Notions: Unlimited
by Robert Sheckley
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In "Gray Flannel Armor," a man named Hanley finds perfection in a rigidly regular structure of social interaction--including for romance--and devises a system that the whole of humanity adopts. The eleven other stories in this collection are "Gray Flannel Armor," "The Leech," "Watchbird," "A Wind Is Rising," "Morning After," "The Native Problem," "Feeding Time," "Paradise II," "Double Indemnity," "Holdout," "Dawn Invader," and "The Language of Love." From the very beginning of his career, show more Robert Sheckley was recognized by fans, reviewers, and fellow authors as a master storyteller and the wittiest satirist working in the science fiction field. Open Road is proud to republish his acclaimed body of work, with nearly thirty volumes of full-length fiction and short story collections. Rediscover, or discover for the first time, a master of science fiction who, according to the New York Times, was "a precursor to Douglas Adams." show lessTags
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Notions: Unlimited is a collection of 12 science fiction short stories published in various science fiction and fantasy magazines between 1952 and 1957.
Gray Flannel Armor – Tired of organized dating sites – why not try something retro? – 2.5 stars
The Leech – How do you deal with and dispose of something that will consume anything? – 5 stars
Watchbird – If you build a machine to stop murder and that machine has circuits that allow it to learn then there is a risk that the machine just might learn enough to redefine things…like the definition of the word “murder”. - 4 stars
A Wind is Rising – Preliminary investigations of almost anything new are, of necessity, short term. Because they are short term there is a risk such show more investigations will miss significant long term trends of major importance. - 5 stars
Morning After – Shanghaiing individuals is one of the oldest and surest ways to get volunteers for unpopular projects. – 5 stars
The Native Problem – The first to occupy a location/place can be viewed as a native – particularly when they are “discovered” by a second group of recent arrivals. – 4 stars
Feeding Time - If you are going to play around with dangerous thoughts/animals be sure you know their dietary requirements. – 5 stars
Paradise II – Mechanized food processing can have its drawbacks – 3 stars
Double Indemnity – The issues surrounding life insurance policy fraud for a time traveler. - 2.5 stars
Holdout - A bigoted purist… or a purist with respect to bigotry. - 3 stars
Dawn Invader – If you are an invader and you invade something – what makes you think you are the first to do this? - 2.5 stars
The Language of Love – No matter how you phrase it – it is still lacking in precision. - 2 stars
I think most of the stories have aged well. I have read this short story collection several times and, for me, the 4/5 star stories have always made the re-read worthwhile. show less
Gray Flannel Armor – Tired of organized dating sites – why not try something retro? – 2.5 stars
The Leech – How do you deal with and dispose of something that will consume anything? – 5 stars
Watchbird – If you build a machine to stop murder and that machine has circuits that allow it to learn then there is a risk that the machine just might learn enough to redefine things…like the definition of the word “murder”. - 4 stars
A Wind is Rising – Preliminary investigations of almost anything new are, of necessity, short term. Because they are short term there is a risk such show more investigations will miss significant long term trends of major importance. - 5 stars
Morning After – Shanghaiing individuals is one of the oldest and surest ways to get volunteers for unpopular projects. – 5 stars
The Native Problem – The first to occupy a location/place can be viewed as a native – particularly when they are “discovered” by a second group of recent arrivals. – 4 stars
Feeding Time - If you are going to play around with dangerous thoughts/animals be sure you know their dietary requirements. – 5 stars
Paradise II – Mechanized food processing can have its drawbacks – 3 stars
Double Indemnity – The issues surrounding life insurance policy fraud for a time traveler. - 2.5 stars
Holdout - A bigoted purist… or a purist with respect to bigotry. - 3 stars
Dawn Invader – If you are an invader and you invade something – what makes you think you are the first to do this? - 2.5 stars
The Language of Love – No matter how you phrase it – it is still lacking in precision. - 2 stars
I think most of the stories have aged well. I have read this short story collection several times and, for me, the 4/5 star stories have always made the re-read worthwhile. show less
Twelve short pieces by Robert Sheckley, dating from 1952 - 57. Varying virtue, but "The Native Problem" is a good read.
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- Canonical title
- Notions: Unlimited
- Original title
- Notions: Unlimited
- Original publication date
- 1960-06
- Quotations
- From A Wind is Rising - He brought the truck to a stop on the windward side of the pipe. It was blowing 113 miles an hour. Clayton slid out of the truck carrying several lengths of pipe, some patches, a blowtorch and a bag o... (show all)f tools. They were all tied to him and he was secured to the Brute by a strong nylon rope. Outside the wind was deafening. It thundered and roared like breaking surf. He adjusted his mask for more oxygen and went to work. Two hours later he had completed a fifteen minute repair job. His clothing was shredded and his air extractor was completely clogged with dust. He climbed back into the Brute, sealed the port, and lay on the floor, resting. The truck was starting to tremble in the wind gusts. Clayton ignored it. “Hello? Hello?” Nerishev called over the radio. Wearily, Clayton climbed back into the driver’s seat and acknowledged. “Hurry back now, Clayton! No time to rest. The wind is up to 138! I think a storm is coming!” A storm on Carella was something Clayton didn’t even want to think about. They had experienced only one in eight months. During it the winds had gone over 160 miles per hour. He nosed the truck around and started back, driving directly into the wind. At full throttle he found he was making very little progress. Three miles an hour was all the heavy diesel would do against the pressure of a 138-mile wind. He stared ahead through the slit window. The wind, outlined by long streamers of dust and sand, seemed to be coming straight at him, funneled out of an infinitely wid sky to the tiny point of his window. Windborne rocks sailed at him, grew large, immense, and shattered against his window. He couldn’t stop himself from ducking each time one came. The heavy engine was beginning to labor and miss. “Oh, baby,” Clayton breathed, “ don’t quit now. Not now. Get Papa home. Then quit. Please!” He figured he was about ten miles from the station which lay directly upwind. He heard a sound like an avalanche plummeting down the mountainside. It was made by a boulder the size of a house. Too big for the wind to lift , it was rolling at him from windward, digging a furrow in the rocky ground as it came.
- Blurbers*
- Aldiss, Brian W.; Bester, Alfred
- Original language*
- Englisch
- Disambiguation notice*
- Collection
*Some information comes from Common Knowledge in other languages. Click "Edit" for more information.
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- Members
- 159
- Popularity
- 203,973
- Reviews
- 2
- Rating
- (3.82)
- Languages
- English, German
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 4
- ASINs
- 12
