#256 Thanasphere- Kurt Vonnegut

#256 Thanasphere- Kurt Vonnegut

“…a short story, because of its physiological and psychological effects on a human being, is more closely related to Buddhist styles of meditation than it is to any other form or narrative entertainment.”

The second and last collection of short fiction by Kurt Vonnegut, Bagombo Snuff Box, is his stories which appeared in magazines. This was the hey-day of magazine writing. Households would have subscriptions to dozens of magazines and these small fictions would be entertainment for the whole family.

Because of the large scale number of these magazines and stories, much of what was printed was of relatively low value, probably the same value as what’s on TV. Sure there maybe a good show here and there, but most of it was blind entertainment. Vonnegut, however became a sought after voice in post-war American letters, so this collection should be fun.

We begin with Thanasphere (dead space so to speak), a tale about the first manned space craft as it orbits the earth. It was launched for military purposes, but when reports come back from its pilot Major Rice, all he can do is talk about the voices he hears, voices of dead people talking in the cosmos.

Vonnegut taps into the age’s imagination like no one else. Space, the great unknown. What is out there and how does it effect us? Great thought often happens before we know the truth of such mysteries…and with it, interesting fiction.

Notable Passage: “Maybe that was the spirit of this era of the atom bomb, H-bomb, God-knows-what-next-bomb—to be amazed at nothing.”

Rating: 7-7-8-7 Total= 29

#86 Oh, to be a Blobel!- Philip K. Dick

#86 Oh, to be a Blobel!- Philip K. Dick

George was a spy during the war between humans and Blobels, large amoeba-like single celled creatures occupying Mars, and Titan. To become this spy, he was converted into Blobel form. Since the war he has not been able to stop the uncontrolled conversions and remains a Blobel for almost half his existence.

“…for almost twelve hours a day, he reverted…to his old war-time Blobel shape. To a formless unicellular-like blob, right in the middle of his own apartment.”

Because of this, he is unable to live a normal human life. His homeostatic robot psychoanalyst has a great idea and recommends that George get together with Vivian. She is a Blobel and spied on humans during the war, and like Gorge converts to her spy form uncontrollably. Since they are the same form 7 hours a day and are equally outcasts in their community, the pairing makes sense.

Both of them “are outcasts in either civilization; both of [them] are stateless and hence gradually suffering a loss of ego-identity.”

They marry, and have 4 children…one full Blobel, one full human and two hybrids. The tension on their marriage and their burgeoning business is immense. The end has a great vintage O.Henry twist to it.

Notable Passage: “Pete, I cant go on. I have a gelatinous blob for a child.”

Rating: 7-8-8-8 Total= 31

#74 What the Dead Men Say- P.K. Dick

#74 What the Dead Men Say- P.K. Dick

It’s the year 2075, the world’s richest man lies dead, in frozen suspended animation. His smart but uneducated PR man, Johnny Barefoot, is supposed to bring him back to life. But they fail to revive him back to “half-life”, the pre-cursor to full re-animation.

However, the most powerful man in the world becomes the most powerful man in the afterlife. The voice of Louis Sarapis suddenly appears to be emanating from a light-week away right outside the solar system.  These post-mortem transmissions give instructions to Barefoot and his grand-daughter, the drug addict religious heir to his communications empire. His power grows and all communication systems broadcast remnants of Sarapis, his voice, his shadowy image, knocking out any ability for real-time communications. 

His aim appears to be political, of course, and he moves to elect his long-time ally from beyond the grave.  Intrigue, conspiracy, dead-men talking…all sorts of fun here. There were several fun tid-bits.   Dick foresees the inevitable merger of the Democratic and Republican parties into one duopoly. Also interesting was when Sarapis supposedly communicates with the living by remotely typing out a message, it was described as “Got a text”.  I’m guessing that 1964 is probably the earliest use of that phrase in that context. 

Notable Passages: “Burial is barbaric…remnant of the primitive origins of our culture.”

Being dead- “It was dreamlike. I don’t mean vague or unreal. I mean the logic, the weightlessness; you see, that’s the main difference. You’re free of gravity. Its hard to realize how important that it, but just think how many of the characteristics of the dream derive from that one fact.”

Rating: 7-10-9-8 Total= 34