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Philip K. Dick: The Impossible Planet

The Impossible Planet is a science fiction story by Philip K. Dick, published in October 1953 in the magazine Imagination. The story follows Captain Andrews and his crew, who receive an unusual request from a 350-year-old woman: to travel to Earth, the mythical planet believed to be the cradle of humanity. Although science has ruled out that the Earth ever existed, the older woman is willing to pay a large sum to fulfill her dream, which awakens Andrews’ greed.

Patricia Highsmith: The Man Who Wrote Books in His Head

“The Man Who Wrote Books in His Head” is a short story by Patricia Highsmith, published in 1979, which narrates the peculiar life of E. Taylor Cheever, an aspiring writer who, after the failure of his first novel, decides to devote himself to writing only in his mind. Throughout his life, Cheever created a vast body of literary work but never managed to put it down on paper. The story reflects his growing isolation and the repercussions this decision had on his family, especially on his son Everett, who oscillates between frustration and admiration for his father. With subtle irony, Highsmith weaves a moving tale about the power and fragility of the imagination.

Ray Bradbury: All Summer in a Day. Summary and analysis

All Summer in a Day is a science fiction story written by Ray Bradbury and published in 1954 in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. The story is set in a future in which humanity has colonized Venus, a planet where it rains incessantly and the sun only rises for one hour every seven years. In this gloomy world, a group of children eagerly await the moment they see the sunlight. Among them is Margot, a girl who clearly remembers the warmth and brightness of the sun because she lived on Earth, which makes her the object of envy and rejection by the other children.

Ray Bradbury: All Summer in a Day

All Summer in a Day is a short story by Ray Bradbury, published in March 1954 in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. The story is set on Venus, where it rains constantly, and the sun only appears for one hour every seven years. In an underground school, a group of children anxiously await that unique moment. However, not all of them will be able to experience the event similarly. A story in which Bradbury uses science fiction to capture the harsh reality of cruelty and bullying in childhood.

Stephen King: Jerusalem’s Lot. Summary and analysis

Jerusalem’s Lot, a short story by Stephen King published in the collection Night Shift (1978), is a gothic horror story set in 1850. We follow Charles Boone, a man who inherits the Chapelwaite mansion on a remote cliff in Maine, through letters and diaries. Accompanied by his servant, Calvin McCann, Charles discovers that the house and the nearby abandoned village, Jerusalem’s Lot, hide a dark past linked to his family. As they explore the history of the place, they become embroiled in an increasingly disturbing mystery, where ancient superstitions and strange manifestations threaten to reveal a terrifying truth.

Philip K. Dick: We Can Remember It for You Wholesale. Summary and analysis

We Can Remember It for You Wholesale, written by Philip K. Dick and published in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction in April 1966, is a science fiction story that explores the manipulation of memory. Douglas Quail is an ordinary man with a monotonous life who dreams of traveling to Mars. Unable to do so, he turns to Rekal Incorporated, a company that implants false memories to make its clients believe they have had extraordinary experiences. However, during the procedure, details suggest that Quail’s life is not what he thinks it to be. As he tries to understand the truth, he finds himself caught up in a web of intrigue and mysterious secrets.