United States | Lecturia

Clark Ashton Smith: The Death of Malygris

The Death of Malygris is a story by Clark Ashton Smith, published in April 1934 in the magazine Weird Tales. Set in the mythical Poseidonis, it explores the mystery surrounding the fate of the fearsome sorcerer Malygris. King Gadeiron summons the most powerful magicians of Susran to confirm whether the sorcerer is dead, because although no one has seen him move or speak in a long time, his presence continues to inspire terror. Using forbidden arts, and knowing the dangers to which they are exposed, the conjurers try to unravel the enigma surrounding the sorcerer.

Isaac Asimov: Robbie. Summary and analysis

“Robbie” is a short story by Isaac Asimov, published in September 1940 in Super Science Stories magazine. Set in a future where robots form part of everyday life, it narrates the relationship between Gloria, an eight-year-old girl, and her robot nanny, Robbie. For Gloria, Robbie is much more than a machine: he is her friend and playmate. However, her mother considers this relationship unhealthy and decides to separate them. While Gloria struggles to understand the absence of her friend, her parents try to convince her that robots are nothing more than tools without emotions or true meaning for humans.

Isaac Asimov: Robbie

“Robbie,” a short story by Isaac Asimov published in September 1940 in Super Science Stories and later included in the collection I, Robot (1950), tells the story of Gloria, an eight-year-old girl, and her robot Robbie, designed to be her companion and babysitter. Gloria and Robbie have a very close relationship, always playing and sharing adventures. However, Gloria’s mother, concerned about the robot’s influence and the neighbors’ opinion, decides to get rid of Robbie, convinced that a machine cannot be a suitable companion for a child.

Edgar Allan Poe: The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar. Summary and analysis

“The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar” by Edgar Allan Poe narrates a disturbing scientific experiment. A hypnotist, fascinated by the boundaries between life and death, decides to try to hypnotize a person at the moment of their death. To do this, he recruits Ernest Valdemar, a terminally ill man. With the help of doctors and assistants, the narrator undertakes this audacious experiment, exploring unknown territories of the human consciousness. As the process advances, the participants face inexplicable phenomena that challenge their understanding of reality and death. The story combines elements of psychological horror with a pseudo-scientific approach, creating an atmosphere of growing tension and mystery that keeps the reader in suspense until its surprising conclusion.

Patricia Highsmith: The Perfect Little Lady

The Perfect Little Lady is a short story by Patricia Highsmith, published in 1975 in the collection Kleine Geschichtgen für Weiberfeinde. It tells the story of Theadora, a girl who, from birth, is considered a model of perfection. She is always impeccable, polite, and charming and embodies elegance and good manners. However, her reserved nature keeps her from other children, who view her suspiciously. While the others play and have fun, Theadora forges her path in a world that does not always accept her.

Ernest Hemingway: The Killers. Summary and analysis

Ernest Hemingway - Los asesinos. Resumen y análisis

The Killers is a short story by Ernest Hemingway, published in 1927 in Scribner’s Magazine. The story takes place in a small restaurant in the town of Summit, where two unknown men enter with a strange and threatening attitude. George, the manager, and Nick Adams, a young customer, watch with growing concern as the strangers take over the place. It soon becomes clear that they have come to kill a man named Ole Anderson. As the tension mounts, Nick finds himself caught up in a situation that brings him face to face with the brutality of violence and the inevitability of fate.