The Last Days of L.A.: Classic Book Guide and Free Edition
The Last Days of L.A.: author and translator credits, catalogue synopsis, subjects and links to the Gutenberg reading formats.
The Last Days of L.A. is catalogued by Project Gutenberg with author credits for Smith, George H. (George Henry) (1922–1996).
Catalogue synopsis
Project Gutenberg supplies this automated synopsis of the opening text:
"The Last Days of L.A." by George H. Smith is a science fiction short story written in the late 1950s. The narrative explores the psychological and social ramifications of living under the impending threat of nuclear annihilation, focusing on a protagonist grappling with dread and existential despair in a decaying Los Angeles. The story serves as a reflection on the dark undercurrents of human nature amidst the backdrop of a world on the brink of destruction. The plot centers on an unnamed narrator who is haunted by nightmarish visions of nuclear devastation, exacerbated by his daily encounters with a group of disillusioned friends. As tensions rise in the world around them, their conversations shift between irony and cynicism about life and death. In the face of a chaotic society fueled by violence and fear, the protagonist oscillates between a desire to engage with the world and a longing to escape its horrors. Ultimately, he attempts to awaken the populace to the imminent threat they all face, only to be violently rebuffed, highlighting the futility of individual efforts in a collective state of denial. The work encapsulates the psychological weight of living during a nuclear age, filled with dark humor and bleak insight into human existence.
Book and edition facts
- Title: The Last Days of L.A.
- Author credits: Smith, George H. (George Henry) (1922–1996)
- Catalogue language: English
Catalogue subjects
- Alcoholics -- Fiction
- Cold War -- Fiction
- Los Angeles (Calif.) -- Fiction
- Nightmares -- Fiction
- Nuclear weapons -- Psychological aspects -- Fiction
- Science fiction
- Short stories
Gutenberg collections
- Category: American Literature
- 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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