Book · 1930 · Fiction, science fiction, general
Last and First Men
- mentions
- 4
- people
- 3
- podcasts
- 4
- episodes
- 4
- recommendations
- 3
Yeah, a very cool book I try to mention as often as possible is called The Last and The First and Last Men by Olaf Stapleton.
The best things said about it
A second longer term uh book that I like is something called last and first men which is a British novel written in the about the 1930s a by a hegelian professor called Olaf Stapleton.
You and I were both fans of Olaf Stapledon who wrote the dual classics Last and First Men and Star Maker.
Tyler Cowen Conversations with Tyler · May 2024 Where and when it comes up
Most mentions, by podcast
Why people recommend it
"Last and First Men" by Olaf Stapledon is a sweeping science fiction novel written in the 1930s that chronicles the history of humanity across two billion years and nineteen distinct human species. Rick Strassman recommended the novel on The Joe Rogan Experience in 2025, praising its mind-bending scope and noting that he tries to mention it as often as possible. Dan Wong also recommended the book on The Ezra Klein Show in 2023, describing the British novel as a long-term literary favorite written by a Hegelian professor that offers an extraordinarily vast perspective on civilization. Tyler Cowen has repeatedly championed the work, recommending it on EconTalk in 2022 as a foundational science fiction starting point and later discussing it on Conversations with Tyler in 2024 with Michael Nielsen, where they both bonded over their shared admiration for Stapledon's visionary imagination. Across these discussions, podcast guests and hosts celebrate the novel for its unparalleled imaginative reach, philosophical depth, and ability to alter a reader's perspective on human existence and the fragile arc of civilization. The book remains a revered classic among intellectuals and science fiction enthusiasts alike for its daring exploration of deep time and future evolution.
Every mention
Tyler Cowen You and I were both fans of Olaf Stapledon who wrote the dual classics Last and First Men and Star Maker. 2
“You and I were both fans of Olaf Stapledon who wrote the dual classics Last and First Men and Star Maker.”
“try olaf stapleton last and first men from the 30s”
Dan Wong a second longer term uh book that I like is something called last and first men which is a British novel wr… 1
“a second longer term uh book that I like is something called last and first men which is a British novel written in the about the 1930s a by a hegelian professor called Olaf Stapleton”
Rick Strassman Yeah, a very cool book I try to mention as often as possible is called The Last and The First and Last Men… 1
“Yeah, a very cool book I try to mention as often as possible is called The Last and The First and Last Men by Olaf Stapleton.”
Also mentioned in the same episodes
Other mentions (1: passing, ad reads, own books)
“Tremendously influential, rather clumsy visionary early science fiction writer who wrote novels like Odd John and the First and Last Men.”