --Domestic Book Rate (Media Mail) - $4.00 for the first two books. Additional books, international shipping, shipping insurance and/or special handling quoted upon request. Return: Upon notice within seven days of receipt, and return in original condition within 30 days, we will refund cost of book for any reason. Postage (both ways) only if book is not as described. PLEASE E-MAIL OR CALL BEFORE RETURNING BOOK(S)!! Returns will NOT be accepted, nor refunds issued without our authorization prior to return. Specialty: Science Fiction, Mystery, Romance
About the Seller
Massoglia Books
Biblio member since 2003
Tucson, Arizona
About Massoglia Books
Massoglia Books offers online buyers a wide variety of Paperback and Hardcover books. While we emphasize Science Fiction, Romance, Mysteries, and Regency Romance, we also have a large selection of Horror, Westerns, Vampire novels, Sherlock Holmes material, TV tie-ins and Non-fiction. Other areas of interest are also represented, although in smaller numbers. Our goal is to provide ready availability of the books that readers want, with strong emphasis on customer service and satisfaction.
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Mass Market
- Mass market paperback books, or MMPBs, are printed for large audiences cheaply. This means that they are smaller, usually 4...
- Copyright page
- The page in a book that describes the lineage of that book, typically including the book's author, publisher, date of...
- Spine
- The outer portion of a book which covers the actual binding. The spine usually faces outward when a book is placed on a shelf....
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