This story by W. Somerset Maugham takes place at sea. A narrator we learn almost nothing about is forced to share a cabin with a man he takes an instant disliking to because of little more than his name. The other man plays an organizational role in many aspects of ship life to the point of being everywhere and always. The narrator finds him hearty, jovial, loquacious and argumentative. He calls him the best hated man in the ship. It is not until the man ‘loses’ a bet about pearls that the narrator develops a grudging respect for him. More…
The Stars
This story by S. Rajaratnam is a biting satire of the “science” of astrology. Inspired by the author’s Hindu upbringing in which those around him shared a strong belief that one’s destiny is written in the stars, he relates the tale of an Indian farmer who doubles as his village astrologer. Having charted his own stars and determined the date and time of his death, he decides to silence sceptics by inviting the whole village to witness and celebrate the event. Themes include astrology, determinism vs. free will, obsession, faith, failure (“miscalculation”), scepticism. More…
Searching for Summer
Published in 1958, ten years into the Cold War, this Jane Aiken story is set in the aftermath of an unstated nuclear event. Massive clouds surround the Earth, blocking out the sun and stars. People crave the sun’s warmth and light, which only penetrate the clouds on rare, short-lived occasions. A newlywed couple set off on their honeymoon in search of one of these “bits of sun”. An act of kindness along the way leads them to more sun and starlight than many people see in their lives. Themes: taking things for granted, consequences of war, kindness, consideration for others. More…
The Eyes Have It / The Girl on the Train
In this story by Ruskin Bond, a blind man sitting in an empty train carriage is joined by a young woman. He is attracted by the sound of her voice as she farewells her family, and even the sound of her slippers. As he initiates a conversation, he decides to conceal the fact that he is blind. This extends to pretending to look out the window and describe the passing countryside. He is successful, only to learn after the woman exits the train that she is also blind. Themes include independence, loneliness, desire, self-consciousness, pretence, perception vs. reality. More…
In the Great Walled Country
This Christmas story by R. M. Alden tells of a strange land of ice and snow where children never grow up. Being so close to the North Pole, Santa Claus doesn’t deliver presents to people’s houses. He hangs them on trees in a forest. On Christmas Eve, everyone goes out and chooses gifts to give to their family and friends. One year, a stranger visits and convinces the child king that it would be better to change the law so that people collected presents for themselves rather than others. The result was not what he expected. More…