Product Description
14 works by science fiction author Alan E. Nourse in one collection, with an active table of contents:

Circus
The Coffin Cure
The Dark Door
Gold in the Sky
Image of the Gods
Letter of the Law
The Link
Meeting of the Board
My Friend Bobby
The Native Soil
An Ounce of Cure
PRoblem
Second Sight
Star Surgeon ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Classic Science Fiction Short Stories
Great read!

A few minor Kindle issues:

There's a lot of places where the text has underlines before and after, _example_. It's fine and not too distracting probably just artifacts from converting to the Kindle format.

The second quible is I don't see the cover art as displayed, only a table of contents.

Still content is king and I'm enjoying the stories! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

A timeless tale of topology
What if someone could cross into a parallel universe, just by turning through a strange corner?And if all distances in our universe were just a few steps and an angle in the other?Travel anywhere, in just a few paces!The only problem is, the other universe appears so disrupted and confusing, that only a few high-adaptive characters in the story can stand to see it.The story develops the idea from a labortory curiosity, to a family secret, to an interplanetary transportation business, and finally to a relationship between the peoples of the two universes.

This was one of my favorites when I was in high school, forty years ago.It is timeless in its concepts and characters and would be just as interesting today.

My favorite book as a teenager
Back when I was a teenager, (in the early 1980's), I loved this book. It was my favorite sci-fi novel. Really good stuff. parallel universes, and a girl with violet eyes...

ALAN E NOURSE'S BEST BOOK!!!
For several years in Jr High and High School, I was a SF junkie.I just couldn't get enough.And Nourse was my favorite SF author (with the exception of the Foundation Trilogy).

The Universe Between had some almost bizarre ideas about transporting between two universes.But the very strangeness was part of the fun.If we ever actually do get to travel to another universe, the method used may end up being just as strange as the method presented herein.

One of the things that I appreciated most about Nourse was that he was able to tell a story and keep your interest without pandering to sexual innuendos like some other popular SF writers sometimes do.I would be completely comfortable letting any of my young children read Nourse's science fiction.

--George Stancliffe

...

Unique ideas; Great blend of adventure, science, philosophy
Like several reviewers, I discovered this book around age 12 in a Junior high school library. It was my favorite novel for about 10 years, and remains in my top 5, even 30 years later.
The author, Alan E. Nourse was a physician, who wrote SF novels and short stories as a hobby. Given that, the combinaton of qualities that shine forth from this novel are very impressive, in my opinion.
First, Nourse uses some unique ideas, based on speculation about scientific questions of the day (the short stories which this novel sprang from were first published in 1951, in short stories called "The Universe Between" and "High Threshold", per my searching on the internet).
An example:Using the highly adapatable "blank slate" of a young child's brain to imprint/adapt/learn an environment which is incomprehensible and even dangerous to a "rigid" adult mind - utilizing the normally unused parts of the human brain.(I hate to give others, because they would be plot "spoilers" to some extent - but most of these utilize hard science concepts and are explained in a way that entertains and teaches too).
As I've reread and rethought this book as an adult, it also occurs to me that Nourse is most likely writing on multiple levels and sending multiple messages. Such as:

1. An exciting adventure appealing to the young, young at heart, and both the hard and the fantasy SF lover.
2. A commentary on the difficulty of meaningful communication between people of radically different cultures/backgrounds.
3. A commentary on the surprising number and nature of the wonderful discoveries about our universe the pursuit of science brings us.
4. A reflection/reminder of the precious nature of life, and how close/uncertain death can be at any moment - a reminder not to take anything for granted.
5. Commentary on how important it is not to squander our natural resources, and the critical need to plan ahead for humanities' resource needs - given the inevitiblity of population and technological expansion throughout the globe over time.
6. And finally, repeatedly, a reminder of how little we know, and how little our limited perception allows us to grasp the true nature of reality.

This novel should leave you thougtful; hopeful, yet challenged. An exciting, interesting and unique children's SF novel? Yes!But also quite a bit more - very commendably written by this "hobbyist" for the thinking adult SF fan, in this reader's opinion.

Solid science fiction
Dr Alan Nourse didn't write much sf -- though he had a prolific career writing non-fiction, esp. with a medical bent -- but what he did was solidly plotted and exciting.Most of his fiction is out of print now, sadly, but it stands up well with the contemporary works by Del Rey, Bova, Norton and Asimov.

This is a collection of ten short stories. ... Read more

Product Description
This volume assembles 12 classic tales by Alan E. Nourse: "Bear Trap" originally appeared in Fantastic Universe, December 1957. "Circus," "The Dark Door," "Image of the Gods," "The Link," "Meeting of the Board," "My Friend Bobby," and "An Ounce of Cure" originally appeared in The Counterfeit Man: More Science Fiction Stories by Alan E. Nourse, published in 1963. "The Coffin Cure" originally appeared in Galaxy, April 1957. "Letter of the Law" originally appeared in If Magazine, January 1954. "The Native Soil" originally appeared in Fantastic Universe, July 1957. "PRoblem" originally appeared in Galaxy, October 1956. ... Read more

Product Description
The death of an independent asteroid miner would be no unusual news to the Martian colony. Asteroid mining was gambling, for high stakes, with your life in constant jeopardy. But when Roger Hunter's mangled body was found in the exploded wreck of his ship, his two sons found reason to suspect murder. Their father appeared to have made a discovery which would affect the course of history. Suddenly, certain space pirates found they had to cope with a ghost that belonged to the past, and a weapon that belonged in the future. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

This book made me a reader
I think I read this book two dozen times in Elementary and then Middle School.

It's a juvenile science fiction books that should still hold up today, which, along with two other Nourse books, The Trouble on Titan and Star Surgeon, is an excellent book for a young reader should still hold up well today, even though it was written long before we put a man into space!

This book deals with sibling rivalry, inadequacies, self-doubts, fears and the concept of the little guy versus the big corporate monopoly.Set on Mars and in the Asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter it's a murder who done it as twin boys Tom and Greg Hunter try to find out why their father died in space and if it really was an accident or not.

We look at the very possible future of mining in the asteroids, the realities of life in space set against an adventure narrative.

Excellent for kids between 9 and 12. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document, covering the life and work of Alan E(dward) Nourse, is an entry from Contemporary Authors, a reference volume published by Thompson Gale. The length of the entry is 1530 words. The page length listed above is based on a typical 300-word page. Although the exact content of each entry from this volume can vary, typical entries include the following information:

• Place and date of birth and death (if deceased)
• Family members
• Education
• Professional associations and honors
• Employment
• Writings, including books and periodicals
• A description of the author's work
• References to further readings about the author

Product Description
Reprints the McKay hardcover from 1961. This is the second of two Macfadden paperback printings. Stories from Nourse's early career, 1951 - 57: Tiger by the Tail ; Nightmare Brother ; Problem ; The Coffin Cure ; Brightside Crossing ; The Native Soil ; Love Thy Vimp ; Letter of the Law ; Family Resemblance. ... Read more

Product Description
A Dozen SF Greats Present Their Favorite Stories. ... Read more

Product Description
The shuttle plane from the port of Philadelphia to Hospital Seattle had already gone when Dal Timgar arrived at the loading platformeven though he had taken great pains to be at least thirty minutes early for the boarding. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Sophisticated and Suitable for Adults
This book can be downloaded/printed for free on Project Gutenberg. I did not see any typos or errors in the version that I downloaded.

While Alan Nourse wrote some books specifically geared for young readers, and this book is quite readable and suitable for young readers, I think this book was not written for young people only.

The ideas in the Star Surgeon is just as relevant today if not more so, than they were in 1960.

Nourse's writing is very clear and highly readable.I am going through Nourse's works now, and a comparison can be made between Nourse's and Michael Crichton's works.

not so impressed
I have the audio book. Aside from the partially annoying reading ( why in the dickens must a kid with last name Alvarez speak with a pseudo-russian accent?? ) I found it very old fashioned. The internet and similar means of communication and data transport don't seem to have developed in the future, but it's back to "tapes"...
So, the question that remains is "how can I get 5 hours of my life back?"

Unique, inspiring read
I first encountered this book when I was six or seven. It was the first novel that I read (mostly on my own!). A few days ago, I stumbled on it again while reorganizing my mother's extensive library of sci-fi and fantasy. Though I am now a college student and a writer, the book holds the same appeal to me now as it did when I was a child. It's one of a very select few that tells a story from an alien's POV. I could see as I read where the seeds of interest in science fiction, other life forms, and medical sciences had been sewn so many years ago.
This book has something for everyone, I think, since I can still enjoy it as much at 21 as I did at 7.

There's more to this book than meets the eye.
First, I believe several Star Trek concepts may have been based on some part of this book (then again, I'm not well versed in Sci Fi so Nourse may have based these element on Campbell or someone else even earlier, so if I didn't get this totally right someone with more savvy set the record straight).

The hero, who is of a different race making this book about how alien we preceive aliens, also has a empathic relationship with a little creature that sits on his shoulder and is awfully much like a Tribble.

Also the concept of an intellegent parasite and sybolic relationships pre-date Star Trek Next Generation and Deep Space Nine concepts of the Trill as well as Stargate concepts of the Gu-a-uld.

This book will teach young readers that things aren't always as they appear and that you have to dig deeper and look beyond the superficial!

It also teaches them not to use a crutch!

Some very advanced concepts for even adult sci-fi, but aimed at an audience 9 - 14 years old.

Good, intellegent reading.

Adolescent Ignition
I read this book originally as an adolescent, and later began to understand that this was really a book about racism and its evils.Its theme got me thinking early in life about what happens when a person is disenfranchised solely because of the way they look.The book is well written and it got me seriously interested in the whole realm of speculative/science fiction, which remains to this day, nearly 40 years later.I sure would like to see "Star Surgeon" by Alan E. Nourse reprinted so I could have a copy for my permanent library! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

5 stars for star surgeon
This is classic juvenile fiction written by one who is very familiar with medical routines and protocol. The premise is that medical treatment of illness and disease, for some reason, is almost unknown in the galaxy - except on earth. Terrans focus on and monopolize the providing of medical care to all the other intelligent races using lightspeed transport to Earth, large hospital ships and physicians in small ships to handle emergencies.They want to use this service to enter into the already existing federation of planets, as each prospective race needs to bring a unique offering to the group to be able to join.

The story concerns a young alien from a trading planet, whose desire to become a surgeon frightens those who wish to keep medical knowledge and skills to themselves.

Wonderful story; great characterizations.

... Read more