The Science of Love and Other Writings

Charles Cros was a French writer and inventor who made work that was grounded in literature and science. The Science of Love and Other Writings brings together all of his literary prose, including proto-science-fiction stories, prose poems, an essay on methods of communication with other planets, and a patent application written with his brother for a notating keyboard. Cros's literary imagination was matched by his humorous scientific sobriety, and he is credited with submitting the earliest method for recording sound.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 160 pages
Publication date: 02 April 2024
Publisher: Wakefield Press

An enigmatic polymath of fin-de-siècle Paris, Charles Cros created work that seamlessly merged literature and science. The Science of Love and Other Writings presents, for the first time in English, all of his literary prose. This collection encompasses proto-science-fiction stories, prose poems, an essay on interplanetary communication methods, and a patent application co-authored with his brother for a (never-built) notating keyboard. Cros's literary imagination was matched by the humorous scientific sobriety he introduced into his literature, particularly evident in the title piece, "The Science of Love," which vividly depicts a young scientist's meticulous seduction of a woman for scientific analysis. Other notable stories include "The Newspaper of the Future," which presents a 19th-century vision of artificial intelligence, and "The Stone Who Died of Love."

Charles Cros (1842–88) was a French writer and inventor. While he is credited with submitting the earliest method for sound recording, his invention of the "Paleophone" was overshadowed by Thomas Edison's patent for the phonograph less than a year later. Cros's contributions to the field of sound recording, despite being overshadowed by Edison's later invention, remain significant in the history of technology. His innovative ideas and advancements paved the way for future developments in audio recording and playback.

Weight: 142g
Dimension: 114 x 181 x 12 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781939663955