It's All Yours

Sam Merwin Jr.Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

2.5

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.It's All Yours by Sam MerwinAuthor: Merwin, Sam, 1910-1996,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: Jun 21, 2009

Editor's review

Sam Merwin was a prolific author in mid-twentieth-century American genre fiction, and It's All Yours carries the typical temperament of a short story from the pulp magazines of that era: it enters the situation quickly, keeps character relationships tight, and drives the plot through a core premise or unexpected twist. The title has a light, even ironic ring, and the story often creates tension between everyday life and extraordinary events, making for an easy yet lingering read. As a public-domain eBook reissued by Project Gutenberg, it comes without a modern introduction, so readers face the text directly. Its value lies not in grand narrative but in offering a sample for observing the narrative rhythm and reader tastes of the old magazine era. It suits short trips, lunch breaks, or bedtime reading, and is also suitable for readers interested in early American popular literature, science fiction, or fantasy short stories to dip into at leisure. After reading, consider: how did the author set up, turn, and close the story within a limited space? That skill still has reference value for short story writing today.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who like fast-paced short stories and seek immediate reading pleasure
Enthusiasts interested in twentieth-century American pulp magazine literature
Writing students who want to study short story twist techniques
Readers who need lightweight public-domain eBooks to fill fragmented time

Not a good fit for

Readers who prefer long-form immersive narrative and complex worldbuilding
Readers who need detailed notes or scholarly introductions to assist reading

Reading tips

Read through the plot the first time, then notice where the author plants the seeds of the twist the second time.
After reading, summarize the core premise in a few sentences to train the ability to dissect short story structure.
Read alongside other public-domain short stories from the same era to compare narrative rhythms.

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 suitable for readers who have never encountered early science fiction?

Yes. The story is short and enters the situation quickly, without relying on complex prior knowledge. Readers need only accept the somewhat direct narrative style of the old magazine era to finish it smoothly and appreciate its interest.

Are there period limitations that need special attention?

As a mid-twentieth-century popular genre work, it may carry expression habits and character setups common to that era. When reading, treat it as a period text and focus on narrative technique rather than judging it by contemporary standards.

What is the difference between the Project Gutenberg edition and a commercial edition?

The Project Gutenberg edition is a public-domain eBook that provides the original text, usually without a modern introduction, notes, or cover design. Its advantages are that it is free, portable, and directly readable; its shortcoming is that readers must supply background knowledge themselves.

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About the author

Sam Merwin Jr. Author · American · 1910–1996

Sam Merwin Jr. (1910–1996) was an American science fiction and mystery writer and editor, born in Plainfield, New Jersey, and a graduate of Princeton University. From 1945 to 1951 he edited the magazines Astonishing Stories and Thrilling Wonder Stories, and under the anonymous persona of "Sergeant Saturn" he wrote commentary and columns that helped raise the literary standards of science fiction magazines of the time. His own fiction spans science fiction and mystery, with representative works including The House of Many Worlds and The Final Figure. Six of his works are held in the collection, among them The Ambassador, A World Apart, The Final Figure and Judas Ram, whose themes often involve otherworldly settings and suspenseful mystery. He died in Los Angeles in 1996. Public information on his life and writing is limited and remains to be further organized.