The turning place : stories of a future past

Originally published in 1976, this collection of connected stories looks back at future Earth history long after a nervous galactic neighbor wipes out most of Earth-based life, bacterial and otherwise. Over many generations the few human survivors develop some interesting traits, and although

Show More

overpopulation is never a problem again, they do eventually venture off-planet and farther. Each story is told untold generations after the last. All are told from the viewpoint of young young-adults, mostly girls. The neatest part is the "sources" section at the end, in which the future writer gives the basis for the ideas and tales in each story, some from folklore and oral history, some from more reliable historical sources.

I'd recommend the book to perhaps 6th-8th graders. There isn't much depth to the characters and there's no sex, violence, or language issues, so younger readers, rather than, say, mid-teenagers, will find the book rewarding. If a kid is already into lengthy series such as Harry Potter or the Lorien Legacies ("I Am Number Four", etc.) it might be a nice break for them. I certainly enjoyed it as a light read, and so should other adults with a bent towards post-apocalyptic and science fiction.

Show Less