History Repeats

George Oliver SmithProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

Rating 3.2

Word count: 25K 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. History Repeats by George O. Smith. Author: Smith, George O. (George Oliver), 1911-1981. Language: English. Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature. Release Date: Dec 17, 2007

Editor's review

History Repeats is an English-language science fiction work by George O. Smith, available as a free eBook from Project Gutenberg. Smith was an American science fiction writer active in the mid-twentieth century, known for brisk plots and speculative technological premises; the title itself points to the familiar science fiction motif of history repeating. As a public-domain short story, its value lies less in rigorous futurology than in showing how genre writers of the era used speculative narrative to discuss the repetitiveness of society and history. The reading experience is relatively light, suitable for reading in segments during commutes or spare moments, and also useful as practice material for reading science fiction in the original English. Because it lacks modern annotations or an introduction, readers who want deeper understanding will need to fill in the author's and era's background themselves. Overall, this is a supplementary read well suited to science fiction fans looking to broaden their reading range.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in the theme of historical recurrence who want to read early science fiction short stories
Readers with intermediate English proficiency who want to try science fiction in the original
eBook readers collecting public-domain science fiction from Project Gutenberg
Office workers who need light English reading in fragmented time

Not a good fit for

Readers expecting rigorous historical argument or academic analysis
Beginners who struggle with English reading and need Chinese annotations
Readers who prefer long continuous narratives and deep character development

Reading tips

Read in short segments during commutes or other fragmented time, taking one small section at a time.
Before reading, learn the basic background of mid-twentieth-century American science fiction to better understand the premises.
As you read, note your own judgments on the question of whether history repeats.
After finishing, read works on similar themes and compare how different authors approach 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

What does "history repeats" in the title mean?

This is a common motif in science fiction, usually using plot premises to suggest that human society or historical processes fall into similar cycles. As an early short story, this book treats the idea more as a narrative starting point than as strict historical argument; readers can understand it as a speculative literary expression.

Is this book long? How long does it take to finish?

As an early science fiction short story from Project Gutenberg, it is relatively short; readers with intermediate English reading ability can usually finish it in several short sessions. Exact time varies by reader, so proceed at your own pace rather than trying to finish it in one sitting.

Will I fail to understand it without an introduction or annotations?

This edition includes no modern introduction or annotations, but the story is primarily narrative, so this generally does not hinder grasping the main thread. If you are unfamiliar with the author's background or the era's context, look up public biographical information on George O. Smith and an overview of mid-twentieth-century American science fiction before reading for a smoother experience.

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

George Oliver Smith Author · American · 1911–1981

George Oliver Smith (1911–1981) was an American science fiction writer and electronics engineer. Active during the Golden Age of science fiction in the 1940s, he is known for the "Venus Equilateral" series of space-communications-station stories, which often combine engineering detail with space adventure. The library holds 10 of his works, including Operation Interstellar, The Fourth R, History Repeats, Amateur in Chancery, Instinct, Highways in Hiding, The Troublemakers, and The Big Fix. Most of these are short stories or novellas dealing with interstellar communication, future societies, and the ethics of technology, reflecting his preference for exploring technological consequences from an engineer's perspective. Public information about his life and career is limited, but these works sufficiently show his distinctive place in Golden Age science fiction.