Hollow Earth: The Long and Curious History of Imagining Strange Lands, Fantastical Creatures, Advanced Civilizations,... |
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Hollow Earth: The Long and Curious History of Imagining Strange Lands, Fantastical Creatures, Advanced Civilizations,...
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by David Standish
Sales Rank: 350234
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Discount: 34 %
List Price: $24.95
$16.47
At Amazon
on 6-21-2008.
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Features
Cover Type: Hard Cover with 303 pages
Published by: Perseus Books Group; 1st Da Capo Press Ed edition July 30, 2006
Written in: English
ISBN 10 Number: 0306813734
ISBN 13 Number: 978-0306813733
Book Dimensions:
8.6 x 6.6 x 1 inches
Weighs: 1.6 pounds
From Publishers Weekly
The idea that another world exists below the surface of the Earth has captivated science fiction and fantasy writers since the days of Edgar Allan Poe's "Ms. Found in a Bottle" and Jules Verne's Journey to the Center of the Earth. As Standish reveals, the theory has also been promoted by serious (if sometimes slightly off-kilter) scientists, beginning with the eminent Edmond Halley, who theorized that smaller concentric spheres were nested inside the Earth. Standish's approach relies heavily on plot summaries of novels by the likes of Edgar Rice Burroughs, with frequent sarcastic interjections. "Stop him before he describes more!" he cries after one particularly lush passage. Scientists are dealt with in similarly detailed and skeptical fashion. Beneath all the wisecracks, however, Standish seems to have a genuine affection for his assorted crackpots and dreamers, and he provides an amusing tour of their various underground utopias. Unfortunately, the story fizzles at the end, failing to develop the all too sketchy hints that some people out there are still hollow-earth believers—but it's a fun romp while it lasts. 65 black and white illus. (July)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From The New Yorker
Tracing the modern history of the belief that other worlds might exist inside our own, Standish begins with the Enlightenment-era astronomer Edmond Halley-remembered widely for his eponymous comet but less so for his theory that geomagnetism can be accounted for by three concentric spheres that rotate inside the globe and sustain their own ecosystems. Halley's conception of the subterranean realm spawned a recurring theme in science fiction (Jules Verne, Edgar Rice Burroughs, and L. Frank Baum all set novels inside the earth), as well as a small but enduring strain of true believers. Standish, who calls the Hollow Earth theory an "idea that was wrong and changed nothing," laces his research with too much boisterous humor, but he has an engaging affection for his cast of fantasists and misguided visionaries.
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Reader Reviews
In 1692, the famous English astronomer and physicist, Edmond Halley, penned a manuscript in which he speculated that the Earth's magnetism was generated by matter within our world, which is actually hollow. From that time until the present, people have speculated as to what might be within the hollow Earth...and who. This book chronicles the history of those speculations. Overall, I found this to be a rather interesting read. The author does not treat his subject seriously, adding such statements as, "If this makes sense to you, you're ahead of me." I enjoyed reading about the various philosophical/religious groups that believed(?) in the hollow Earth, and the various authors that used it as a setting for various reasons. I enjoyed every minute of this fun book and highly recommend it!
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Hollow Earth: The Long and Curious History of Imagining Strange Lands, Fantastical Creatures, Advanced Civilizations,...
Available from Amazon
Price: $16.47
Updated on 6-21-2008.
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