The Man from Time

Long, Frank Belknap, 1903-1994Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.0

Word count: 29K 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.The Man from Time by Frank Belknap LongAuthor: Long, Frank Belknap, 1903-1994,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: Jul 15, 2009

Editor's review

The Man from Time is a work by American author Frank Belknap Long, available in Project Gutenberg's free eBook library. Long was active in twentieth-century American popular fiction and science fiction, and his work often carries a fantastical and speculative flavor. The English original is short and serves as an accessible introduction to early American science fiction short stories. Its value lies less in an grand world-building than in experiencing the narrative rhythm and imaginative mode of mid-twentieth-century science fiction writing, offering some reference for the study of popular literature and the evolution of the science fiction genre. The electronic edition is produced by Project Gutenberg, with formatting suited to screen reading and to reading in fragments during commutes or before sleep. As a public-domain English text, it lacks modern annotations and an introduction, so readers need basic English reading ability and a willingness to fill in the historical context themselves. Overall, this is a small book suited to readers curious about early science fiction and inclined to browse casually, rather than a classic demanding close reading.

Who it's for

A good fit for

English-language readers interested in early American science fiction short stories
Science fiction fans who want light English-original reading practice
Readers studying twentieth-century popular literature and genre evolution

Not a good fit for

Readers who prefer a Chinese translation and are uncomfortable with the English original
Readers expecting grand modern science fiction settings and hard science fiction technology
Beginners who need detailed annotations and an introduction to understand the text

Reading tips

Read through once to grasp the plot, then revisit how the time setting resonates with the characters' motivations.
Note unfamiliar vocabulary as you read and look it up afterward, combining language learning with reading.
Pair it with an overview article on early science fiction to better understand the work's historical context.

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

Is this book in Chinese or English?

According to the available information, this is the English original, released by Project Gutenberg and labeled as English. Readers need basic English reading ability. The available information does not indicate a Chinese translation.

What is Project Gutenberg?

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, founded by Michael Hart in 1971, and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies. This book is one of the public-domain eBooks released by the project.

Is this book suitable for science fiction beginners?

It can serve as light introductory reading, but it is the English original without modern annotations, so it better suits readers who already have some English reading ability and are curious about early science fiction. If you have never read English science fiction, it is advisable to start with an anthology that includes an introduction.

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About the author

Long, Frank Belknap, 1903-1994 Author

Frank Belknap Long (1903–1994) was an American writer of science fiction and fantasy. Public information about him is limited, and the details of his life are not widely known to Chinese readers. Seven of his works are held in this collection: The Mississippi Saucer, The Calm Man, Space Station 1, The Sky Trap, The Man from Time, The Man the Martians Made, and Mars is My Destination. Judging from these titles, his writing often centers on space stations, Mars, time travel, and alien visitors, combining science fiction adventure with fantasy imagination. His plots are tightly paced, and he excels at building suspense and a sense of wonder within short formats. Some works touch on supernatural and weird themes, reflecting his interest across both science fiction and fantasy. His work is representative of mid-twentieth-century American popular science fiction magazine culture and is still mentioned by genre readers and researchers.