The Shape of Further Things

"We are infinitely rich, yet we mess about with penny-in-the-slot machines," writes Brian W. Aldiss in this autobiographical work written over the course of one month. From his Oxfordshire home, he ruminates on dreams, education, the role of technology in our lives, the rise and function of science fiction, and a variety of other topics. The Shape of Further Things is a window into the life and mind of a Science Fiction Grand Master.

In this provocative volume, Brian Aldiss seeks to recapture some of the strands of his life, using an elaborate tapestry to do so: using a basic diary form, he works alternately back into the past and forward into the future; the realities of our world alternate with the unrealities of fantasy.


The result is an autobiography spanning one month - a month in the life of a speculative writer. Dominant topics include the Moon as real estate, the role of technology, the growth of science fiction in Britain, the nature of dreams and theories of the brain, and the possible part that education could play in enriching our lives.