The First Man on the Moon: Classic Book Guide and Free Edition
The First Man on the Moon: author and translator credits, catalogue synopsis, subjects and links to the Gutenberg reading formats.
The First Man on the Moon is catalogued by Project Gutenberg with author credits for Coppel, Alfred (1921–2004).
Catalogue synopsis
Project Gutenberg supplies this automated synopsis of the opening text:
"The First Man on the Moon" by Alfred Coppel is a science fiction short story written in the mid-20th century. The narrative revolves around John Thurmon, a character who is consumed by the ambition of being the first human to land on the moon, yet his journey is tainted by a crime—he has murdered his friend Wayne to ensure that he alone achieves fame. The story intertwines themes of ambition, isolation, and the psychological toll of achieving one’s dreams at any cost. In the story, John Thurmon finds himself alone on the lunar surface following the crash landing of his rocket, having killed his companion Wayne to secure his legacy as the first man on the moon. As he revels in his triumph, he struggles with the reality of his actions and the fear of dying alone. The story takes a dark turn when Thurmon's sense of victory is shattered by the uncanny appearance of Wayne’s corpse, a manifestation of his guilt and madness. Ultimately, Thurmon's mental state deteriorates as he confronts the consequences of his ambition, leading to a tragic and violent climax that underscores the destructive nature of his obsessive quest for glory.
Book and edition facts
- Title: The First Man on the Moon
- Author credits: Coppel, Alfred (1921–2004)
- Catalogue language: English
Catalogue subjects
- Murderers -- Fiction
- Science fiction
- Short stories
- Space flight to the moon -- Fiction
Gutenberg collections
- Category: Crime, Thrillers and Mystery
- Category: Science-Fiction & Fantasy
- Category: Short Stories
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View the complete Gutenberg catalogue record. Project Gutenberg identifies this edition as public domain in the United States; that designation does not establish its copyright status in every country.
Source notes
Catalogue metadata is public domain and is supplied through Gutendex, which imports Gutenberg's machine-readable catalogue. The automated synopsis is source-supplied, not an independently verified review. Author dates above describe the credited people; no ebook release date is presented as the book's original publication date.
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