The future is a grim place in which the declining human population wanders drugged and lulled by electronic bliss. It's a world without art, reading and children, a world that people would rather burn themselves alive than endure.Even Spofforth, the most perfect machine ever created, cannot bear it and seeks only that which he cannot have - to cease to be. But there is hope for the future in the passion and joy that a man and woman discover in love and in books, hope even for Spoff...

A classic hardboiled tale of a beautiful talent for life in smoky poolrooms'A wonderful hymn to the last true era when men of substance played pool with a vengeance' TIME OUT'This book sees the poetry of the pool game ... Fast Eddie's ascent up the ladder from pool shark to full-time hustler is the story of the will to power, told in cool fifties style' GUARDIANFast Eddie Felson has a reputation as a pool hustler to be feared, but h...

NOW A MAJOR GOLDEN GLOBE-WINNING NETFLIX SERIES STARRING ANYA TAYLOR-JOYWhen she is sent to an orphanage at the age of eight, Beth Harmon soon discovers two ways to escape her surroundings: playing chess with the janitor and taking the little green pills given to the children to keep them subdued.Before long, it becomes apparent that hers is an unusual talent, and as she progresses to the top of the US chess rankings she is able to forge a new life for he...

For the first time ever, a complete collection of short fiction the New York Times bestselling author of The Queen's GambitWalter Tevis is widely regarded as a master for both his gritty poolhall novels and his brilliant rendering of the world of competitive chess. This long overdue collection establishes Tevis's rightful place as a maestro of the short form, as well. Bringing together the 1981 short story collection Far From Home with a ...

An essential short story collection from the author of THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH and THE QUEEN'S GAMBIT - now a major Netflix dramaContaining:Far From HomeThe Other End of the LineThe Big BounceThe GoldabrickThe Ifth of OofthThe Scholar's DiscipleFar From HomeClose To HomeRent ControlA Visit From MotherDaddyThe Apotheosis of MyraOut of LuckEchoSitting In Limbo

The remarkable novel upon which the stunning cult film was based.'Beautiful ... The story of an extraterrestrial visitor from another planet is designed mainly to say something about life on this one' NEW YORK TIMESThomas Jerome Newton is an extraterrestrial from the planet Anthea, which has been devastated by a series of nuclear wars, and whose inhabitants are twice as intelligent as human beings. When he lands on Earth - in Kentucky, disguised as a human ...

Walter Tevis is widely regarded as a master for both his gritty poolhall novels and his brilliant rendering of the world of competitive chess. This long overdue collection establishes Tevis's rightful place as a maestro of the short form, as well. Including previously unpublished stories from journals and magazines, this entertaining collection showcases Tevis's characteristic perceptiveness, empathy, and range.In one story, a man receives a phone call from his future self and foll...

A science fiction thriller from the author of THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH.'A fine engrossing novel by a master!' Philadelphia EnquirerIn a time when America's power has been eroded by energy depletion, and world control has been virtually given over to the Chinese, only one man has the courage to seek new mineral resources among the stars. He is Ben Belson, one of the richest men in the world, a man haunted by the memory of a loveless childhood and d...

In the sequel to the cult classic THE HUSTLER, Eddie Felson returns to the poolroom to give the game one last shot. From the bestseller author of THE QUEEN'S GAMBIT - NOW A MAJOR NETFLIX SERIESThe Color of Money was adapted for the screen by Martin Scorsese and starred Paul Newman and Tom CruiseIt has been twenty years since the epic match-up between Eddie Felson and Minnesota Fats. Having gone from bona fide stardom to playing in ...

Lost Sci-Fi Books 441 thru 445 brings together five unforgettable classics that capture the excitement, mystery, and imagination of vintage speculative fiction. From the frozen landscapes of Saturn’s largest moon to the depths of the human mind, these timeless stories offer adventure, suspense, and unforgettable ideas that continue to captivate readers.Ben Bova opens the collection with The Towers of Titan, an exciting tale of exploration where a m...

Engaging and fast-paced, this gripping coming-of-age novel of chess, feminism, and addiction speeds to a conclusion as elegant and satisfying as a mate in four. Now the basis for a highly acclaimed, award-winning Netflix series.Eight year-old orphan Beth Harmon is quiet, sullen, and by all appearances unremarkable. That is, until she plays her first game of chess. Her senses grow sharper, her thinking clearer, and for the first time in her life she feels herself fu...

Twenty years after he conquered the underground pool circuit in The Hustler, "Fast" Eddie Felson is playing exhibition matches with former rival Minnesota Fats in shopping malls. With one failed marriage and years of running a pool hall behind him, Eddie is now ready to regain the skills needed to compete in a world of pool that has changed dramatically since he left. The real challenge comes when Eddie realizes that in order to compete with a new wave of young players, he must ho...