The Gallery

Rog PhillipsProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

2.8

Word count: 37K words
Chapters: 4

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.The Gallery by Rog PhillipsAuthor: Phillips, Rog, 1909-1965,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: Oct 16, 2008

Editor's review

Rog Phillips was a mid-twentieth-century American writer for popular science fiction magazines, and The Gallery is a public-domain electronic text of one of his short works on Project Gutenberg. According to the metadata, it is a science fiction story under American literature, short in length and bearing the typical features of magazine science fiction of its era: a premise comes first, the plot is tight, and some strange idea or technological device drives the narrative. For those studying the ecology of early science fiction magazines, the craft of the short story, or American popular literature, this work can serve as a sample, showing how authors of the time quickly built suspense and closed within limited space. Do not expect lengthy world-building; it is better read as a magazine-style story that can be finished in an hour or two, noting its conceptual premise and narrative pace. Since the metadata provides no specific plot, do not over-infer details; readers unused to old popular science fiction may find the characters and dialogue somewhat functional.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in mid-twentieth-century American magazine science fiction
Literature students studying the structure and premises of early short science fiction
Readers who want a complete short story for fragmented reading time
Ebook enthusiasts collecting public-domain science fiction texts

Not a good fit for

Readers who prefer lengthy world-building and complex character arcs
Modern readers impatient with old popular science fiction idiom
Researchers seeking author biography and systematic criticism

Reading tips

Read it through in one go, then look back at how the opening plants the core premise to appreciate how the short story closes.
While reading, notice how the technological or conceptual premise drives the characters' actions rather than expecting fine psychological portrayal.
For research, read it alongside magazine science fiction of the same era and compare conventions of opening and ending.
The English original is limited in length; read with notes or background to reduce obstacles from period vocabulary.

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?

The metadata gives no word count, but since it was released separately by Project Gutenberg as a magazine short story, it is of short-story length and can usually be read in an hour or two. Exact page or word count requires checking the electronic text itself.

Is it hard science fiction or another type?

The metadata labels it only as science fiction under American literature and does not specify a subgenre. Given the common forms of mid-twentieth-century magazine science fiction, it likely drives the plot with a strange premise or technological idea; do not assume it is strictly hard science fiction.

Do I need to know the author's other works first?

No. This is a standalone short story, and the metadata does not suggest any continuity with the author's other works. Read it directly; if you are interested in the author's era and the magazine science fiction background, consult literary history separately.

What should I note when reading the electronic edition?

The text is a public-domain ebook from Project Gutenberg and may contain differences in layout or transcription. For casual reading this matters little; for citation or research, check the original page images or a reliable edition.

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About the author

Rog Phillips Author · American · 1909–1965

Rog Phillips (1909–1965), pen name of Roger Phillip Graham, was an American science fiction writer born on February 20, 1909, in Spokane, Washington. He was active in science fiction magazines during the 1940s and 1950s, publishing mainly in outlets such as Amazing Stories and known for his short fiction. Seven of his works are included in the collection, among them The Old Martians, Unthinkable, The Gallery, The Unthinking Destroyer, Tillie, Ye of Little Faith, and Cube Root of Conquest. His notable short story "The Yellow Pill" was nominated for a Hugo Award, and he also wrote the fan commentary column "The Club House." Public information on his life and full body of work is limited, and existing accounts center on these magazine short stories, the award nomination, and his science fiction fan activities.