EVANS, Idrisyn Oliver. The World of To-Morrow. A Junior Book of Forecasts. 163 pp. With 24 transparent "Diophane" illustrations. 8vo., bound in original publisher's translucent "Rhodoid" boards over original wrappers, yellow cloth spine, in mylar jacket. London: D. Archer, 1933.

First and Only Edition of this remarkable, visionary work in which the author prophesizes and illustrates with transparent "Diophane" plates, the future uses of solar power, wind generators, tidal generators, "railplanes," a "road-liner" (shades of Bel-Geddes), mid-ocean airports, an artificial planet, cities designed by Le Corbusier, firemen's protective gear, bizarre farming mechanisms, scary "offices of the future" (visions of Orwell's "1984"), radiographic forgery detectors, lie detector tests, anti-gas Rayguns, a "World League of Peace" (foretelling the United Nations), a "Super-Calculator" (a proto-computer) and much more.

The South African born Idrisyn Oliver Evans (1894-1977) also worked as a UK civil servant and editor. "His first book of Science-Fiction reference was the nonfiction The World of Tomorrow (1933), about the possible future inventions, partly illustrated with reproductions of artwork from SF magazines, and thus - almost accidentally - the first anthology of SF illustration. He later specialised in the works of Jules Verne, many of which he translated, beginning in 1958; some of these were reprinted by Ace Books. Evans wrote Jules Verne and his Work (1965) and edited Science Fiction through the Ages 1 and Science Fiction through the Ages 2 (both 1966)" (John Clute & Peter Nicholls, The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction).

The back cover boasts of the book's ultra-modern construction: "This is the first attempt to bring book construction into line with modern requirements... The binding is on the 'Neo-Nevett Tape Slot' principle... With THE BOOK OF TO-MORROW the jacket, which was soon destroyed, has become an integral part of the binding. The covers are made of translucent 'Rhodoid' on which the design has been printed, and this can be given any colour effect of variety of expression by the use of suitable endpapers. The yapp fore-edge also protects the book from wear and the whole cover is stainless and washable" (!). Rare: only 3 copies are located in RLIN: Smithsonian, Berkeley, and Wolfsonian Foundation. The plastic covers have bowed, and some plates are slightly crinkled, but nevertheless a very attractive copy of an extremely scarce book..