Farmer cover

Farmer

Rating 3.0
Word count
62K words
Chapters
7

Tags

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Farmer by Mack ReynoldsAuthor: Reynolds, Mack, 1917-1983,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: Apr 19, 2016

Editor's review

"Farmer" is a short story by the American science fiction writer Mack Reynolds, released as a free eBook through Project Gutenberg. Reynolds wrote prolifically for the pulp science fiction magazines, and his work often carries social satire and speculation about the future. The title points to farming and a future-society setting, making this a good sample of mid-twentieth-century American short science fiction. The eBook is easy to obtain and the story is short enough to finish on a commute or in spare moments, and it also works as an entry point to reading science fiction in English. As you read, notice how the author uses an everyday occupation to carry his imaginings of future social structure.

Who it's for

A good fit for

  • Readers interested in mid-twentieth-century American short science fiction
  • Learners who want to practice extensive reading with short science fiction in English
  • Readers who enjoy science fiction built on social satire

Not a good fit for

  • Readers who prefer long, series-based worldbuilding
  • Readers who need a Chinese translation and do not want to read the English original

Reading tips

  1. Read through once for the plot, then go back to the social satire the author has planted
  2. Read it alongside other short science fiction from the same period to get a feel for the era's style
  3. After reading, jot down a few thoughts on the "farming and the future" setting to deepen your understanding

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

Contents

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5
  6. 6
  7. 7

FAQ

Can I read this without having read other Reynolds works?
Yes. It is a standalone short story and does not depend on any earlier series. Not knowing the author's life does not get in the way of understanding the story; if you like the style, you can go on to compare it with his other short stories.
Is this hard science fiction or social science fiction?
Judging by the title and the author's usual bent, it is closer to popular science fiction known for social settings and satire than to hard science fiction built around technical detail. Readers need no specialist knowledge; just focus on the characters' situation and the social structure.

Comments

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About the author

Mack Reynolds (1917–1983) was an American science fiction writer, born Dallas McCord Reynolds. Because public information is limited, no speculation is made here about his early life or education. The collection holds twenty-five of his works, including I’m a Stranger Here Myself, The Common Man, Happy Ending, Dogfight—1973, Black Man’s Burden, Off Course, Summit, and Ultima Thule. These titles suggest that he excelled at short stories and novellas, often addressing social issues, race relations, political conflict, and future warfare. His titles are frequently blunt and ironic, his narratives tight, and he makes effective use of suspense and reversal to discuss real-world problems within the framework of popular science fiction. His work appeared mainly in mid-twentieth-century science fiction magazines and has had some influence on later socially engaged science fiction.

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