A Short History of the Future

Enjoyably at the end of every section, there are personal notes from "ancestors" of the authors. Also included are some major political characters from obscurity to leadership, as well as the define and fall of nations. ASHOTF manages to perfectly meld a family history, a history of nations, and a discussion on philosophy while seeming to be neither. It makes you see everybody, from your parents to Jefferson, Marx, and Mao, in a new light.


An extraordinarily plausible glimpse into the future   May 19, 1998
 9 out of 10 found this review helpful

I would not be at all surprised if the future contains many of the possibilities outlined in Dr. Wagar's book. More than just an exercise in creating scenarios, the book attempts to ask--and answer--philosophical questions about who we may become as a species. In three sections, Dr. Wagar applies the philosophies of capitalism, socialism, and anarchism, searching out their strengths and weaknesses as means toward the end of human realization. Along the way, many other topics are covered, such as space exploration, genetic engineering, nuclear war in the year 2044, ecological breakdown and renewal, and the transformation of marriage and the family. This is a book in the grand tradition of Olaf Stapledon, but more accessible to contemporary readers. Dr. Wagar has made an important contribution not just to imaginative literature, but to the whole field of human thought and human possibility. You will view the world differently after reading this book.