Alan E. Nourse Books in Order

A dangerous predator's power depends on its surroundings in this short science-fiction tale. Nourse turns the contrast between jungle survival and modern urban life into a question about what happens when familiar advantages no longer apply.

Two teenagers from opposing sides of an interplanetary dispute form an unlikely friendship on Titan. As exploited miners prepare to rebel against Earth, Tuck and David must confront divisions their parents seem unable to overcome.

In a future society consumed by addiction, gambling, and irrational behavior, Jeffrey Meyer pursues a private obsession. His determination to kill Paul Conroe drives him onward even as the world around him slides into madness.

A starship crew fears its celebrated commander has lost his judgment when he diverts a routine voyage to an unexplored world. Their destination is Wolf IV, a planet from which no previous visitor has returned alive.

The Hunter brothers search the asteroid belt for a mysterious fortune amid the dangers of space mining. Their pursuit leads beyond a simple prospecting venture toward a discovery that could reshape humanity's future among the stars.

An alien graduate of Earth's medical training program struggles to secure a place aboard a patrol ship. His ambition to become a physician tests a system unwilling to offer him the opportunities available to human classmates.

Earth and its spacefaring descendants prepare for a war that could destroy them both. An alien warning forces Ben Trefon to reconsider their conflict and the strange inheritance that may hold humanity's last chance of survival.

Writing as Doctor X, Nourse records a young doctor's hospital internship week by week. The diary follows the pressures and realities of medical training, offering an inside view of hospital practice and the responsibilities of caring for patients.

Three related science-fiction stories explore psychic abilities in a collection framed by the author's prologue and epilogue. The Martyr, Psi High, and Mirror, Mirror bring together Nourse's interest in extraordinary minds and the worlds around them.

Journeys across Mercury, visitors from another dimension, and hazardous work on Venus fill this collection of science-fiction adventures. Nourse moves between suspense and humor as explorers and ordinary people encounter the consequences of unfamiliar worlds and technologies.

Nourse traces the development of physics from ancient Greek inquiry through classical discoveries and Einstein’s theories. Explanations of scientific methods, electricity, light, relativity and atomic phenomena connect changing ideas about matter with the larger history of the universe.

Nourse introduces Mercury and Venus, describing the characteristics of the planets nearest the Sun. Their relationship to Earth provides a point of comparison for readers beginning to explore the variety of worlds in our solar system.

Organized around the body's systems and the illnesses that affect them, this family reference explains health concerns for household readers. Its broad survey brings together information intended to support understanding of illness and care at home.

A guide for young readers who want to observe the night sky from home. Nourse introduces backyard astronomy as an activity readers can undertake themselves, connecting an interest in the heavens with practical observation rather than distant professional observatories.

Teenager Billy Gimp obtains illegal medical supplies for a surgeon treating people excluded from official health care. Their underground work places both of them at risk in a future society that tightly controls access to treatment.

Written for campers, hikers and backpackers, this guide discusses medical preparation, common outdoor hazards and care when professional help is distant. It combines preventive measures with practical explanations of the health problems that can interrupt a journey outdoors.

An introduction to asteroids traces their discovery and explains what scientists have learned about their nature. Nourse considers theories of their origins alongside the continuing investigations that seek to understand these objects in our solar system.

Nourse brings medical and psychological interests to a collection of science-fiction stories, including An Ounce of Cure and The Dark Door. Other tales explore strange encounters and altered perspectives through characters facing unsettling possibilities beyond everyday experience.

Nourse examines acne, explaining its origins and approaches to treatment for readers concerned about their skin. Related discussions of dandruff, body odor, and tanning place common skin concerns within a broader introduction to personal health.

This introduction to childhood illnesses explains how bacterial, viral, and other diseases develop and how their symptoms are recognized. Discussions of treatment, vaccination, and immunization help readers understand both illness and efforts to prevent it.

Nourse introduces viruses through the history of their discovery and the diseases they cause. Explanations of vaccines and ongoing research show how scientists investigate these infectious agents and attempt to limit their effects on human health.

An introduction to dental health explains caring for teeth and the role diet plays in keeping them healthy. Nourse also discusses braces, helping young readers understand why they are used and what they are intended to accomplish.

Nourse traces the history of vitamins and explains the roles they play in the body. An account of their importance and dietary sources introduces readers to the relationship between these nutrients, everyday food, and health.

Nourse explains injuries involving bones, joints, cartilage, tendons, and ligaments, distinguishing the damage that different accidents can cause. Descriptions of treatment and healing help readers understand what happens as the body recovers from these injuries.

An introduction to hormones explains how the body produces the chemical substances that regulate its vital activities. Nourse describes their functions, giving readers a foundation for understanding the internal processes that coordinate the body's work.

Nourse explains the menstrual cycle and its place in a person's life, including irregularities and their treatment. A glossary supports readers learning the medical vocabulary used to describe menstruation and the changes associated with it.

Nourse introduces Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune in a survey of the solar system's giant outer planets. The book focuses on these distant worlds as subjects for readers beginning to learn about our planetary neighborhood.

Nourse explains the body's immune defenses and what happens when they work normally, react too strongly, or fail. An introduction to immunology research connects these processes with scientists' efforts to understand the body's protection against disease.

A virulent pneumonic plague spreads from Washington state while bureaucratic paralysis hampers the national response. Four unconventional specialists struggle to contain the epidemic as the infection races ahead of the institutions meant to protect the public.

This account of the AIDS epidemic examines its suspected origins, symptoms, and characteristics as understood when it was written. Nourse also addresses public fears and misconceptions alongside the contemporary search for an effective cure.

Nourse recounts suffering a heart attack during an elk hunt and undergoing bypass surgery. His experience as both physician and patient frames a personal account of recovery and an examination of developments in treating heart disease.

Janice Phelps and Alan Nourse present their argument that some addictions originate in inherited metabolic conditions. They connect that theory with a practical recovery program, offering an account of dependence centered on underlying physical factors.

An introduction for teenagers explains human reproduction and the purposes of contraception. Nourse compares birth-control methods, their effectiveness, and their limitations, helping readers understand the choices and tradeoffs described in this historical health guide.

Written for teenagers, this guide introduces sexually transmitted infections including gonorrhea, chlamydia, herpes, syphilis, and AIDS. Nourse discusses ways of reducing exposure, placing prevention alongside explanations of the diseases covered in this historical health resource.

Nourse introduces radio astronomy and explains how scientists use it to investigate the universe. The book presents this branch of astronomy as another way of gathering information about space and understanding the objects beyond Earth.

A guide for pregnant teenagers explains fetal development and the foundations of prenatal care. Brown and Nourse discuss nutrition, exercise, and medical attention, connecting the baby's development with the expectant mother's health during pregnancy.

Addressing teenagers' questions and fears, Nourse explains AIDS and how the infection spreads. The guide focuses on prevention and on helping young readers understand the risks described in the context of the emerging epidemic.

Nourse examines dangers teenagers may encounter, from substance abuse and drinking and driving to depression and unwanted pregnancy. The guide pairs discussion of these hazards with approaches young people can consider to avoid dangerous situations.

Nourse introduces sexually transmitted diseases, explaining their treatment and the measures used to prevent them. The book gives readers an overview of these infections and the relationship between understanding disease, seeking care, and reducing transmission.

An introduction to viruses examines different kinds of these infectious agents and the body's defenses against them. Nourse connects the study of viruses with the protective responses that help the body resist the threats they pose.

This collection gathers Nourse's science-fiction stories from the 1950s, including The Coffin Cure, Contamination Crew, and Second Sight. Medical speculation and encounters with unfamiliar worlds run through tales drawn from his work in genre magazines.

Returning to Earth after years in space, Tam discovers that being a Sharkie closes doors everywhere. Denied work and ordinary services, he is driven toward a desperate choice by a society that refuses to accept him.

Flicker wants to communicate with the aliens, but they regard him as a threat to eliminate while they can. Their attempt to kill him overlooks qualities that may transform a hostile encounter into something neither side expected.

The possibility of becoming two versions of himself promises one man an escape from his problems. But dividing a life raises a more unsettling question: which version will retain the identity he considers his own?

Advanced medical procedures promise dramatically longer lives, but surviving beyond an ordinary lifespan brings unexpected difficulties. Nourse examines how renewed life can unsettle a person's identity, relationships, and place in a society transformed by medical progress.

An alien scout arrives on Earth to assess humanity's telepathic defenses before an invasion. Human psychics may be the planet's best protection, yet prejudice against their abilities threatens the effort to confront the intruder.

Test pilot Scotty Johnson prepares to make the first crewed journey to the Moon, concealing fear beneath his confidence. Alone inside the spacecraft, he must confront memories of past failures as the dangerous launch approaches.

Scientist Bob Benedict experiments with transporting matter through a dangerous parallel realm inhabited by the Thresholders. When its residents turn against Earth, he must return to their world and prevent them from dismantling his planet.