The Old Goat

Fontenay, Charles L., 1917-2007Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

2.5

Word count: 5.3K words
Chapters: 1

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 Old Goat by Charles L. FontenayAuthor: Fontenay, Charles L., 1917-2007,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: Jun 7, 2019

Editor's review

The Old Goat is a short science fiction work by Charles L. Fontenay (1917–2007), released in 2019 by Project Gutenberg as a public-domain e-book. Fontenay was active in mid-twentieth-century American science fiction magazines, and this story has the typical pulp science fiction feel: a simple setup, concentrated conflict, and an ending that often turns on a light twist. The "old goat" of the title is not a folksy touch but the core device that drives the plot, and readers gradually learn what it means as they read. It is short enough to finish in one sitting and serves as a sample of the late Golden Age science fiction short story. The pleasure lies not in a grand world-building but in the author's ability to establish suspense and resolve it quickly within a limited space. For readers familiar with magazine science fiction of that era, it is easy nostalgia; for new readers, it is a low-threshold entry to the genre. Note that the work is old and its scientific assumptions reflect the knowledge of the time, so it should not be judged by today's standards; the original is in English, and the public-domain e-book is plainly typeset with no notes or introduction.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who want a short story as an introduction to classic science fiction magazine style
Commuters who prefer short works they can finish in one sitting
Writers and enthusiasts studying mid-twentieth-century American science fiction short stories
Casual readers who like simple setups and endings with a twist

Not a good fit for

Science fiction readers expecting hard science or lengthy world-building
Readers who need a Chinese translation or detailed notes and an introduction
Readers of serious fiction who prefer literary depth and psychological characterization

Reading tips

Read it in one sitting and avoid reviews or discussion of the ending beforehand so the twist lands.
Watch for details planted early on; looking back from the ending reveals how they connect.
If you enjoy it, seek out other short stories Fontenay published around the same time and compare his usual methods.
Read it as a genre sample and pay attention to how length is controlled and suspense built.

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 genre is this story?

It is a short science fiction story in the style of mid-twentieth-century American science fiction magazines: short, tightly focused, and built around a plot twist, with the typical features of pulp science fiction of the time. It is not a long epic work; the reading threshold is low, and it suits genre beginners or casual reading.

Do I need to know the author's background before reading?

No. The work itself is short and self-contained, and it can be understood on a direct reading. Fontenay was active in the science fiction magazines of the time; knowing this helps with the style but is not a prerequisite.

What does the old goat in the title refer to?

The "old goat" is the story's core device and is directly tied to how the plot unfolds; its specific meaning is revealed in the reading, and explaining it in advance would spoil the pleasure. Go in without assumptions and the author's intent becomes clear at the key moment.

What is the public-domain e-book like to read?

The Project Gutenberg edition is set in plain text, with no cover design, notes, or introduction; the font and paragraph formatting are simple, but the text is complete. It is suitable for reading on an e-reader or phone; if you want polished typesetting or notes, look for another edition.

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About the author

Fontenay, Charles L., 1917-2007 Author

Charles L. Fontenay (1917–2007) was an English-language writer known mainly for his short science fiction, though public information about his life and nationality is limited; what can be confirmed is chiefly his work itself. The library holds fifteen of his works, including The Jupiter Weapon, Service with a Smile, Rebels of the Red Planet, The Gift Bearer, Family Tree, Wind, Disqualified, and Atom Drive. Judging from these titles, he excelled at setting ingenious science-fictional premises within a limited narrative span, often involving planetary adventure, future technology, and human relationships. His tone tends toward light humor or satire, his plots are tight, and his endings frequently carry an unexpected twist. His stories appeared mostly in mid-twentieth-century science fiction magazines, making him an active participant in the popular short science fiction of that era. In the absence of complete biographical material, his literary standing should not be overestimated, yet his short stories are still read by science fiction enthusiasts today.