Time Enough at Last: Classic Book Guide and Free Edition
Time Enough at Last: author and translator credits, catalogue synopsis, subjects and links to the Gutenberg reading formats.
Time Enough at Last is catalogued by Project Gutenberg with author credits for Venable, Lyn.
Catalogue synopsis
Project Gutenberg supplies this automated synopsis of the opening text:
"Time Enough at Last" by Lyn Venable is a short story originally published in the January 1953 issue of IF Worlds of Science Fiction. The narrative follows the theme of human desire and the ironic twists of fate, particularly focusing on one man's longing for solitude and time to indulge in reading. The story explores post-apocalyptic consequences where characters find their ambitions and desires confronted by the harsh realities of survival. The plot centers around Henry Bemis, a bespectacled bank teller with a strong yearning to read books, often thwarted by his demanding life and overbearing wife, Agnes. After a catastrophic event reduces the world to ruins, Henry emerges from the destruction to find himself in a desolate landscape, bereft of civilization and loved ones. Initially overwhelmed by sorrow for those lost, he soon discovers the remnants of a library, filled with books he has longed to read. In a moment of bittersweet triumph, Henry settles down to read, only to accidentally break his glasses, rendering him unable to see the text before him. This poignant twist emphasizes the irony of finally achieving his dream, only to have it slip through his fingers, underscoring the story's themes of longing, loss, and the futility of human desire in the face of overwhelming circumstance.
Book and edition facts
- Title: Time Enough at Last
- Author credits: Venable, Lyn
- Catalogue language: English
Catalogue subjects
- Books and reading -- Fiction
- Nuclear warfare -- Fiction
- Science fiction
- Short stories
Gutenberg collections
- Category: American Literature
- Category: Science-Fiction & Fantasy
- Category: Short Stories
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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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