Earth doomed by approach of moon out of orbit

[dinah]

In 1969 or early 1970 I read a SF book about the moon headed toward the earth. Cannot remember other details, author, or title. Just that it was interesting and I would like to read again. Maybe only a nostalgia fix? Any clues from you would be great!

 

[PaulMmn]

One or two books by Arthur C Clarke included the Moon vs Earth: "Against the Fall of Night" and "The City and the Stars." This wasn't a major plot point, but tossed off casually (in passing).

--Paul E Musselman

 

[dinah]

I looked up both of those books online but they are not the one I read. Thank you for the feedback however!

 

[northernexposure]

Not the moon, but a planet: how about Max Ehrlich's "The Big Eye"?

 

[dinah]

You know what? That very well could be the book! I read a brief review of it online. Even if it's not it sounds like it could be an interesting book anyway. I found it as checked in at a local library so will get it tomorrow and give it a try. Thanks!

 

[John Whitehouse]

You should find a book called ' The Last Gentleman' which fits your description however I don't recall the authors' name.

 

[dinah]

Well I just finished "The Big Eye" yesterday by Max Ehrlich and while I didn't have any definite flashbacks to 1969 I think that was the book I was looking for. It was an interesting book. Thank you to 'northernexposure' !

And I just did a search for "The Last Gentleman" which was written by Walker Percy in 1966. Again my local library has a copy and I will give it a try. It has some really good reviews. Incidentally another local library is using one of his books called "The Moviegoer" in one of their book clubs. Thanks, John W for the suggestion.

 

[J Riff]

Rogue Moon? Someone must know this one, if it's 60s..

 

[2DaveWixon]

Rogue Moon? Someone must know this one, if it's 60s..

Algis Budrys?

 

[dinah]

Rogue Moon probably isn't the book I read in 1969 but it has some very rave reviews. My local library doesn't have it but can be gotten real cheap from Abebooks (my alternative to Amazon....) Thanks

 

[John Whitehouse]

Dinah,

'The last Gentleman' was a short SF story about a visitor who was an old friend from the government and gently explained why the moon was looking larger than normal ( today is such a day as it's the closest since 1948!) and if his friend cared to weigh himself, he would find himself a lot heavier than normal.
The explanation being that the moon had slipped from its' normal orbit and was heading for a collision with earth and that this was the act of 'The last gentleman', alluding to a bullet in the head form of execution.
Definitely NOT Walker Percy.

 

[Dennis E. Taylor]

There's also "Moonfall" by McDevitt. The moon gets broken up by an impact, and pieces of it head in all directions.

 

[dinah]

Wow John W you are so right! I don't know how I got so derailed. Further searching I have found two other authors of "The last gentleman", Shirley Barker and Rory Magill. I sent inquiry to abebooks about the Barker book but only Amazon has the Magill book for $10 - too much to gamble on. I'm about ready to consider "The Big Eye" the long looked for book....

Thanks Bizmuth I can search that too.

Ironic that I'm searching moon books when we had the Supermoon this morning. And total cloudy sky!

 

[J Riff]

Heh, the Big Eye was around, the PB was everywhere.. by Max Ehrlich? ... lettuce know how 'tis all these milleniers later.

 

[2DaveWixon]

Wow John W you are so right! I don't know how I got so derailed. Further searching I have found two other authors of "The last gentleman", Shirley Barker and Rory Magill. I sent inquiry to abebooks about the Barker book but only Amazon has the Magill book for $10 - too much to gamble on. I'm about ready to consider "The Big Eye" the long looked for book....

Thanks Bizmuth I can search that too.

Ironic that I'm searching moon books when we had the Supermoon this morning. And total cloudy sky!

Condolences about your clouds -- we got really lucky here, and it's spectacular!

(And as an slightly interesting aside, in addition to all the "Last Gentleman" books you've been finding, it happens that Clifford D. Simak wrote a short story entitled "Final Gentleman." But no, it's definitely not the story you're thinking of...)