To Each His Own: Classic Book Guide and Free Edition
To Each His Own: author and translator credits, catalogue synopsis, subjects and links to the Gutenberg reading formats.

To Each His Own is catalogued by Project Gutenberg with author credits for Sharkey, Jack (1931–1992).
Catalogue synopsis
Project Gutenberg supplies this automated synopsis of the opening text:
"To Each His Own" by Jack Sharkey is a science fiction narrative that was published in the early 1960s. The story revolves around a group of Venusians who make their first contact with Earth, only to discover an eerie and abandoned planet instead of the bustling civilization they expected. The narrative unfolds in a dystopian setting, exploring themes of communication, misunderstanding, and the fragility of life across different worlds. As the Venusians prepare for their mission, they land in Times Square, but they find the streets empty and silent. Despite their advanced technology and mission to establish peaceful contact with Earth’s inhabitants, they are met with a ghostly landscape devoid of life. As each member of the crew explores different continents, they encounter only the remnants of civilization and roaming carnivorous creatures. In their quest for answers, they theorize about the disappearance of Earth’s population, speculating on possible cataclysms or societal collapse. Ultimately, they uncover evidence suggesting a recent disaster that has decimated life on Earth, leaving them to wonder why such a vibrant planet has turned into a desolate shadow of its former self. The story concludes with an ambiguous reflection on the environmental and existential challenges that ultimately claimed the Earth’s life, presenting a cautionary tale about the fate of civilizations.
Book and edition facts
- Title: To Each His Own
- Author credits: Sharkey, Jack (1931–1992)
- Catalogue language: English
Catalogue subjects
- Cold War -- Fiction
- Extraterrestrial beings -- Fiction
- Science fiction
- Short stories
Gutenberg collections
- Category: Science-Fiction & Fantasy
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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.


