Another Science Fiction: space race ads on tour

Rick Prelinger sez, "My spouse Megan Prelinger is about to take to the road with her show of paleofuturistic ads from the early, go-go years of the space race. While the images are fascinating in print, they're even more provocative when projected, revealing the gap (and sometimes uncanny resemblance) between the fanciful and actual futures of space exploration. I can't wait to see them on the big screen at DC's National Air & Space Museum, LA's Griffith Observatory and a host of other venues in Portland, Seattle and NYC. Her tour kicks off at San Francisco's Booksmith this coming Tuesday, May 4 with a slide show, reading and release party for her new book Another Science Fiction: Advertising the Space Race 1957-1962."

I have a copy of this on my desk and it is spectacular. Megan and Rick stopped by my office a couple months ago and I got to hear Megan talk about the subject matter and was totally mindblown. This tour is highly recommended.

Another Science Fiction: Advertising the Space Race 1957 - 1962

Images from the book

Previously:

I write books. My latest is a YA science fiction novel called Homeland (it's the sequel to Little Brother). More books: Rapture of the Nerds (a novel, with Charlie Stross); With a Little Help (short stories); and The Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow (novella and nonfic). I speak all over the place and I tweet and tumble, too.

MORE: Art and Design

More at Boing Boing

Eurovision 2013: An American in London

The technology that links taxonomy and Star Trek

holtt

I love this stuff. Thanks for the post.

It’s a whole theme that I think would be fantastic for a video game. The great thing about making a retro-future game is, nobody can tell you you did it wrong.
teufelsdroch

Actually I find this stuff a little depressing:

There’s an ad for plasma engines. We STILL don’t have plasma engines. It’s obvious that more heat to fuel means less fuel needed–so why not?

There’s an ad for life support systems that block radiation. We STILL don’t have a good way to do this. People talk about manned missions to Mars, but they never mention that the biggest obstacle continues to be how to shield the crew.

I’m sorry Floridians but OBAMA IS ABSOLUTELY SPOT ON!!! NASA has been so risk-averse for the last 20 years that they’re practically standing still. At the very least, let’s create those technologies that everyone knows have been a good idea for 50 years!!!