Ralph 124C 41+

RALPH 124C 41+, written by by writer/inventor Hugo Gernsback in 1911, is one of the earliest true American science fiction novels. It was originally created as a twelve-part serial in Modern Electrics magazine, and was released as a novel in 1925. In its day, it was hugely influential and widely read; today, it's almost completely unknown.

It would be fair to say that in some ways this book hasn't aged well. It is more a series of predictions than a narrative (although there is a story, and it's pretty cool) and Hugo got a lot of stuff wrong. But he also got a lot of things very close to right--and this is what makes the book truly interesting. When you foresee video phones, transatlantic flight, radar, and tape recorders, and then state with certainty that everyone is going to consume their food in mush form to do away with the unpleasant tyranny of chewing...well, then you're someone worth reading. Because, wow.

The book is an absolute wonder of old-timey usage and almost-actually-scientific-sounding inventions whose names are gloriously ludicrous to a 21st century reader, mostly because of how close he comes to getting them right (Communico-mast! Menograph! Telephot! And so many more). Basically, if T Herman Zweibel were both science-minded and not a malevolent psychopath, this is the book he would have written. And so, we are proud to help shepherd RALPH 124C 41+ back into the consciousness of nerds everywhere.