What's He Doing in There?: Classic Book Guide and Free Edition
What's He Doing in There?: author and translator credits, catalogue synopsis, subjects and links to the Gutenberg reading formats.
What's He Doing in There? is catalogued by Project Gutenberg with author credits for Leiber, Fritz (1910–1992).
Catalogue synopsis
Project Gutenberg supplies this automated synopsis of the opening text:
"What's He Doing in There?" by Fritz Leiber is a humorous science fiction short story written in the late 1950s. The narrative centers around a cultural anthropologist's encounter with the first Martian visitor to Earth, highlighting themes of miscommunication and cultural taboos. The story deftly explores the absurdity of human and alien interactions, particularly when reflecting on the mundane aspects of life like bathroom etiquette. The plot unfolds as the Martian, having landed on Earth, retreats to the bathroom for an extended period, prompting concern from the professor and his family about what he might be doing. Speculation runs wild as they consider the possible consequences of the Martian's actions, ranging from illness to cultural misunderstandings. The story builds tension and humor around the family's anxiety, revealing the alien's innocent intentions and misconceptions about terrestrial customs when he eventually emerges, blissfully unaware of the fuss he has caused. Ultimately, it serves as a delightful exploration of cross-cultural interactions, emphasizing the challenges and misunderstandings inherent in communications between vastly different beings.
Book and edition facts
- Title: What's He Doing in There?
- Author credits: Leiber, Fritz (1910–1992)
- Catalogue language: English
Catalogue subjects
- Human-alien encounters -- Fiction
- Martians -- Fiction
- Science fiction
- Short stories
Gutenberg collections
- Category: Humour
- Category: Science-Fiction & Fantasy
- Category: Short Stories
- Science Fiction
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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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