Adrian Berry

The giant leap

Science fiction seems to tell us that, whatever the difficulties, we will somehow manage to travel to the stars one day. In The Giant Leap Adrian Berry gives us an enthusiastic look at how this might be achieved, with a discussion of the new inventions which will be needed to make it possible. This work doesn't go into the technical details as much as some other books, but if you want a wide overview of how we might travel to the stars and what problems there might be along the way then you should have a look at this book.

As well as discussing at the technology which might take us to the stars, Berry looks at other issues as well. What is it that will motivate us to undertake such journeys and how can this motivation be maintained for the travellers? Will time dilation reduce the journey to a reasonable time or will some sort of suspended animation become necessary? At times the discussion rambles on a bit - some people might object to Berry's ideas on the future of government - but it's an entertaining read, with plenty of notes for those who want to follow up on what they have read.

Amazon.com info

Hardcover 352 pages
ISBN: 0312877854
Salesrank: 1575395
Weight:1.14 lbs

Published: 2001 Tor Books

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Amazon.co.uk info

Hardcover 256 pages
ISBN: 074721977X
Salesrank: 1519919
Weight:1.31 lbs

Published: 1999 Headline Book Publishing

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Amazon.ca info

Hardcover 352 pages
ISBN: 0312877854
Salesrank: 545160
Weight:1.14 lbs

Published: 2001 Tor Books

Amazon price CDN$ 23.28

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Book Description
At some point in the next two centuries, mankind will accomplish the Giant Leap. People will make the ultimate voyage; they will leave our solar system and head out to the stars. This is one of the first books to explore the subject of interstellar flight and mans future among the stars.

Book Description

At some point in the next two centuries, mankind will accomplish the Giant Leap. People will make the ultimate voyage; they will leave our solar system and head out to the stars. This is one of the first books to explore the subject of interstellar flight and mans future among the stars.

Great Book! *****
One of the best I have read that shows the way to the future of space exploration, and technology of the future.

Great Book! *****

One of the best I have read that shows the way to the future of space exploration, and technology of the future.

A good read on a fascinating subject ****
An enjoyable light read which can be achieved at near light speed! This is journalism close to its best, addressing a complex subject from multiple angles. Where it succeeds is in the subject matter. How many of us have wondered what the step beyond exploring our solar system will mean? It's pretty much all here, though there are a few caveats needed. This is not reference material and is almost totally derivative of previously published books and papers. The coverage is also rather wide and some may feel short-changed by Mr Berry not following through on some of the topics covered. Some may find the topic of politics not addressed to their satisfaction - in chapters 'Starships and Politicians' and 'Twilight of the State'. Elsewhere, the detail is reminiscent of a newspaper article: when it comes to detail within ones area of expertise there are real howlers. This may be to some the weakest part of the book, challenging the authority that Mr Berry assumes by writing this book. Another reviewer has spotted the error in the timeline for 1965, which has Ed White being the first spacewalker instead of Alexei Leonov. A minor slip, but not solitary. The author fails to flag that civilisations are unlikely from first generation stars (no heavy elements from which life can appear) (ref p61 etc). The discussion of navigational errors getting the crew 'lost' is unlikely as we have 3-D info on every star within 100 light years of the Sun and computers even today can create star maps from anywhere in the vicinity of the Sun. There are some throw-away lines that need that - to be thrown away. The author occasionally uses too wide a paint-brush for his canvas, notably p182, "the modern electronics industry" is supposedly based on the Apollo lunar module descent computer. An almighty howler is (p29 and p258) that the Managing Director in JVC invented videorecorders in 1975. The first practical video recorder was first demonstrated in 1956. Even John Logie Baird made video recordings in 1927! Of course he means domestic videos, but even then 'invention' is too much. But these are simply where technical proof-reading has been inadequate. The book remains enjoyable despite the above comments. (page numbers refer to UK edition which may differ)

A good read on a fascinating subject ****

An enjoyable light read which can be achieved at near light speed! This is journalism close to its best, addressing a complex subject from multiple angles. Where it succeeds is in the subject matter. How many of us have wondered what the step beyond exploring our solar system will mean? It's pretty much all here, though there are a few caveats needed. This is not reference material and is almost totally derivative of previously published books and papers.
The coverage is also rather wide and some may feel short-changed by Mr Berry not following through on some of the topics covered.
Some may find the topic of politics not addressed to their satisfaction - in chapters 'Starships and Politicians' and 'Twilight of the State'.

Elsewhere, the detail is reminiscent of a newspaper article: when it comes to detail within ones area of expertise there are real howlers. This may be to some the weakest part of the book, challenging the authority that Mr Berry assumes by writing this book. Another reviewer has spotted the error in the timeline for 1965, which has Ed White being the first spacewalker instead of Alexei Leonov. A minor slip, but not solitary. The author fails to flag that civilisations are unlikely from first generation stars (no heavy elements from which life can appear) (ref p61 etc). The discussion of navigational errors getting the crew 'lost' is unlikely as we have 3-D info on every star within 100 light years of the Sun and computers even today can create star maps from anywhere in the vicinity of the Sun.

There are some throw-away lines that need that - to be thrown away. The author occasionally uses too wide a paint-brush for his canvas, notably p182, "the modern electronics industry" is supposedly based on the Apollo lunar module descent computer. An almighty howler is (p29 and p258) that the Managing Director in JVC invented videorecorders in 1975. The first practical video recorder was first demonstrated in 1956. Even John Logie Baird made video recordings in 1927! Of course he means domestic videos, but even then 'invention' is too much.

But these are simply where technical proof-reading has been inadequate. The book remains enjoyable despite the above comments.
(page numbers refer to UK edition which may differ)

A good book for mankind. ****
What a great book! I learned a good deal on subjects ranging from the internet, Polynesian colonization and economics. The author's idea for investors using their money while on long interstellar voyages I think is ingenious. At last someone has come up with a good use for the planet Mercury and why we should go there. Some people might take issue with some of the things listed in Appendix I, like who invinted gunpowder and who made the first spacewalk. All in all a very good read.

A good book for mankind. ****

What a great book! I learned a good deal on subjects ranging from the internet, Polynesian colonization and economics. The author's idea for investors using their money while on long interstellar voyages I think is ingenious. At last someone has come up with a good use for the planet Mercury and why we should go there. Some people might take issue with some of the things listed in Appendix I, like who invinted gunpowder and who made the first spacewalk. All in all a very good read.

Mankind Heads for the Stars! *****
Travel to the stars, long a staple of SF, is the subject of this optimistic look at our race's future. For Berry, longtime science correspondent for London's Daily Telegraph, the exploration of worlds beyond our own solar system is a given. As a means to this end, he directs our attention to antimatter drives, Bussard ramjets, and light sails, all of which are theoretically capable of getting a ship to the nearest stars in some acceptable fraction of a human lifetime. Nor does he ignore the question of how to shield passengers from the tremendous energies some of these devices can be expected to emit. There is due consideration of provisioning a years-long voyage through regions with no place to renew supplies-and the more one carries along, of course, the greater the demands for fuel and power, already stretched to the breaking point. One likely solution is recycling on a hitherto-unknown scale; in theory, one can take any organic substance (say, used tires) and turn it into food. Another is keeping the majority of the passengers in suspended animation, possibly by lowering their bodies to cryogenic temperatures. Elaborate computer games may be developed to help those of the crew who do remain awake to pass the lonely hours of deep space travel. Spacious accommodations for exercise will be essential if the space travelers are to arrive at the end of their journey in condition to begin a colony on an alien world. Never mind that even the shortest interstellar voyage could bankrupt most nations, or that the technology described here exists only in rudimentary form, if at all. Berry is interested in the big picture-and readers who can balance enthusiasm with healthy skepticism are likely to enjoy the ride, even when the details remain unclear. Blue-sky speculation on the grandest possible scale.

Mankind Heads for the Stars! *****

Travel to the stars, long a staple of SF, is the subject of this optimistic look at our race's future. For Berry, longtime science correspondent for London's Daily Telegraph, the exploration of worlds beyond our own solar system is a given. As a means to this end, he directs our attention to antimatter drives, Bussard ramjets, and light sails, all of which are theoretically capable of getting a ship to the nearest stars in some acceptable fraction of a human lifetime. Nor does he ignore the question of how to shield passengers from the tremendous energies some of these devices can be expected to emit. There is due consideration of provisioning a years-long voyage through regions with no place to renew supplies-and the more one carries along, of course, the greater the demands for fuel and power, already stretched to the breaking point. One likely solution is recycling on a hitherto-unknown scale; in theory, one can take any organic substance (say, used tires) and turn it into food. Another is keeping the majority of the passengers in suspended animation, possibly by lowering their bodies to cryogenic temperatures. Elaborate computer games may be developed to help those of the crew who do remain awake to pass the lonely hours of deep space travel. Spacious accommodations for exercise will be essential if the space travelers are to arrive at the end of their journey in condition to begin a colony on an alien world. Never mind that even the shortest interstellar voyage could bankrupt most nations, or that the technology described here exists only in rudimentary form, if at all. Berry is interested in the big picture-and readers who can balance enthusiasm with healthy skepticism are likely to enjoy the ride, even when the details remain unclear. Blue-sky speculation on the grandest possible scale.