Highways in Hiding

George Oliver SmithProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.0

Word count: 444K words
Chapters: 45

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Highways in Hiding by George O. SmithAuthor: Smith, George O. (George Oliver), 1911-1981,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: Feb 6, 2007

Editor's review

Highways in Hiding is a science fiction work by George O. Smith, an author active during the golden age of mid-twentieth-century American science fiction magazines, known for his emphasis on technical logic and engineering imagination. The title suggests "hidden highways," typically pointing to ideas about the boundaries of space, transportation, or perception—an exploratory narrative common to the science fiction of that era. As a public-domain eBook, it preserves the rhythm of early magazine serials: concept first, direct pacing, compact length, making it a useful sample of the technocratic tradition in American science fiction history. Readers need not judge it by the rigorous standards of contemporary hard SF; it is better appreciated in its historical context for its questions and ways of imagining. For researchers, it is a convenient text for observing American SF themes and reader tastes around the Cold War; for general readers, it is a light, period-flavored science fiction journey.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in mid-twentieth-century American science fiction
Scholars and students of science fiction history and technocratic writing
Readers who enjoy concept-driven, fast-paced short science fiction
Readers who want low-cost access to classic science fiction through public-domain eBooks

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking the rigorous worldbuilding of contemporary hard SF
Readers who prefer deep characterization and literary narrative
Readers unaccustomed to the style and period feel of early magazine science fiction

Reading tips

Read the opening chapters first to gauge the narrative pace, then decide whether to read continuously or in segments.
Pay attention to how the author handles the relationship between technical ideas and plot development.
Read alongside background material on the Golden Age of American science fiction to understand its period context.
After finishing, note the core concepts and compare them with other science fiction of the same era.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book suitable for science fiction beginners?

It can serve as an introductory sample of early American science fiction, but it carries the strong period feel of mid-twentieth-century magazine SF: concepts move quickly and characterization is relatively brief, so beginners need some tolerance for that style.

What is George O. Smith's style?

Sources place him among the authors of the golden age of American science fiction magazines. That writing generally emphasizes technical ideas and plot momentum, with direct narrative and compact length, and this book reflects that technocratic tradition.

Why is it recommended to read with science fiction history in mind?

The book's themes and narrative style are deeply rooted in the magazine serial environment of its time. Understanding the publishing ecosystem and reader expectations of Golden Age science fiction allows for a more accurate appreciation of its conceptual choices and pacing.

Comments

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About the author

George Oliver Smith Author · American · 1911–1981

George Oliver Smith (1911–1981) was an American science fiction writer and electronics engineer. Active during the Golden Age of science fiction in the 1940s, he is known for the "Venus Equilateral" series of space-communications-station stories, which often combine engineering detail with space adventure. The library holds 10 of his works, including Operation Interstellar, The Fourth R, History Repeats, Amateur in Chancery, Instinct, Highways in Hiding, The Troublemakers, and The Big Fix. Most of these are short stories or novellas dealing with interstellar communication, future societies, and the ethics of technology, reflecting his preference for exploring technological consequences from an engineer's perspective. Public information about his life and career is limited, but these works sufficiently show his distinctive place in Golden Age science fiction.