|
Manna (short Story)
Manna is a short story by British writer Peter Phillips. It was first published in the American magazine '' Astounding Science Fiction'' in February 1949. Along with ''Dreams Are Sacred'', it is one of the more well-known and anthologized of his stories. It concerns the creation of an artificial "miracle food" and the actions of two ghostly monks when the factory is set up in their former monastery. Plot In 2043 Stephen Samson, a representative of the Miracle Meal Corporation, comes to visit the Rev. Malachi Pennyhorse, whose rural church in Wiltshire, England, includes the remains of a now defunct monastery. Samson's company proposes to set up a factory for Miracle Meal, a meal-in-a-can product, using the old buildings, as part of his company's policy to provide a beneficial environment for workers while fitting in with the landscape. Observing them are the ghostly remains of Brother James and Brother Gregory, who perished from plague in the 12th century. Brother Gregory is int ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Peter Phillips (author)
Peter Phillips (1920 – 2012) was a British writer known for a series of science fiction stories published between 1948 and 1958. His best known story is '' Dreams Are Sacred'' (1948), an early example of a shared dream story facilitated by a device. Phillips wrote another highly regarded story the following year, ''Manna''. This tale involves the ghosts of medieval monks trapped in an old monastery; they are able to benefit from a modern canned super-food thanks to blurred timelines, and engage in poltergeist activity. Like many of the author's works, this story is written with a great deal of humour. Both of these stories have been anthologised on numerous occasions, most recently in 2019. Phillips was believed by many to have retired from writing fiction after 1958. However, he wrote his longest story, ''Shaggy Dog Story'', as recently as 1980.Estate of Peter Phillips. This was not published at the time, partly because of its length, which at just over 22,000 words, was too s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Astounding Science Fiction
''Analog Science Fiction and Fact'' is an American science fiction magazine published under various titles since 1930. Originally titled ''Astounding Stories of Super-Science'', the first issue was dated January 1930, published by William Clayton, and edited by Harry Bates. Clayton went bankrupt in 1933 and the magazine was sold to Street & Smith. The new editor was F. Orlin Tremaine, who soon made ''Astounding'' the leading magazine in the nascent pulp science fiction field, publishing well-regarded stories such as Jack Williamson's '' Legion of Space'' and John W. Campbell's "Twilight". At the end of 1937, Campbell took over editorial duties under Tremaine's supervision, and the following year Tremaine was let go, giving Campbell more independence. Over the next few years Campbell published many stories that became classics in the field, including Isaac Asimov's ''Foundation'' series, A. E. van Vogt's ''Slan'', and several novels and stories by Robert A. Heinl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dreams Are Sacred
"Dreams are Sacred" is a science fiction short story by British writer Peter Phillips. It was first published in the American magazine '' Astounding Science Fiction'' in September 1948. It is an early example of what later came to be called a "virtual reality" story, in which one person enters a dream or hallucination that is being experienced by another. Plot Pete Parnell is a cynical sports reporter. Early in his childhood, he was cured of frequent nightmares by being taught how to shoot a Colt 45 revolver on the farm where he lived. He was then able to imagine the gun in his dreams and use it to "kill" the monsters. He went on to serve in the army before becoming a reporter. Parnell is called by a friend, Steve Blakiston, who is a psychiatrist using experimental equipment. A patient called Marsham Craswell, a famous writer of "sword and sorcery" fantasy novels, has retreated into a state where he is living a dream in the fantasy world he created. Pete is asked to enter ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lives Of Saints (Ælfric)
A hagiography (; ) is a biography of a saint or an ecclesiastical leader, as well as, by extension, an adulatory and idealized biography of a founder, saint, monk, nun or icon in any of the world's religions. Early Christian hagiographies might consist of a biography or ', a description of the saint's deeds or miracles (from Latin ''vita'', life, which begins the title of most medieval biographies), an account of the saint's martyrdom (called a ), or be a combination of these. Christian hagiographies focus on the lives, and notably the miracles, ascribed to men and women canonized by the Roman Catholic church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Oriental Orthodox churches, and the Church of the East. Other religious traditions such as Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, Islam, Sikhism and Jainism also create and maintain hagiographical texts (such as the Sikh Janamsakhis) concerning saints, gurus and other individuals believed to be imbued with sacred power. Hagiographic works ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Anarchy
The Anarchy was a civil war in England and Normandy between 1138 and 1153, which resulted in a widespread breakdown in law and order. The conflict was a war of succession precipitated by the accidental death of William Adelin, the only legitimate son of King Henry I, who drowned in the sinking of the ''White Ship'' in 1120. Henry sought to be succeeded by his daughter, known as Empress Matilda, but was only partially successful in convincing the nobility to support her. On Henry's death in 1135, his nephew Stephen of Blois seized the throne, with the help of Stephen's brother Henry of Blois, who was the bishop of Winchester. Stephen's early reign saw fierce fighting with disloyal English barons, rebellious Welsh leaders, and Scottish invaders. Following a major rebellion in the south-west of England, Matilda invaded in 1139 with the help of her half-brother Robert of Gloucester. In the initial years of civil war, neither side was able to achieve a decisive advantage; the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1949 Short Stories
Events January * January 1 – A United Nations-sponsored ceasefire brings an end to the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947. The war results in a stalemate and the division of Kashmir, which still continues as of 2022. * January 2 – Luis Muñoz Marín becomes the first democratically elected Governor of Puerto Rico. * January 11 – The first "networked" television broadcasts take place, as KDKA-TV in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania goes on the air, connecting east coast and mid-west programming in the United States. * January 16 – Şemsettin Günaltay forms the new government of Turkey. It is the 18th government, last One-party state, single party government of the Republican People's Party. * January 17 – The first Volkswagen Beetle, VW Type 1 to arrive in the United States, a 1948 model, is brought to New York City, New York by Dutch businessman Ben Pon Sr., Ben Pon. Unable to interest dealers or importers in the Volkswagen, Pon sells the sample car to pay his ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
