Last and first men : A story of the near and far future

audiobook

Last and first men : A story of the near and far future

by Olaf Stapledon

EN·~12 hours·74 chapters

Chapters

74 total

Preface

7:56

Introduction By One of the Last Men

7:29

I Balkan Europe

0:01

1\. THE EUROPEAN WAR AND AFTER

5:04

2\. THE ANGLO-FRENCH WAR

19:03

3\. EUROPE AFTER THE ANGLO-FRENCH WAR

14:47

4\. THE RUSSO-GERMAN WAR

9:37

II Europe’s Downfall

0:01

1\. EUROPE AND AMERICA

9:59

2\. THE ORIGINS OF A MYSTERY

12:39

Description

A disciplined flights of imagination frames the opening, inviting listeners to step beyond everyday concerns and contemplate humanity’s long‑range destiny. The narrator treats the future as a mythic canvas, arguing that a serious, plausible vision can sharpen today’s values while exposing the fragile assumptions that underlie them. By grounding speculation in the cultural mindset of the present, the story aims to feel both challenging and oddly familiar.

Through a striking device—a distant future being who reaches back to influence present minds—the book explores what might happen when the arc of civilization bends toward either renewal or loss. It balances the unsettling possibility of cultural decay with the stubborn hope that something precious endures. Listeners are left with a thoughtful portrait of our species at a crossroads, encouraging reflection on the choices that shape the coming ages.

Details

Language

en

Duration

~12 hours (698K characters)

Release date

2026-07-02

Rights

Public domain in the USA.

About the author

Olaf Stapledon

Olaf Stapledon

Best known for vast, mind-stretching visions of humanity’s future, this English writer helped shape modern science fiction with books that think on a planetary and cosmic scale. His work combines big ideas, moral questions, and a sense of wonder that still feels strikingly modern.

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