Crichton, Michael

The Terminal Man

ISBN: 0394447689
New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf, 1972. First Edition. Hardcover. "In his first novel since The Andromeda Strain, Michael Crichton once again combines documentary verisimilitude with hair-raising suspense to open up for the reader a new area of modern science: surgical-electronic mind control. The man "in the hands of science"- the Terminal Man- is Harry Benson. He is a violent paranoid who has already twice attempted to kill. Against the profound opposition of his psychiatrist, a team of surgeons proposes to connect his brain to a computer that will regulate his behavior. From the conflict among the doctors, to the actual operation itself- during which forty wires are attached to forty points in Benson's brain- to the functioning of the computers, to the terrifying results when Benson escapes from the hospital, the tension rises as the reader becomes a close-up witness to an experiment just short of the ultimate computer control of a human being." (from front flap) the popular, critically acclaimed second novel (under his own name) by Michael Crichton (1942-2008), the award-winning, prolific & beloved American author. As with some of his other blockbuster novels including The Andromeda Strain (1969) & Jurassic Park (1990), this novel was made into a successful film version starring George Segal as Benson (1974). Hardcover in unclipped first-issue dust jacket (with $6.95 price printed at front flap, "5/72" at rear flap), "Published May 1, 1972/ First and Second Printings Before Publication" as stated on copyright page. From the collection of Barbara (1935-2023) & Irving (1933-2018) Nusbaum- world travellers, connoisseurs, eminent collectors of art & books- the dearly beloved parents of this grieving writer. An essential, indeed iconic Crichton collectible in its rarest contemporary form, with distinguished provenance. Book in relatively quite very fine condition with only a touch of rubbing to front, back covers & spine (silver-gilt lettering at spine mostly bright & intact); very slight wear, fading & a few tiny bumps, creases at edges & corners of same; slight bending of spine toward front; light browning, occasional spotting to side & lower edges of text block; mild rubbing, faint scratching & a hint of fading to yellow-dyed upper edge of same. Interior very fine with previous seller's small price sticker affixed at/near blank upper right corner of illustrated front paste-down; very light browning at blank margins/edges of page leaves. Dust jacket (again relatively) fine with light rubbing, browning & faint scratching to front, back covers, spine & flaps; a bit of wear & some tiny bumps, creases at edges & corners of same; one very short, closed vertical tear from upper spine-edge; medium-size angled crease from middle of upper back cover edge to left edge. Very Fine / Fine. [Item #6462]

Price: $100.00