About the book:
A 1952 satirical novel set in a future run entirely by advertising agencies, where corporations have replaced governments and consumers are engineered rather than persuaded.
Startlingly prescient the world it describes has only become more recognisable with time.
One of science fiction's sharpest critiques of capitalism, still funny and still pointed.
Condition:
Well worn secondhand condition.
Spine repaired with clear tape.
All pages intact and readable.
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About the author:
Frederik Pohl (1919 to 2013)
Born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1919, Frederik Pohl grew up during the Great Depression and became involved in science fiction fandom as a teenager. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II and later worked as an editor, literary agent, and full-time writer. His long career spanned the Golden Age of science fiction through the New Wave and into the 21st century, making him one of the most versatile and influential figures in the genre.
His early success came as an editor and collaborator (notably with Cyril M. Kornbluth on The Space Merchants, 1952), but he achieved major individual acclaim with novels like Man Plus (1976) and Gateway (1977). Pohl was known for sharp, idea-driven science fiction that combined social satire, technological speculation, and strong storytelling. He wrote with wit, moral intelligence, and a keen eye for the absurdities of human behaviour.
Deeply influenced by the pulp SF tradition, H.G. Wells, and the socially conscious writing of the 1930s50s, Pohl in turn became a central figure in modern science fiction. He profoundly shaped the genres evolution toward greater literary sophistication and social relevance, influencing writers such as Cory Doctorow, Neal Stephenson, and many others who blend hard SF with cultural and political critique. He is adjacent to Golden Age masters like Isaac Asimov and Robert A. Heinlein, as well as New Wave figures.
Recurring preoccupations include the dangers of unchecked capitalism and consumerism, the ethical implications of technology, overpopulation, space exploration, alien contact, and the follies of human society. Major works include the Heechee series (beginning with Gateway), The Space Merchants, Man Plus, and numerous short stories. He won the Hugo, Nebula, and John W. Campbell Memorial Awards.
Pohl remained active and opinionated into his nineties. He died in 2013 at the age of 93.
Frederik Pohls influence on science fiction is immense: he helped transform the genre from pulp adventure to a vehicle for serious social and technological speculation while remaining utterly unique in his blend of wit, moral clarity, and inventive storytelling.
