Elegy: Classic Book Guide and Free Edition
Elegy: author and translator credits, catalogue synopsis, subjects and links to the Gutenberg reading formats.
Elegy is catalogued by Project Gutenberg with author credits for Beaumont, Charles (1929–1967).
Catalogue synopsis
Project Gutenberg supplies this automated synopsis of the opening text:
"Elegy" by Charles Beaumont is a science fiction short story written in the early 1950s. The narrative unfolds aboard a space vessel, where Captain Webber and his crew, after running out of fuel and drifting aimlessly in space, discover what seems to be a city on an asteroid. The story explores themes of reality and illusion as the crew confronts their situation, wondering about the implications of finding a familiar yet impossible environment far from Earth. As they make a harrowing landing on the asteroid, the crew encounters a peculiar little man named Mr. Greypoole, who reveals that they are in a place called Happy Glades, a cemetery designed to replicate the conditions of life for the deceased. Each household and setting they observe is a mere imitation meant for the long-lost guests who have passed away, trapped in a façade of normalcy. The narrative delves into existential questions as the crew grapples with the realization that this so-called paradise is nothing more than a complex machine designed to keep the dead in a state of unchanging bliss. In a climactic turn, the story culminates in the captain's tragic understanding of their situation, leading to an exploration of the themes of life, death, and the consequences of desire for escape from reality.
Book and edition facts
- Title: Elegy
- Author credits: Beaumont, Charles (1929–1967)
- Catalogue language: English
Catalogue subjects
- Science fiction
- Short stories
Gutenberg collections
- Category: Science-Fiction & Fantasy
- Category: Short Stories
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View the complete Gutenberg catalogue record. Project Gutenberg identifies this edition as public domain in the United States; that designation does not establish its copyright status in every country.
Source notes
Catalogue metadata is public domain and is supplied through Gutendex, which imports Gutenberg's machine-readable catalogue. The automated synopsis is source-supplied, not an independently verified review. Author dates above describe the credited people; no ebook release date is presented as the book's original publication date.
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