Bookvica

[TSIOLKOVSKY & PERELMAN] Na lune. Fantasticheskaya povest’ [i.e. On the Moon. Fantastic Tale]

Tsiolkovsky, K.

Item #2525

With commentary and afterwards by I. Perel’man. Moscow, Leningrad: Gosmashmetizdat, 1934. 38 pp.: ill. 19,5×13,2 cm. Original illustrated wrapper. Minor tears to the spine, otherwise in good condition. Second edition.

Konstantin Tsiolkovsky (1857–1935), one of the founding fathers of space science, is well-known for his astronautic theory. His research allowed rocket scientists after him to perform space travel. However, he is known as an author of several fiction pieces on the subject of space travel. This one originally came out in 1893, when Tsiolkovsky was not known to wider circles. By 1930s he already was considered one of the leading Soviet astro-physicists with rich bibliography. This book came in the series ’Scientific Technical Library for the Youth’ and has the notes and afterward by Iakov Perel’man (1882–1942) Russian-Jewish physicist and popularizer of science, the pioneer of sci-fi in Russian. His book ‘Entertaining physics’ was one of the most reprinted editions for youth in Soviet Union, as well as later ‘Entertaining Arithmetics’. His interest in space exploration is reflected in titles like ‘Distant worlds. Astronomical essays’ and ‘Interplanetary travel. Flights into outer space and reaching celestial bodies’ – first editions of both came out in 1910s. The later included passages like this one: ‘In special impenetrable suits, like diving suits, – said Yakov Isidorovich, – the future Columbuses of the Universe, having landed on the planet, will risk leaving the celestial ship. With a supply of oxygen in a metal backpack on their backs, they will be able to wander on the soil of an unknown world, conduct scientific observations, study its nature.’ He was a lifelong correspondent of Tsiolkovsky, it was to him the book ‘Interplanetary travel’ is dedicated. As Perel’man was a talented lecturer, he has played a role in educating the public about the genius of Tsiolkovsky. Tsiolkovsky followed Perel’man’s activity as well and thanked him on many occasions in letters and in public, like in this letter from 1914:
‘”Dear Yakov Isidorovich! I received your letter and article in Sovremennoye Slovo and read it with pleasure,” the scientist replied. “You raised a question that is dear to me, and I do not know how to thank you. As a result, I again took up the rocket and did something new. Thank you for your promise to send me your report if it is published. I read reports about it in many newspapers’. Tsiolkovsky also wrote prefaces to several Perel’man’s books in 1930s. The illustrations by A.N.Savari has appeared in this edition for the first time.

Rare.

Price: $650.00