In Tales for Commuters & Other Time Travelers all readers are metaphysical commuters through time and experience; and in the new millennium's overbooked modernity these bluesy, zen-like stories, ranging in reading time from one minute impromptus to quarter-hour stories, offer wide-ranging reflective pleasure, both whimsical and serious, during the kaleidoscopic betwixts and betweens of our daily lives.
During WWII my father kept a diary during his 300 combat hours and 81 missions as a decorated P-47 fighter pilot in England. This book celebrates and honors my father and mother's participation in that difficult time. The screenplay Hunters in the Fog looks into the mysteries of luck and fate in war. Why is it certain pilots, regardless of their refined skills in war, fall victim to death, chopped short in youth? My father turns over that question in his diary. He notes the near misses to himself and other pilots, the mysterious accidents, the horror of fiery death and the strange beauty and suspense of aerial warfare. With his advice, and inspired in part by the classic characters of Dumas' The Three Musketeers, we fashioned a similar set of personalities who must survive 300 hours of deadly aerial combat to complete their tour of duty.
In 'Sci-Fi Classics of Fritz Leiber - 21 Time Travel & Dystopia Stories', Fritz Reuter Leiber showcases his mastery of science fiction through a collection of thought-provoking tales that delve into complex themes of time travel and dystopian societies. Leiber's literary style is both imaginative and reflective, drawing readers into futuristic worlds filled with technological wonders and moral dilemmas. Each story offers a unique perspective on the consequences of society's advancements and the human condition, making this collection a must-read for fans of speculative fiction. These stories are not just entertaining escapades, but also serve as a commentary on the potential pitfalls of unchecked progress and the existential questions that arise from manipulating time and reality. Leiber's keen insight into human nature and his skillful storytelling make this compilation a standout in the science fiction genre, showcasing why he is regarded as a pioneer in speculative fiction. Fans of classic science fiction and those interested in exploring the ethical implications of scientific advancements will find 'Sci-Fi Classics of Fritz Leiber' a captivating and enlightening read.
Musaicum Books presents to you this unique collection, designed and formatted to the highest digital standards and adjusted for readability on all devices. Contents:The Big TimeThe Creature from Cleveland DepthsThe Night of the Long KnivesA Hitch in SpaceA Pail of AirThe Moon is GreenLater Than You Think Nice Girl with Five HusbandsNo Great MagicAppointment in TomorrowBread Overhead Bullet with His Name The Big Engine Coming Attraction X Marks the PedwalkKreativityFor Kats Time in the Round A Bad Day for Sales DrKometevsky s Day The Last Letter Yesterday House
Brings together commentaries from a wide range of contributors who draw on their specialist areas of research to inform current debate on the shaping of the city, and speculate as to how cities will be shaped in the 21st century.
A history of audiobooks, from entertainment & rehabilitation for blinded World War I soldiers to a twenty-first-century competitive industry. Histories of the book often move straight from the codex to the digital screen. Left out of that familiar account are nearly 150 years of audio recordings. Recounting the fascinating history of audio-recorded literature, Matthew Rubery traces the path of innovation from Edison’s recitation of “Mary Had a Little Lamb” for his tinfoil phonograph in 1877, to the first novel-length talking books made for blinded World War I veterans, to today’s billion-dollar audiobook industry. The Untold Story of the Talking Book focuses on the social impact of audiobooks, not just the technological history, in telling a story of surprising and impassioned conflicts: from controversies over which books the Library of Congress selected to become talking books—yes to Kipling, no to Flaubert—to debates about what defines a reader. Delving into the vexed relationship between spoken and printed texts, Rubery argues that storytelling can be just as engaging with the ears as with the eyes, and that audiobooks deserve to be taken seriously. They are not mere derivatives of printed books but their own form of entertainment. We have come a long way from the era of sound recorded on wax cylinders, when people imagined one day hearing entire novels on mini-phonographs tucked inside their hats. Rubery tells the untold story of this incredible evolution and, in doing so, breaks from convention by treating audiobooks as a distinctively modern art form that has profoundly influenced the way we read. Praise for The Untold Story of the Talking Book “If audiobooks are relatively new to your world, you might wonder where they came from and where they’re going. And for general fans of the intersection of culture and technology, The Untold Story of the Talking Book is a fascinating read.” —Neil Steinberg, Chicago Sun-Times “[Rubery] explores 150 years of the audio format with an imminently accessible style, touching upon a wide range of interconnected topics . . . Through careful investigation of the co-development of formats within the publishing industry, Rubery shines a light on overlooked pioneers of audio . . . Rubery’s work succeeds in providing evidence to ‘move beyond the reductive debate’ on whether audiobooks really count as reading, and establishes the format’s rightful place in the literary family.” —Mary Burkey, Booklist (starred review)
