Man Made

Albert R. TeichnerProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

2.0

Word count: 21K words
Chapters: 3

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.Man Made by Albert TeichnerAuthor: Teichner, Albert,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: Mar 30, 2008

Editor's review

Man Made is a short English-language work by the American author Albert Teichner, published as a public-domain eBook by Project Gutenberg and classified under American and Canadian literature. In length and publication format it reads more like a science-fiction or speculative short story to be finished in one sitting than a substantial novel. The value of such public-domain short fiction lies in raising questions about "the man-made," "creation," and the boundaries of the human within a compact space, leaving readers room to think further; the language is English, with relatively direct sentences, making it suitable as supplementary material for English short-story reading practice or a science-fiction anthology. Note that the available information provides no plot details; readers should rely on the original text and not assume a particular storyline. It also serves as a small sample for understanding the mid-twentieth-century English-language short science fiction tradition.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers of English short fiction who want to finish a story in one sitting
Readers interested in science fiction and the ethics of "artificial" creations
Learners looking for free public-domain English reading material for extensive reading
Readers who want a small sample of mid-twentieth-century English-language short science fiction

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking a long, complex world and full character development
Beginners who want detailed background notes and an introduction
Readers who prefer Chinese and do not want to read the English original

Reading tips

Read through once without looking up words to grasp the overall premise and turns, then go back to the details.
After finishing, write down the core issues in three sentences to check whether you have grasped the author's intent.
Read it alongside other public-domain English short stories to compare how similar themes are handled.
If using it for English study, pick ten long sentences and break down their structure and retell them.

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.

FAQ

About how long is this work, and how long does it take to read?

The information does not give a specific word count, but given the usual form of public-domain short stories, it is better suited to one or two sittings than to a long novel read over many days. Set aside one uninterrupted reading session, read it through first, then go back, so that fragmented reading does not interrupt your understanding of the premise.

What genre is it? Is it science fiction?

The information only identifies it as an English literary work under American and Canadian literature and does not specify a genre. From the title "Man Made" and the short-story form, it may involve artificial creations or creation themes, but the specific genre and plot should be judged from the original text, not assumed in advance.

How difficult is the English, and what level is it suitable for?

As a mid-twentieth-century English short story, the language is usually somewhat more literary than contemporary popular fiction, but it is short and tightly structured, so readers with college English or intermediate reading ability can finish it with a dictionary. Beginners are advised to use notes or read it alongside a translation.

Does this edition have an introduction or notes?

This is a Project Gutenberg public-domain electronic edition, usually presenting the original text and not necessarily including a detailed introduction, notes, or author background. For deeper understanding, supplement the author's and period background yourself, or read it alongside other anthologies.

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About the author

Albert R. Teichner Author · American

Albert R. Teichner was an American science fiction writer active in the magazine science fiction scene of the 1960s and 1970s. Public information about him is limited, and few details of his life have circulated; he is known to have been a World War II veteran and to have held a master's degree from Columbia University. In 1960 he published his first story, "Man Made," in Amazing Stories, and he later contributed to If, The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, and Damon Knight's Orbit anthology series. His work consists mainly of short stories, with four titles held in the collection, including The Junkmakers, Cerebrum, and Sweet Their Blood and Sticky. His fiction often features strange conceits and a cool, detached tone, making him a noteworthy minor author within the American science fiction magazine ecosystem of that era.