# Need Help Finding Science Fiction Book Cover **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 3, 2013, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-finding-science-fiction-book-cover/645905 "2013-01-03T01:06:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-finding-science-fiction-book-cover/645905/1 "2013-01-03T01:06:30Z")
I’m pretty sure this was from the late 1980s or 1990s. It depicted an immense amount of space garbage, forming a Saturn-like ring around the Earth. In the foreground you could make out individual items, but in the distance they blended into a mass. This was a paperback book cover (standard size, not trade) from some major publisher, like Del Rey. I don’t recall the title or the artist, but need to get hold of an image of the cover, and my searches are coming up blank. I’d appreciate any help. If you turn up similar covers from elsewhere I’d be interested, too. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-finding-science-fiction-book-cover/645905/2 "2013-01-03T01:39:05Z")
Possibly “The Garbage Chronicles” by Brian Herbert? ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-finding-science-fiction-book-cover/645905/3 "2013-01-03T01:48:13Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > If you turn up similar covers from elsewhere I’d be interested, too. How about [this](http://www.isfdb.org/wiki/images/5/52/DDLLTTRDMW1970.jpg)? An older cover for _Deadly Litter_ by James White. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-finding-science-fiction-book-cover/645905/4 "2013-01-03T02:41:50Z")
Neither of those is the one I recall, but “Deadly Litter” is the sort of image I’m looking for. Thanks to you both! ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-finding-science-fiction-book-cover/645905/5 "2013-01-03T20:10:01Z")
Bump! Because I still haven’t found the book cover I was looking for. And I can always use other examples ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_A.Robrin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sam_a.robrin/32/14497_2.png) [@Sam\_A.Robrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_A.Robrin)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-finding-science-fiction-book-cover/645905/6 "2013-01-04T20:09:19Z")
[1970 7-Up Commercial "Cola-hearted Woman" - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyy56zx3iho) ? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-finding-science-fiction-book-cover/645905/7 "2013-01-04T20:11:12Z")
> [@Sam\_A.Robrin](#): > > [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyy56zx3iho](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyy56zx3iho) ? Was this meant for the 7 Up thread? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-finding-science-fiction-book-cover/645905/8 "2013-01-04T20:13:23Z")
I recall some book from the 80s about the return to earth of a human cloned from the remains of some space explorers. The earth had been surrounded by space junk making atmospheric entry difficult. I don’t recall the cover, but it may have fit the bill. Unfortunately I don’t recall any other details of the book. If I can reach my BIL he may remember, I’m sure he gave me the book. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-finding-science-fiction-book-cover/645905/9 "2013-01-04T21:07:36Z")
I think I know the book in question as I remember it being a choice in the Science Fiction Book club. The name is escaping me. If it is the book I am thinking of, the title doesn’t reference the fact that there is so much junk around the Earth, spaceflight is impossible. It was just a plot detail but it had a cover like you describe. Unfortunately I don’t have the book I just remember the cover and that plot point. I tried Googeling but no luck. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-finding-science-fiction-book-cover/645905/10 "2013-01-04T22:47:08Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > I recall some book from the 80s about the return to earth of a human cloned from the remains of some space explorers. The earth had been surrounded by space junk making atmospheric entry difficult. I don’t recall the cover, but it may have fit the bill. Unfortunately I don’t recall any other details of the book. If I can reach my BIL he may remember, I’m sure he gave me the book. With that clue, I found it i think. Pohl’s Homegoing [Homegoing: Frederik Pohl: 9780345339751: Amazon.com: Books](http://www.amazon.com/Homegoing-Frederik-Pohl/dp/0345339754) ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-finding-science-fiction-book-cover/645905/11 "2013-01-04T22:51:11Z")
> [@Andy\_L](#): > > With that clue, I found it i think. Pohl’s Homegoing [Homegoing: Frederik Pohl: 9780345339751: Amazon.com: Books](http://www.amazon.com/Homegoing-Frederik-Pohl/dp/0345339754) That is the book I’m thinking of. I don’t know if that’s the picture Cal is looking for though. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-finding-science-fiction-book-cover/645905/12 "2013-01-04T23:24:54Z")
> [@Andy\_L](#): > > With that clue, I found it i think. Pohl’s Homegoing [Homegoing: Frederik Pohl: 9780345339751: Amazon.com: Books](http://www.amazon.com/Homegoing-Frederik-Pohl/dp/0345339754) That’s the book I was thinking of too! ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_A.Robrin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sam_a.robrin/32/14497_2.png) [@Sam\_A.Robrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_A.Robrin)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-finding-science-fiction-book-cover/645905/13 "2013-01-04T23:43:15Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Was this meant for the 7 Up thread? Yes, it was. You were supposed to get this picture: [![](http://trashotron.com/agony/images/2008/08-reviews/melko-singularitys_ring.jpg) ](http://trashotron.com/agony/images/2008/08-reviews/melko-singularitys_ring.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2013, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-finding-science-fiction-book-cover/645905/14 "2013-01-05T00:26:01Z")
> [@Andy\_L](#): > > With that clue, I found it i think. Pohl’s Homegoing [Homegoing: Frederik Pohl: 9780345339751: Amazon.com: Books](http://www.amazon.com/Homegoing-Frederik-Pohl/dp/0345339754) that is indeed the one I started this thread to find. Many thanks, all. And to **Andy L** in particular. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2013, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-finding-science-fiction-book-cover/645905/15 "2013-01-06T00:55:54Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > that is indeed the one I started this thread to find. > Many thanks, all. And to **Andy L** in particular. Glad to help - but I wouldn’t have come up with it without the plot reminder from Tripolar. P.S. **Dendarii Dame** reminds me that we have a copy of this book on our shelf.