Double Take

Wilson, Richard, 1920-1987Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.0

Word count: 22K 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.Double Take by Richard WilsonAuthor: Wilson, Richard, 1920-1987,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: Sep 22, 2009

Editor's review

Double Take is a short science fiction work by Richard Wilson, published as a public-domain ebook under the category of American literature. Wilson was a science fiction author active in the mid-twentieth century, and his work is often marked by lean storytelling and slightly ironic premises. This piece centers on a suspenseful core idea; it is brief and briskly paced, well suited to being read in one sitting on a commute or in spare moments. A product of the early science fiction magazine era, it retains the directness and ingenuity characteristic of short fiction from that period. It offers reference value for readers studying the short science fiction tradition and a light, enjoyable experience for fans of classic short science fiction. It should be noted that the work dates from an earlier era, and some of its attitudes and expressions bear the marks of their time; readers would do well to appreciate its inventiveness as genre fiction rather than judge it by contemporary standards. Overall, it is a light read suited to those new to classic short science fiction and to anyone curious about the early look of the genre.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who enjoy classic short science fiction and want a quick, easy read
Fans and scholars of the mid-twentieth-century science fiction magazine tradition
Commuters and readers who prefer short fiction in spare moments
Newcomers who want a sense of early science fiction premises and narrative style

Not a good fit for

Readers expecting lengthy world-building and deep character development
Readers sensitive to the era-bound attitudes and expressions of early science fiction
Readers who prefer strongly literary, finely crafted prose

Reading tips

Best read in one sitting; avoid consulting too much background beforehand so as to preserve the suspense
After finishing, revisit the key premise passages to appreciate the craft of the short form
For research on science fiction history, read alongside other stories from the same period and take notes
When reading in spare moments, try to finish in one go so as not to break the rhythm of suspense

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 story long? How long does it take to read?

It is a short science fiction work, brief enough to finish in a single reading. It suits commutes, lunch breaks, and other spare moments, and works as a short bedtime read too. Reading it in one sitting is recommended to preserve the full effect of its suspenseful premise and avoid interrupting the pace.

Can I understand it without a background in science fiction?

Yes. The premise is direct and the narrative brisk, and it does not depend on an extensive prior world-building, so newcomers can follow along. If you rarely read early science fiction, try it first as a suspenseful short story, then think about what lies behind its premise; understanding will come more fully that way.

Is this book connected to the author's other works?

From the available information, this is a standalone short work, with nothing to suggest it forms a series with the author's other writing. It can be read on its own without worrying about missing prior context. If you like the style, look for Wilson's other public-domain short stories to get a further sense of his narrative manner.

Comments

Find this book

This site is an index: you start “Search all sources” in your browser, and the entries it lists all point to third-party sites; please judge their availability yourself.

About the author

Wilson, Richard, 1920-1987 Author

Richard Wilson (1920–1987) was a science fiction author active in the mid-twentieth century. Public information about his life and nationality is limited, and what can be confirmed consists mainly of the several works he left behind. Five of his titles are held in this collection: The Inhabited, Traveling Companion Wanted, Back to Julie, And Then the Town Took Off, and Double Take. Judging from these titles and their usual classification, his writing consists largely of science fiction and fantasy short stories or novellas, often drawing readers in with suspenseful, light-toned narratives that involve strange visitors, encounters while traveling, and peculiar transformations of a town and its surroundings. Although Wilson did not enter the central view of mainstream science fiction history, his works remain useful examples for studying the character of genre literature of his time.