Searching for title of 1960's children's book

[gostola]

I would very much appreciate help in finding the title of a boy's science fiction book written in the 1960's. All of the characters had names of famous persons, and by the end of the book the reader learned that all the characters were being raised by machines to save mankind. Does this book sound familiar? Thank you so much!

 

[gostola]

I am searching for this book for a friend. He added that the book may have been written earlier than the 1960's, and that it may not be a children's book, it may be for young adult. He read the book when he was twelve. He remembers that he did not find out until toward the end of the book that machines were raising the humans to preserve mankind. Does this book sound familiar to anyone? We are hoping to get the title. Thanks!

 

[chrispenycate]

Do you remember what kind of famous (and from what time period) they were named after? I've got a vague niggle about early twentieth-century scientists, due to them having donated genetic material; but I read this in the sixties, so the details are a bit fuzzy (to say the least.

I don't remember it being a juvenile, though.

 

[CassFrank]

This is Edmund Cooper’s The Overman Culture (1971). It is about children with famous names being raised by androids (machines) - revealed at the end sort of twist. Like most of Cooper’s books it is short and could be seen as young adult but is not.

From Goodreads reviews: “The fragiles, young people, all with famous names, attempt to discover why there are two types of people, and why Zeppelins battle jet fighters over a London force field, while Shakespeare, Queen Victoria and Winston Churchill all play an active part in their daily lives.”

“The idea of someone growing up unaware they are in an artificial environment has of course been done since by The Truman Show but not as well as this.”

“It tells the story of Michael (Faraday) and his other "fragile" comrades that live in a world that isn't quite right. They grow up in London, but are never able to venture out past the center of the city until they start exploring on their own. Their parents and other civilians are not like them, it that they don't bleed and never answer their questions fully. They always keep them in the dark about the world around them. Eventually Michael grows up and starts learning about his world, and he discovers far more than he imagined.”