First and Last Men
is by Olaf STAPLEDON
not Stephanson
I repeat STAPLEDON STAPLEDON STAPLEDON STAPLEDON STAPLEDON

Here's a page about Stapledon's works:

http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Forum/1938/olaf.html

Here's a link to the
W. Olaf Stapledon Society
A peculiar webpage by a fanatic fan of
Stapledon's book, StarMaker
http://www.netside.net/~szot/OSS.html

I admit that the only Stapledon book I
read was Odd John, which is a touching
and brilliant story about a mutant
superman and a strong critique
of humanity's shortcomings. But judging
by that book and what I know of
Stapledon's other works, he was a writer
who still casts a long shadow on SF