New Hire

Dryfoos, Dave, 1915-2003Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

2.5

Word count: 13K words
Chapters: 2

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.New Hire by Dave DryfoosAuthor: Dryfoos, Dave, 1915-2003,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: Sep 23, 2010

Editor's review

New Hire is a short science fiction story by Dave Dryfoos published in the mid-twentieth century and made available as a free electronic edition by Project Gutenberg. Taking a new employee's first day at work as its entry point, the work has the irony and twist endings common to the science fiction of its time; it is short and briskly paced, suitable as a sample of early science fiction magazine style. Its value lies not in grand world-building but in its light narrative presentation of tensions among organizations, technology, and individuals, with moments that bring a knowing smile. Because it was written early, some technological imaginings and gender roles bear the marks of their era; readers can view it as a slice of science fiction history. It is suitable for reading in one sitting during a commute or in spare moments, and can also serve as a reference example for short science fiction writing, showing how to set up a premise and deliver an ending twist within a limited length.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who enjoy classic short science fiction and brisk reading experiences
Enthusiasts studying the style and themes of mid-twentieth-century science fiction magazines
Office workers who want to finish a complete story in spare moments
Beginners in short science fiction writing, for observing structure and period expression

Not a good fit for

Readers who prefer hard science fiction settings and rigorous technical extrapolation
Readers expecting long-form character development and complex world-building
Readers sensitive to the era-bound expressions in early works

Reading tips

Read it in one sitting and note the details the author plants before the ending twist.
After reading, compare it with contemporary short science fiction to see how workplace themes are handled.
Note the text's imagining of technology and organizations, and consider which elements have become reality and which remain fiction.
If using it for writing study, break down the proportion of space given to the opening setup and the closing resolution.

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 novel long or short?

It is a short story, not long, and can be read in one sitting. The story revolves around a new employee's first day at work, moves quickly, and has a twist ending; it is typical of mid-period science fiction magazine short stories and does not require a long commitment.

What science fiction elements does the story involve?

The work is set against a workplace and organization and features the irony and imagination common to the science fiction of its time; the specific premise should not be revealed in advance, so as not to spoil the reading experience. Overall it leans toward light twist narrative rather than hard technical extrapolation, and readers can enter it with a relaxed attitude.

What is the reading experience of the electronic edition like?

The Project Gutenberg edition is a free electronic text with clean formatting, suitable for reading on a phone or e-reader. As a public-domain edition, it is advisable to use software that supports adjustable font size and night mode; it is convenient for commuting or bedtime reading, and keywords can also be searched directly to revisit foreshadowing.

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About the author

Dryfoos, Dave, 1915-2003 Author

Dave Dryfoos (1915–2003) is an author about whom public information is limited, and few details of his life have been recorded. Judging from the seven works held in the collection, his writing ranged widely: titles such as Tree, Spare that Woodman, Journey Work, Waste Not, Want, Seller of the Sky, New Hire, Bridge Crossing, and Uniform of a Man often carry an allegorical flavor and an attention to everyday life, moving between humanity and nature, labor and exchange, travel and identity. These concise titles, frequently built on proverbs or idioms, suggest a plain and understated narrative style. Lacking biographical and critical materials, it is difficult to establish his background or literary standing, yet the number of works and the care taken with their naming indicate a writer who kept producing and sought to convey insights into life through simple images.