When Worlds Collide

By Philip Wylie, Edwin Balmer,

Book cover of When Worlds Collide

Book description

A runaway planet hurtles toward the earth. As it draws near, massive tidal waves, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions wrack our planet, devastating continents, drowning cities, and wiping out millions. In central North America, a team of scientists race to build a spacecraft powerful enough to escape the doomed earth. Their…

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Why read it?

1 author picked When Worlds Collide as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

During the past year I've been revisiting older books I love that most people won't know about today. This is one of three that were published before 1950, and made into movies that are now regarded as classics. In this case, a showy but slightly absurd 1951 film produced by George Pal.

The novel, by contrast, is amazingly believable and detailed, mixing a dramatic plot with worthwhile social commentary and convincing descriptions. The only caveats are a sometimes-dated writing style (especially in the dialogue) and a sometimes-annoying romance.

But this book is such an enthralling read that you can tune…

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