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Astonishing Victorian-Era Golf Book Predicted Bullet Trains and TelevisionDid you hear about the curious little book, first published in 1892, that predicted bullet trains, digital watches, television and women's liberation and other wonders decades before they came to pass? It's a book that burst into the news in January, 2005 when a rare first edition was sold at auction for more than $2,000. The oddest thing about the book is that it is not a work of science fiction, as we would generally understand that term, nor some obscure tome of religious prophecy. Instead it's a novel about, of all things, golf. Written by a 19th-century professional Scottish golfer named J. McCullough, about whom little is known, "Golf in the Year 2000; or, What We Are Coming To" also predicted the advent of golf carts and international golf contests. Published under McCollough's pen name, J.A.C.K., the book chronicles the adventures of a character named Alexander Gibson who falls into a deep sleep in 1892. He awakens 108 years later into a world, where, among other things, women dress like men, run businesses and hold most of the top positions in government. Gibson also learns, to his considerable delight, that women do all the work in this society while men play golf full time. Upon being informed of this, he cries out that it's "the dream of my former existence come true! I am, indeed, a lucky man to see it. ... The world is evidently getting things ship-shape. ... Oh, how I would like to wake up some of my old chums. I know a few who would appreciate the arrangement." But Gibson finds that his beloved golf has been radically transformed as well. He must adjust to the existence of driverless golf carts, golf clubs that automatically register their user's score and jackets that yell "Fore!" whenever the golfer begins to swing. He finds the jackets to be particularly annoying, but it's the rule at every club in Britain: you can't play unless you wear one. He also watches -- via a television-like device that works through an elaborate mirror arrangement -- a golf competition between Britain and the United States, much like the Ryder Cup (an event which did not begin until 1927). And, he learns that wars have ceased, at least among the European nations, because international disputes are now settled by ... golf matches. One thing about golf hasn't changed, Gibson reflects following a round of golf in which he emerges the victor--and has to listen to his defeated opponent grousing about bad luck. "The same old excuses, I thought. Among all those inventions, surely they might have got something new in that line." The main character's adventures in the year 2000 also include taking a ride in an underground tubular railway, familiarly called the "tub," and reading about a London-to-New York speed record of two hours and 32 minutes, achieved by a bullet-type train traveling underneath the Atlantic Ocean. Little things, too, amaze him: He no longer has to shave every day; instead, he brushes a miraculous compound of some sort over his cheeks once a week and this is sufficient to keep down his beard. Similarly, he employs a hairbrush that keeps his hair at whatever length he prefers, so he never needs to visit a barber (which is good, since barbers no longer exist). The appeal of "Golf in the Year 2000" is perhaps stronger today than it was when it was first published. Golfing fans enjoy it for its humorous commentary on the sport as practiced in the 19th century and in the "future" (our present). General readers have fallen in love with it, too. Not only is it fun to go through it count author McCullough's hits and misses on the predictive front, the book is suffused with a Victorian charm treminiscent of a Sherlock Holmes story. Now, the world is rediscovering this little gem of a book. In January of 2005, news services reported that an American collector named James Espinola had paid $2,240 at auction for a first edition of "Golf in the Year 2000". Although Espinola is in the process of selling off his own immense collection of golf memorabilia, he was quoted as explaining that he can't resist buying the occasional "odd thing" at auction--and this was one of those things. The Edinburgh auction house of Lyon and Trumbull had estimated that the book would fetch less than a quarter of what it ended up bringing. The firm's golf specialist was quoted as saying that the final price took them "a bit by surprise." Although original editions of the book are rare, it has occasionally been reprinted in facsimile editions. No one thought to make it available to the vast audiences of the World Wide Web, though, until recently. On February 26, 2005, a little over a month following the news about the auctioned first edition, "Golf in the Year 2000" made its debut on the Web at www.golf-in-the-year-2000.com. The full text of this strange and engaging book is finally available for anyone, anywhere to read, free of charge. At the conclusion of the book, the main character declares that he does not intend to wake up and find himself back in 1892 again, with his amazing adventure having all a dream. "No, no; I'm in 2000, and in 2000 I mean to stay." Like him, the quirky tale of his adventure seems to have found a secure place in our time. Other articles by this author »
About Steve Smith
Steve Smith is a writer and editor living near Chapel Hill, North Carolina, in the United States. His Web sites include Tops 4 Tennis at www.tops4tennis.com and Golf In The Year 2000 at www.golf-in-the-year-2000.com. Related
And here is another random article you might be interested in... Don't Let Your Personal Loan Become A Personal MoanMost of us have been in a position at some point when we simply have had insufficient funds to pay for something. This could be car insurance/repairs, course fees, holiday, Christmas presents, electrical items or even the weekly shopping. According to Credit Action, 2.4 million personal loan agreements were recorded in the first quarter of 2005, totalling £13.5 billion. The national debt education charity reported that 30% of the personal loans were for cars, 24% for home improvements and 20% for debt consolidation. The total outstanding balance for personal loans reached £93 billion by March 2005. Personal loans can help you out of a difficult period when cash-flow is restricted, but don't go for the first one you find or you may find that your loan becomes a lifetime commitment and lifetime strain. There are numerous personal finance comparison websites available for personal loans including moneynet, moneyfacts and lowermybills. In their consumer loans guide, moneynet advise that as a general rule of thumb, the more you borrow â€" the cheaper the rate of interest. For example, a loan of £1,000 may carry an interest rate as high as 20% - reportedly justified by the lenders because of the relatively high administration costs associated with arranging a loan. For larger personal loans, lenders might only charge interest rates of around 6%. Personal loans fall into two categories: secured and unsecured. Unsecured personal loans are the most popular, as secured loans may jeopardise the borrower's property or other asset. Secured loans are arranged on the assumption that the borrower puts up a form of security to the lender, typically the borrower's property. This allows the lender to take ownership of the asset should loan repayments be jeopardised. Whilst the prospect of losing your home may seem like a major disadvantage, the benefits of a secured loan often allow you to borrow more money at a lower rate of interest. Despite such benefits however, most people are reluctant to lose their home and therefore take out unsecured loans because of this. When reviewing personal loans and researching the cheapest loan on offer, you should be aware that you need to investigate the terms and conditions, as well as the annual percentage rate (APR). Note that if your credit history is poor â€" then the terms of the loan may reflect this. Do your homework on redemption penalties and any other charges which might be associated with your loan. Some lenders will also offer payment breaks (deferred payment) either at the beginning of the loan period, or perhaps during the term, but again read the terms and conditions and check that excessive interest will not accumulate over any break periods. Personal loans in the UK are governed by the Consumer Credit Act 1974, but remember that you are ultimately responsible for borrowing a given sum of money and that once you sign a credit agreement, you are bound by the terms and conditions. If you are finding the repayments challenging, always tell the lender as soon as possible and remember that any loan repayment problems are likely to be captured in your credit record/history, which will later impact on any other borrowing. Resources: Other articles by this author »
About Rachel Lane
Rachel writes for the personal finance blog Cashzilla: http://www.cashzilla.co.uk. Related
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