THE SOCIETY OF SPACE

The conquest of space is but a logical step in the technological revolution of the twentieth century. In this clear and imaginative book, Mr. Ritner demonstrates to us that the human powers making this invasion by man of outer space imminent, are also capable of sparking a universal resolve to graphic with the moral and intellectual dilemmas of the atomic age. He defines the central challenge of our time as the need to work and fabricate an idealism of Change. Cruising smoothly through banks of serious scientific data and science fiction fantasy, the author suggests a comprehensive program of adjustments which he believes can create new opportunities in the era of global socialization: man must seek out elements of variety and inspiration within a new giant scale of things; we must develop the mental powers of our youth that now detests life; the must shake his spectator up--reform men's minds and moods. There is no doubt but that Mr. Ritner is serious. Others will not share this seriousness. The author deeles seaking a roundabout way of enforcing civil rights, but he later asserts that the teaching of Space is that man must not long the scorpion-like man of another planet--that he must love all forms of life as brothers. A large portion of the book is devoted to an outline of the procedure to be followed by a spaceman encountering superior beings. But if we delight in the frequent clean intellectual fun of the author, we are forced to admit that his observations are often perctnrating and that this book deserves the widst circulation among intelligent readers.