Imagined Futures: Writing, Science, and Modernity in the To-Day and To-Morrow Book Series, 1923-31

This study provides a comprehensive history and analysis of the To-Day and To-Morrow series of 110 books, published by Kegan Paul Trench and Trübner from 1923 to 1931. The series featured contributions from notable writers such as J. B. S. Haldane, Bertrand Russell, Vernon Lee, Robert Graves, Vera Brittain, Sylvia Pankhurst, Hugh MacDiarmid, James Jeans, J. D. Bernal, Winifred Holtby, and André Maurois. The study explores the series' interest, history, and range, discussing its key concerns, tropes, and influence. It emphasizes science and technology as a subject and method, applied to other disciplines, and as a source of metaphors for representing other domains. The argument aims to reinstate the series as a vital contribution to the writing of modernity and reappraise modernism's relation to the future, establishing a body of progressive writing that projects human futures rather than mythic or classical pasts. It also reveals the nature and practices of modern futurology through the series.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 448 pages
Publication date: 08 June 2023
Publisher: Oxford University Press

This extensive study offers the first comprehensive historical examination and analysis of the renowned To-Day and To-Morrow series, consisting of 110 books published by Kegan Paul Trench and Trübner (and E. P. Dutton in the USA) from 1923 to 1931. The series invited writers to select a specific topic, explore its present state, and predict its future trajectory. Contributors to this remarkable project included renowned figures such as J. B. S. Haldane, Bertrand Russell, Vernon Lee, Robert Graves, Vera Brittain, Sylvia Pankhurst, Hugh MacDiarmid, James Jeans, J. D. Bernal, Winifred Holtby, André Maurois, and numerous others.

The study seamlessly blends a comprehensive account of the series' interest, history, and wide-ranging themes with a thoughtful exploration of its central concerns, tropes, and profound influence. At its core, the argument revolves around science and technology, not only as the subject matter of numerous volumes but also as a methodological approach—particularly through the lens of the human sciences—applied to various disciplines. Furthermore, the series serves as a rich source of metaphors for representing other domains, enriching the discourse on modernity.

Imagined Futures: Writing, Science, and Modernity endeavors to reclaim the significance of the To-Day and To-Morrow series by restoring it to its rightful place as a vital contribution to the writing of modernity. It also seeks to reevaluate modernism's relationship with the future, establishing a progressive body of writing that moves beyond the discourses of post-Darwinian degeneration and post-war disenchantment. Instead, it projects human futures, offering a vision for a better tomorrow. Moreover, the series sheds light on the nature and practices of modern futurology itself, providing valuable insights into the field.

In conclusion, this study is a groundbreaking exploration of the To-Day and To-Morrow series, offering a comprehensive account of its historical significance and analyzing its profound impact on the writing of modernity. Through its meticulous examination of the series' themes, concerns, and influence, it establishes the To-Day and To-Morrow series as a vital contribution to the progressive discourse of the 20th century. By reclaiming its place in the canon of modern literature, Imagined Futures: Writing, Science, and Modernity contributes to our understanding of the past, present, and future, inspiring us to envision a brighter and more promising world.

Weight: 662g
Dimension: 157 x 235 x 33 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780198886440