The Wind from the Sun [Hardcover]

Arthur C. Clarke (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Gollancz (August 10, 1972)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0575013605
• ISBN-13: 978-0575013605
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,553,374 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

"SIR ARTHUR C. CLARKE (1917-2008) wrote the novel and co-authored the screenplay for 2001: A Space Odyssey. He has been knighted by Queen Elizabeth II, and he is the only science-fiction writer to be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. His fiction and nonfiction have sold more than one hundred million copies in print worldwide.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Some good stories, August 4, 2001

By 

Bill R. Moore (New York, USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Wind from the Sun (Mass Market Paperback)

Although it's not Arthur C. Clarke's best short story collection, there are some good stories here. A lot of them are merely harmless, playful ditties that Clarke probably had some fun coming up with (The Food of The Gods, Love That Universe, Dial F For Frankenstein, The Longest Science-Fiction Story Ever Told, Herbert George Morley Robert Wells, esq., etc.) that don't, perhaps, have that much lasting literary value, but they are still ACC, and good. A lot of these stories are notable and fun to read due to their surprise endings. You will marvel at Clarke's ability to do this. Some of the best cuts from this book include the title story (which has launched quite a scientific following), Reunion, and the multitple award-winning novella A Meeting With Medusa which is an undeniable Clarke classic that almost makes the book worth buying on it's merit alone. A Clarke fan will want to own this book.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent collection of short stories, October 12, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Wind from the Sun (Signet) (Paperback)

I love to read a good short story. My favorite is the type where the end is so surprising that it changes your point of view about the entire story. A second reading shows the story in a totally different light. This book is filled with such stories, and is a rare pleasure to read.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting atmosphere, June 23, 2004

By 

Michael Z. Williamson (Greenwood, IN United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Wind from the Sun: Stories of the Space Age (Hardcover)

Clarke's stories are an examination of how people will deal with future technologies. They are largely open ended and create a scene around the science, a framework into which the reader can immerse himself. It's a very unique style, and one that can take getting used to. The overall effect is very wistful.

The stories here cover sailboat racing (aluminum sails in the solar wind); marooned ships (after launching from the Moon); voyages of discovery to Jupiter, using fusion powered hot air balloons. This is classic SF from a master, showing us how different things will be regardless of which direction the future takes, while the human factors will remain the same. Plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose...

These stories are quick, thought-provoking and not burdened with angst or attempts at deep meaning. They are stories of people living their lives, or dying, against backgrounds somewhat familiar and strikingly strange. Every student of classic SF should have this in their library.