I just love this book. I like to re-read every couple of years. It's my favorite of Clarke's work, followed by Rendezvous with Rama.

I would love to see it included in secondary education required reading lists.

I read it when I was 20. At the time it "spoke" to me as I desperately wanted to go anywhere but where I was.

Years later, I found similar appreciation for Steinbeck's Travels With Charley.