10 books about space travel & facts you didn't know about them

10:25 am 15 May 2015

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams

2001: A Space Odyssey - Arthur C. Clarke

Solaris - Stanisław Lem, Steve Cox, Joanna Kilmartin

The Reality Dysfunction - Peter F. Hamilton

Reblogged from BookLikes:

Did you know that on May 15th in 1963 launched the final Mercury mission (Mercury-Atlas 9) with astronaut L. Gordon Cooper on board who became the first American to spend more than a day in a space. 1d 10h 19m 49s to be exact.

Thanks to books we don't need space ships, impressive rockets, time machines, or passports. Travels are inscribed into the book lover's world changing the simple act of reading into magical hours of traveling.

For space travels fans, we've prepared a list of 10 books that you could find helpful, or simply enjoyable, during your space exploration time.

Title: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Author: Douglas Adams

Things you didn't know:

Originally it was a radio program which was then adapted to various form, including the book adaptations. The radio series was the first radio program to receive a Hugo Award nomination, however, it lost to Superman.

US and UK spell the title differently: Hitch-Hiker's Guide, Hitch Hiker's Guide and Hitchhiker's Guide are used. It is said that Hitchhiker's Guide is the spelling the author preferred.

Title: The Martian

Author: Andy Weir

Things you didn't know:

If the author could choose only one book to take with him on Mars, he would pick Tunnel in the Sky by Robert A. Heinlein. The structure of the Mars program in the book is very similar to a plan called “Mars Direct” - a proposal for a manned mission to Mars.

The Martian was at first a self-published paper published on author's website. Once it became an online phenomenon, the author received many requests from readers to make it available on Kindle. That's how it became available on Amazon and in other bookstores.

Title: Across the Universe

Author: Beth Revis

Things you didn't know:

Across the Universe is author's debut novel. Now the series is available in more than twenty languages. The first three books in the series make up the original trilogy, published by Penguin Books. The fourth book is a standalone novel set in the same universe, and was self-published by the author.

Did you know that a spaceship in the book, Godspeed, is the size of a small country?

Title: 2001: A Space Odyssey

Author: Arthur C. Clarke

Things you didn't know:

There are around 88 dialogue-free minutes in the book based movie by Stanley Kubrick.

Arthur C. Clarke wrote over 100 books but before becoming a writer he worked in scientific research and as a radar instructor in World War II. he was a visionary: he predicted satellite communication, space shuttles, super-fast computers, lightning quick communications and that man would reach the moon.

Author: Leviathan Wakes

Title: James S.A. Corey

Things you didn't know:

James S. A. Corey is a phe pseudonym of Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck. The title refers to the awakening of the protomolecule and is a Biblical allusion to the Leviathan, a large sea monster referenced in the Old Testament.

Leviathan Wakes was nominated for the 2012 Hugo Award for Best Novel and the 2012 Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel. George R.R. Martin described Leviathan Wakes as a "kickass space opera".

Title: Ender's Game

Author: Orson Scott Card

Things you didn't know:

Ender's Game was first written and published in 1977 as a short story in 'Analog Science Fiction and Fact'. It was a small brief summary of Ender's experiences in Battle School and Command School.

Orson Scott Card is the only author to win both top US prizes of Science Fiction in consecutive years -- his novels "Ender's Game" and its sequel "Speaker for the Dead" both won Hugo and Nebula Awards.

Title: The Forever War

Author: Joe Haldeman

Things you didn't know:

The novel inspired a comic book and a board game. Many of Haldeman's works were inspired by his experience serving in the Vietnam War.

The author is interested in astronomy, when he was a child he said he'd become an astronaut when he grow up. He received B. S. in astronomy and MFA in creative writing.

Joe Haldeman won a poker tournament in Nassau in 1989.

Title: Solaris

Author: Stanisław Lem

Things you didn't know:

Lem studied medicine, and later he married a medical doctor and radiologis Barbara Lesniak. Although, Stanislaw Lem received a certificate of completion of medical studies, he refused to take the last exams in order to avoid a career of a military doctor.

„Solaris” is the most famous of Lem's novels. It is is one of Lem’s philosophic explorations of man’s anthropomorphic limitations. Solaris is the best-known of Lem's English-translated works.

Title: Titan

Author: Stephen Baxter

Things you didn't know:

Stephen Baxter has degrees in mathematics, engineering, and in business administration. He completed a PhD in aeronautical engineering but it wasn't for him. He applied to become a cosmonaut in 1991 - but fell at an early hurdle.

His favorite color is red.

Title: The Reality Dysfunction

Author: Peter F. Hamilton

Things you didn't know:

The cover artist, Jim Burns, has been called one of the Grand Masters of the science fiction art world.

The author asked whether he would prefer to live in the Confederation universe or Commonwealth universe he answers: Confederation. It seems a bit wilder.

Hamilton's favorite cheese is smoked Lincolnshire poacher. His favorite type of wine is Sancerre and his favorite beer is Hoegaarden.

The author asked about all time best SF books that would appeal to NON SF readers, points to: The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August, Station eleven, and The Everness series.