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CS

Classic science fiction

Science fiction

Science fiction written before the mid-1980s, including Asimov's Foundation and robot books, Herbert's Dune series, Heinlein, Clarke, Bradbury, Wells and Verne.

39 books on Classic science fiction, recommended by 26 people including Elon Musk and Sahil Lavingia.

39 books · 26 experts

Start here

  1. The Time MachineH. G. Wells, 1895
  2. The Machine StopsE.M. Forster, 1909
  3. Last and First Men: A Story of the near and far futureOlaf Stapledon, 1930
  4. Star MakerOlaf Stapledon, 1937
  5. Foundation and EmpireIsaac Asimov, 1945

The best books on Classic science fiction 39

The Time MachineThe Time Machine
T4 The Time Machine
H. G. Wells · 1895
Open Library
Recommended bySahil Lavingia
The Machine StopsThe Machine Stops
T4 The Machine Stops
E.M. Forster · 1909
Open Library
Recommended byElon Musk
Last and First Men: A Story of the near and Last and First Men: A Story of the near and far future
T4 Last and First Men: A Story of the near and far future
Olaf Stapledon · 1930
Open Library
Recommended byPatrick Collison
Star MakerStar Maker
T4 Star Maker
Olaf Stapledon · 1937
Open Library
Recommended byStewart Brand
Foundation and EmpireFoundation and Empire
T4 Foundation and Empire
Isaac Asimov · 1945
Open Library
Recommended byElon MuskStewart Brand
Man Who Sold the MoonMan Who Sold the Moon
T4 Man Who Sold the Moon
Robert Heinlein · 1950
Open Library
Recommended byPeter Diamandis
The Martian ChroniclesThe Martian Chronicles
T4 The Martian Chronicles
Ray Bradbury · 1950
Open Library
Recommended byDelian Asparouhov
FoundationFoundation
T4 Foundation
Isaac Asimov · 1951
Open Library
“Bezos has cited Asimov's Foundation series as one of the most influential works of his life. The idea of building something designed to last thousands of years — and of a small group of clear-eyed people shaping long arcs of history — maps directly onto his public statements about Amazon and Blue Origin.”Jeff Bezos
Recommended byBalaji S. SrinivasanElon MuskAdam GazzaleyAusten AllredDelian AsparouhovDemis HassabisJeff BezosMarc Andreessen+5 more
The Sands of MarsThe Sands of Mars
T4 The Sands of Mars
Arthur C. Clarke · 1951
Open Library
Recommended byPatrick CollisonDelian Asparouhov
Childhood's EndChildhood's End
T4 Childhood's End
Arthur C. Clarke · 1952
Open Library
Recommended byKevin Kelly
Second FoundationSecond Foundation
T4 Second Foundation
Isaac Asimov · 1953
Open Library
Recommended byElon MuskStewart Brand
Stranger in a Strange LandStranger in a Strange Land
T4 Stranger in a Strange Land
Robert A. Heinlein · 1961
Open Library
Recommended byBill GatesElon MuskSahil Lavingia
The Man in the High CastleThe Man in the High Castle
T4 The Man in the High Castle
Philip K. Dick · 1962
Open Library
Recommended byBrad Feld
DuneDune
T4 Dune
Frank Herbert · 1965
Open Library
“Herbert's novel about resource control, imperial power, and ecological constraint has been cited by Andreessen as a study in how monopoly over a critical resource shapes politics across an entire civilisation. The spice-as-energy-source analogy maps cleanly onto his analysis of compute, semiconductors, and network effects.”Marc Andreessen
Recommended byPatrick CollisonStewart BrandAndrew ChenElon MuskEv WilliamsJeff BezosMarc AndreessenSahil Lavingia+3 more
The Moon Is a Harsh MistressThe Moon Is a Harsh Mistress
T4 The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress
Robert A. Heinlein · 1965
Open Library
“a novel by Heinlein called The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, which featured an intelligent computer called Mike”Paul Graham
Recommended byPaul GrahamElon MuskDelian Asparouhov
Flowers for AlgernonFlowers for Algernon
T4 Flowers for Algernon
Daniel Keyes · 1966
Open Library
Recommended byNaval Ravikant
Lord of LightLord of Light
T4 Lord of Light
Roger Zelazny · 1967
Open Library
Recommended byNaval Ravikant
20012001
T4 2001
Arthur C. Clarke · 1968
Open Library
Recommended byBertalan Meskó
Dune MessiahDune Messiah
T4 Dune Messiah
Frank Herbert · 1969
Open Library
Recommended byTim O’Reilly
The Andromeda StrainThe Andromeda Strain
T4 The Andromeda Strain
Michael Crichton · 1969
Open Library
Recommended byPatrick Collison
RingworldRingworld
T4 Ringworld
Larry Niven · 1970
Open Library
Recommended bySahil Lavingia
The Forever WarThe Forever War
T4 The Forever War
Joe Haldeman · 1974
Open Library
Recommended byBertalan Meskó
Children of DuneChildren of Dune
T4 Children of Dune
Frank Herbert · 1976
Open Library
Recommended byElon Musk
Rissa KerguelenRissa Kerguelen
T4 Rissa Kerguelen
F.M. Busby · 1976
Open Library
Recommended byTim O’Reilly
Foundation's EdgeFoundation's Edge
T4 Foundation's Edge
Isaac Asimov · 1977
Open Library
Recommended byPatrick CollisonElon Musk
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the GalaxyThe Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
T4 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Douglas Adams · 1979
Open Library
Recommended byRichard BransonElon MuskNaval RavikantSahil Lavingia
SphereSphere
T4 Sphere
Michael Crichton · 1980
Open Library
Recommended byEv Williams
God Emperor of DuneGod Emperor of Dune
T4 God Emperor of Dune
Frank Herbert · 1981
Open Library
Recommended byElon MuskSahil Lavingia
Heretics of DuneHeretics of Dune
T4 Heretics of Dune
Frank Herbert · 1984
Open Library
Recommended byElon Musk
Foundation and EarthFoundation and Earth
T4 Foundation and Earth
Isaac Asimov · 1986
Open Library
Recommended byElon Musk
Prelude to FoundationPrelude to Foundation
T4 Prelude to Foundation
Isaac Asimov · 1988
Open Library
Recommended byElon Musk
Forward the FoundationForward the Foundation
T4 Forward the Foundation
Isaac Asimov · 1993
Open Library
Recommended byElon Musk
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the SeaTwenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea
T4 Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea
Jules Verne · 2021
Open Library
Recommended byRichard Branson
Babel-17/Empire Star
T4 Babel-17/Empire Star
Samuel R. Delany
unverified
Recommended byTim O’Reilly
Caves of SteelCaves of Steel
T4 Caves of Steel
Isaac Asimov
unverified
Recommended byMatt Mullenweg
Chapterhouse
T4 Chapterhouse
Frank Herbert
unverified
Recommended byElon Musk
The Foundation TrilogyThe Foundation Trilogy
T4 The Foundation Trilogy
Isaac Asimov
unverified
Recommended byStewart Brand
The Naked SunThe Naked Sun
T4 The Naked Sun
Isaac Asimov
unverified
Recommended byMatt Mullenweg
The Notebooks of Lazarus Long
T4 The Notebooks of Lazarus Long
Robert A
unverified
Recommended byTim Ferriss

Experts 26

The people who wrote this page's books, and the people who recommend them.

Recommenders 26

Elon Muskrecommends 16 books here
SL
Sahil Lavingiarecommends 7 books hereStewart Brandrecommends 6 books herePatrick Collisonrecommends 5 books here
DA
Delian Asparouhovrecommends 4 books hereNaval Ravikantrecommends 4 books hereTim O’Reillyrecommends 4 books hereMatt Mullenwegrecommends 3 books hereMarc Andreessenrecommends 2 books here
BM
Bertalan Meskórecommends 2 books hereEv Williamsrecommends 2 books hereJeff Bezosrecommends 2 books here
Show all 26
Richard Bransonrecommends 2 books hereTim Ferrissrecommends 2 books herePaul Grahamrecommends 1 book hereBrad Feldrecommends 1 book here
KK
Kevin Kellyrecommends 1 book hereAdam Gazzaleyrecommends 1 book here
AC
Andrew Chenrecommends 1 book here
AA
Austen Allredrecommends 1 book here
BS
Balaji S. Srinivasanrecommends 1 book hereBill Gatesrecommends 1 book hereDemis Hassabisrecommends 1 book herePeter Diamandisrecommends 1 book hereSam Altmanrecommends 1 book here
SB
Sophie Bakalarrecommends 1 book here
See all 26 in the Experts tab →

More science fiction: ← Space opera and space exploration · Cyberpunk, near future and dystopias → · All science fiction