The Space Plague (A.M. Lightner)
First published in 1966, The Space Plague is a true sci-fi classic. A.M. Lightner (later known as A Lightner Hopf) puts forward a very entertaining tale. make sure to check the full size image of the cover as the 60′s art is pretty awesome.
A group of science students are hand picked to go to the planet Acoma and study the native insect population. field trips like this are rare and being chosen is a true honor. Acoma has been settled in a pioneer fashion for only a short time, so not much is known about it.
Barnaby Finch and Jenny Jethro are two of those students. Finch specializes in Beetles; Jenny in butterfly’s.
Shortly after their arrival, a plague breaks out in the sparsely populated southern continent. In classic Teen sci-fi manner, the students are integral in determining the cause of the plague and saving all the Acona pioneers. they dont have much choice after all, the planet is in quarantine until a solution is found.
This book was really enjoyable. it clocked in at a measly 156 pages, but due to the subject matter and approach, it felt longer. Lightner showed great skill in developing the story and allowing a reader with good logic skills (like the characters) the ability to figure out the ending in advance. unlike other books, this is not a negative, instead, if feels like an accomplishment. the reader then is praised along with the characters.
- Pages: 156
- Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company (1966)
- ASIN: B000GS7WA2
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Info on Lightner is sparse on the internet. she is one of the unsung heroes of children’s sci-fi, so i will try to put a bit here for reference purposes. (photo to follow when i find one)
Info on Lightner is sparse on the internet. she is one of the unsung heroes of children’s sci-fi, so i will try to put a bit here for reference purposes. (photo to follow when i find one)
Alice Martha Lightner (Hopf) was born in Detroit, and graduated Vasser. Married with children, Lightner wrote her first book, ‘The Rock from Three Planets’ in 1963 while her son was growing up. She lived primarily in New York City, where she worked for an advertising agency as well as an Engineering Magazine.
Lightner as an amateur member of the Lepidopterists’ Society (butterfly society) she participated in some of the original Monarch butterfly migration tagging studies.
her body of work spanned both fiction as well as scientific papers and books.
She died 02/03/1988 and the new york times gave her a whopping 3 line obituary a month after she died…
I loved A. M. Lightner's books when I was a kid. I can't remember them very well now, but it is a testimont to her writing that I still remember some of the names of the books after 40 + years. And I was a voracious reader. Nice to see that someone else is appreciative. Thanks for the nice article.
ReplyDeleteThanks Johnny :)
ReplyDeletei kind of wondered if anyone else would even care, since many of her books are out of print.Even knowing one person found interest here made it worth while!
you are correct, 40+ years is truly a testament.
A couple months back, i quoted Cory Doctorow saying "[his] problem isn't piracy, it's obscurity". I think Lightner is a perfect example of an author who deserves some limelight, but instead, has been relegated to the dusty boxes of peoples garages.
I do care and I am glad that you took some time out to write about her. It was worth alot for me to see someone else be interested in her. She reigns in my heart-- along with John Christopher, Lloyd Alexander, Zenna Henderson. E. B. Nesbit and a big smattering of Ray Bradbury, Robert Heinlein and Clifford Simak-- as folks who made my childhood bearable.
ReplyDeleteI also liked her name when I was a kid. She definately was a wonderful light in children's literature, and should be in print. Such a shame that she is so unknown.
Can't wait to see a picture of her.
i am going to be making some trips to the library soon to see if i can locate a picture on a dust jacket. the internet has evidently failed us.
ReplyDeletemore to follow, hopefully!