Over on his Further blog, Mark Pilkington has announced the upcoming publication of a new book by Ken Hollings that looks fascinating: Welcome to Mars: Fantasies of Science in the American Century 1947-1959:
‘Welcome To Mars’ draws upon newspaper accounts, advertising campaigns, declassified government archives, old movies and newsreels from this unique period when the future first took on a tangible presence. Ken Hollings depicts an unsettled time in which the layout of Suburbia reflected atomic bombing strategies, bankers and movie stars experimented with hallucinogens, brainwashing was just another form of interior decoration and strange lights in the sky were taken very seriously indeed.
The back cover blurb features positive testimonials from the likes of Erik Davis and Jacques Vallee, who says the book “is a searingly accurate and deeply disturbing exposé of the fantasies of American modernism that have inspired the many nightmares and the few hopeful visions of our new Millennium.” Sounds tasty! The book will be officially released late October.
