Yesterday's Tomorrows - Past Visions of the American Future

By: Johns Hopkins University Press, The

Type: Softcover

Product Line: Historical Reference Books (Johns Hopkins University Press, The)

In-Stock, Ready to Ship


Product Info

Title
Yesterday's Tomorrows - Past Visions of the American Future
Category
Author
Benson J. Lossing
Publish Year
1996
Pages
640
Dimensions
7.75x9.75x.75"
NKG Part #
2148351778
Type

Description

Enormous skyscrapers will house residents and workers who happily go "for weeks" without setting foot on the ground. Streamlined, "hurricane-proof" houses will pivot on their foundations like weather vanes. The family car will turn into an airplane so easily that "a woman can do it in five minutes." Our wars will be fought by robots. And our living room furniture-waterproof, of course-will clean up with a squirt from the garden hose.

In Yesterday's Tomorrows Joseph J. Corn and Brian Horrigan explore the future as Americans earlier in the last century expected it to happen. Filled with vivid color images and lively text, the book is eloquent testimony to the confidence-and, at times, the naïve faith-Americans have had in science and technology. The future that emerges here, the authors conclude, is one in which technology changes, but society and politics usually do not.

The authors draw on a wide variety of sources-popular-science magazines, science fiction, world fair exhibits, films, advertisements, and plans for things only dreamed of. From Jules Verne to the Jetsons, from a 500-passenger flying wing to an anti-aircraft flying buzz-saw, the vision of the future as seen through the eyes of the past demonstrates the play of the American imagination on the canvas of the future.

The Helpful Squire

*Try asking the Helpful Squire to talk like your favourite character. Remember you're chatting with an AI assistant. Verify the responses and don't share personal data. Acceptable Use Policy

since 1997

Why Buy, Sell, or Trade with Noble Knight?

  • Trusted tabletop retailer since 1997: Nearly 30 years serving gamers worldwide.
  • 300,000+ items in stock: New, used, and out-of-print games, books, and collectibles.
  • No phantom inventory: If it's listed as in stock, it's physically on our shelves in Fitchburg, WI and ready to ship.
  • Fast, reliable shipping: One-day shipping on most orders, Free USA shipping over $149, and flat-rate shipping of $9.95 on orders under $149.
  • International-friendly service: Discounted international shipping and support for foreign currency.
  • Sell your games to us with confidence: In store or by mail, we pay any shipping costs.
  • Learn more about Buy, Sell & Trade
gamers for gamers

Cataloged and Supported by Gamers

  • Every item professionally assessed and graded: Managed by our team of tabletop gamers.
  • Decades of experience: Nearly 30 years of buying, selling, and trading across all categories.
  • Sourced from the community: Much of our inventory comes directly from gamers through our Buy–Sell–Trade program.
  • Fair offers on collections of any size: From single items to large collections, new, used and rare items. Get a quote for your collection
  • Talk to a real gamer: Connect with our team at contact@nobleknight.mom to get advice, recommendations, and real insight from fellow gamers.
  • We speak tabletop: Knowledge you can rely on, from gamers who get it.
  • Ask us anything