Noted editor Emberlyn Shaw has abridged this version: Olaf Stapledon’s groundbreaking science fiction masterpiece, Last and First Men, is thoughtfully condensed in this abridged edition by Emberlyn Shaw. This version preserves the novel’s grand philosophical scope and speculative brilliance while making its intricate vision of the future more accessible.


About the book: Last and First Men is an epic narrative chronicling the rise and fall of eighteen successive human species over billions of years. Through war, catastrophe, genetic evolution, and extraterrestrial encounters, Stapledon explores the ultimate fate of humanity. Blending scientific speculation with deep philosophical inquiry, the novel presents a breathtaking perspective on human progress, self-destruction, and the search for meaning in an indifferent cosmos.