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scheu's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this book more for what it represents than for the actual content. A shining dream that if not for the Challenger and Columbia disasters, and NASA's woeful management of the space program, might be partly realised today. This is the future I always wanted to live in growing up, the clean and white-plastic future of 1970s films and Vincent di Fate paintings. Something hopeful. May it yet come.
chalicotherex's review against another edition
3.0
Hard to tell if this is naïve or way ahead of its time. I mean, there's nothing that I know of that's strictly impossible in here, but it's almost forty years since publication and our one fully functional space station is nowhere near the Islands or Bernal Spheres that the author outlines. I think the big thing stopping us is the sheer cost of getting a payload out of our gravity well, something O'Neill doesn't really address and that a lot of people mistakenly thought would just get easier as time moves on. I think the shuttle program was probably a huge setback for the space program in this regard.
In the news today, a Canadian (!) firm announced they'd patented a mini-space elevator (space tower?) which could be the answer. Though a large amount of skepticism is necessary. It probably won't work. But wouldn't it be something to try?
In the news today, a Canadian (!) firm announced they'd patented a mini-space elevator (space tower?) which could be the answer. Though a large amount of skepticism is necessary. It probably won't work. But wouldn't it be something to try?
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