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''And Having Writ...'' is a 1978
science fiction Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel unive ...
/
alternate history Alternate history (also alternative history, althist, AH) is a genre of speculative fiction of stories in which one or more historical events occur and are resolved differently than in real life. As conjecture based upon historical fact, altern ...
novel by American writer
Donald R. Bensen Donald Roynald Bensen (October 3, 1927 – October 19, 1997), known also as Don Bensen and listed sometimes as D.R. Bensen, was an American editor and science fiction writer. As an editor he is known best for editing works of P. G. Wodehouse and ...
. Nominated for the 1979 John W. Campbell Award, it tells the story of
aliens Alien primarily refers to: * Alien (law), a person in a country who is not a national of that country ** Enemy alien, the above in times of war * Extraterrestrial life, life which does not originate from Earth ** Specifically, intelligent extrate ...
who crash-land on
Earth Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to harbor life. While large volumes of water can be found throughout the Solar System, only Earth sustains liquid surface water. About 71% of Earth's surfa ...
in 1908 and then journey around the planet, trying to jump-start
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
. Even though they fail to do this, they succeed in creating the circumstances for their ultimate departure from Earth after a period of suspended animation.


Plot summary

According to the novel, the Siberian explosion was originally caused by the crash landing of the
spacecraft A spacecraft is a vehicle or machine designed to fly in outer space. A type of artificial satellite, spacecraft are used for a variety of purposes, including communications, Earth observation, meteorology, navigation, space colonization, p ...
named ''The Wanderer''. In this alternate reality, however, the alien astronauts are able to commandeer their failing vessel so that it lands in the
Pacific Ocean The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the continen ...
, just outside
San Francisco San Francisco (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Francis of Assisi, Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the List of Ca ...
. Shortly after landing, the quartet of spacemen are rescued from the sea by an American ship and taken to
California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
. ''The Wanderer'' sinks into the ocean, and the team reasons that they must find a way to accelerate Earth's technological advances so that they can get back home. The eventual conclusion at which they arrive is that they must provoke the planet into what Ari claims is an inevitable
global conflict Global means of or referring to a globe and may also refer to: Entertainment * ''Global'' (Paul van Dyk album), 2003 * ''Global'' (Bunji Garlin album), 2007 * ''Global'' (Humanoid album), 1989 * ''Global'' (Todd Rundgren album), 2015 * Bruno ...
, one that will (through weaponry innovations) result in a boom of new science and industry.


Characters


The astronauts and their roles

The four astronauts never identify their home world, merely saying that they are a team of Explorers sent to gather information about foreign planets. * Raf: The main character of the book, Raf tells the story in first person. He is a Recorder, and is responsible for ensuring that every detail of the expedition is written down. Raf is quite detached in his observations and seems to be fairly optimistic. While on Earth, he develops a strong taste for alcoholic beverages. * Ari: Ari is a Metahistorian, which seems to signify a study of universal historical trends among people of different
galaxies A galaxy is a system of stars, stellar remnants, interstellar gas, dust, dark matter, bound together by gravity. The word is derived from the Greek ' (), literally 'milky', a reference to the Milky Way galaxy that contains the Solar System. ...
and
solar system The Solar SystemCapitalization of the name varies. The International Astronomical Union, the authoritative body regarding astronomical nomenclature, specifies capitalizing the names of all individual astronomical objects but uses mixed "Solar S ...
s. His has a tendency to be very long-winded and often clashes with Dark. * Valmis: Valmis is an Integrator. This is a rather obscure occupation that somehow involves interpreting the "Patterns" of the universe, of civilizations, of individual people, of anything and everything. Valmis is very mystical and often frustrates his crew-mates, particularly Dark. * Dark: Dark is the Captain of ''The Wanderer'' and as such is an expert in all things mechanical. He is practical to a fault and is ceaselessly annoyed by what he sees as the meaningless ramblings of Valmis and Ari.


Historical characters

The astronauts interact with a number of important global personages during their stay on Earth. *
Theodore Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt Jr. ( ; October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919), often referred to as Teddy or by his initials, T. R., was an American politician, statesman, soldier, conservationist, naturalist, historian, and writer who served as the 26t ...
: In the book, Theodore Roosevelt becomes the 26th
President of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United Stat ...
in 1901 after
William McKinley William McKinley (January 29, 1843September 14, 1901) was the 25th president of the United States, serving from 1897 until his assassination in 1901. As a politician he led a realignment that made his Republican Party largely dominant in ...
is
assassinated Assassination is the murder of a prominent or important person, such as a head of state, head of government, politician, world leader, member of a royal family or CEO. The murder of a celebrity, activist, or artist, though they may not have a ...
. He is elected to a full term in
1904 Events January * January 7 – The distress signal ''CQD'' is established, only to be replaced 2 years later by ''SOS''. * January 8 – The Blackstone Library is dedicated, marking the beginning of the Chicago Public Library system. * ...
. He is elected as the 28th President in
1912 Events January * January 1 – The Republic of China (1912–49), Republic of China is established. * January 5 – The Prague Conference (6th All-Russian Conference of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party) opens. * January 6 ...
and reelected in
1916 Events Below, the events of the First World War have the "WWI" prefix. January * January 1 – The British Royal Army Medical Corps carries out the first successful blood transfusion, using blood that had been stored and cooled. * ...
and serves until 1921. Roosevelt was the first major world leader with whom the spacemen acquaint themselves, and acts as a benevolent and friendly presence. In the book, he is quoted as saying that if he could only take back his promise not to run for reelection in 1908, he would cut off his right hand.
“If I hadn’t promised not to run again...by
George George may refer to: People * George (given name) * George (surname) * George (singer), American-Canadian singer George Nozuka, known by the mononym George * George Washington, First President of the United States * George W. Bush, 43rd Presiden ...
, I’d cut my hand off to here!”
Roosevelt helps the aliens to escape house arrest in
New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...
in 1909. In 1925, while he is attending a demonstration of an experimental moon rocket, Roosevelt is killed when the device's engines explode and destroy the platform he was on. *
J.P. Morgan JP may refer to: Arts and media * ''JP'' (album), 2001, by American singer Jesse Powell * ''Jp'' (magazine), an American Jeep magazine * ''Jönköpings-Posten'', a Swedish newspaper * Judas Priest, an English heavy metal band * ''Jurassic Park ...
: Mr. Morgan, the industrial titan of the
Gilded Age In United States history, the Gilded Age was an era extending roughly from 1877 to 1900, which was sandwiched between the Reconstruction era and the Progressive Era. It was a time of rapid economic growth, especially in the Northern and Weste ...
, makes a brief appearance at the very beginning of the book, in 1908. He is concerned that the revelation that aliens exist will turn the U.S.
financial market A financial market is a market in which people trade financial securities and derivatives at low transaction costs. Some of the securities include stocks and bonds, raw materials and precious metals, which are known in the financial markets ...
s asunder, and he works with President Roosevelt through the U.S. Treasury Department to ensure that the economy is unshaken by the news. *
William Howard Taft William Howard Taft (September 15, 1857March 8, 1930) was the 27th president of the United States (1909–1913) and the tenth chief justice of the United States (1921–1930), the only person to have held both offices. Taft was elected pr ...
: Secretary of War William Howard Taft, who in reality served as the 27th President from 1909 to 1913 and then became a Supreme Court Justice, appears very briefly at the beginning of the book. His one and only cameo comes in 1908, when he and Theodore Roosevelt are discussing the effects that the presence of extraterrestrials could have on the
election An election is a formal group decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual or multiple individuals to hold public office. Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative democracy has opera ...
. He is asked by the
Republican National Committee The Republican National Committee (RNC) is a U.S. political committee that assists the Republican Party of the United States. It is responsible for developing and promoting the Republican brand and political platform, as well as assisting in fu ...
to relinquish their nomination for President, news that overjoys President Roosevelt, who assumes that he will be the new nominee. It is Taft who delivers the startling news that the Committee plans to nominate Thomas Alva Edison. *
Thomas Alva Edison Thomas Alva Edison (February 11, 1847October 18, 1931) was an American inventor and businessman. He developed many devices in fields such as electric power generation, mass communication, sound recording, and motion pictures. These invention ...
: In the book, Thomas Edison also arrives at the
White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in 1800. ...
in 1908, chiefly to interview the aliens and learn about their technology, which fascinates him. The aliens are able to create an effective
hearing aid A hearing aid is a device designed to improve hearing by making sound audible to a person with hearing loss. Hearing aids are classified as medical devices in most countries, and regulated by the respective regulations. Small audio amplifiers su ...
for Edison to help him with his poor hearing. When word of the spacemen goes public, the
Republican Party Republican Party is a name used by many political parties around the world, though the term most commonly refers to the United States' Republican Party. Republican Party may also refer to: Africa *Republican Party (Liberia) * Republican Part ...
bounces William Howard Taft as their
1908 Events January * January 1 – The British ''Nimrod'' Expedition led by Ernest Shackleton sets sail from New Zealand on the ''Nimrod'' for Antarctica. * January 3 – A total solar eclipse is visible in the Pacific Ocean, and is the 46 ...
nominee, reasoning that only a man as brilliant as Edison would be able to steer America through such incredible new times.
In 1909, Edison has the aliens placed under house arrest in New York so that he can pry technological secrets from them. They escape (thanks to former president Roosevelt), however, and head to Europe, and Edison is obliged to dispatch
Marines Marines, or naval infantry, are typically a military force trained to operate in littoral zones in support of naval operations. Historically, tasks undertaken by marines have included helping maintain discipline and order aboard the ship (refle ...
to go after them. When he finally has them in his clutches again, President Edison realizes that the amount of technology the aliens possess would, if widely distributed, cause widespread upheaval.
"Nearly free power for everyone, available tomorrow, ain’t that grand? No need to buy coal, gasoline, oil, wood, anything like that. And no need to pay the coal miners, oil people,
filling station A filling station, also known as a gas station () or petrol station (), is a facility that sells fuel and engine lubricants for motor vehicles. The most common fuels sold in the 2010s were gasoline (or petrol) and diesel fuel. Gasoli ...
s, anybody like that. I calculate it’d take about six weeks for the country to turn into a howling wilderness of starving mobs...We’re an industrious and inventive people, and I don’t see any easy gifts you could let us have be worth losing that."
In 1912, Edison decides not to run for reelection, and rather goes back to inventing. *
H. G. Wells Herbert George Wells"Wells, H. G."
Revised 18 May 2015. ''
George M. Cohan George Michael Cohan (July 3, 1878November 5, 1942) was an American entertainer, playwright, composer, lyricist, actor, singer, dancer and theatrical producer. Cohan began his career as a child, performing with his parents and sister in a vaudev ...
: The aliens befriend the famous songwriter and performer during their stay in New York. *
King Edward VII Edward VII (Albert Edward; 9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and Emperor of India, from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910. The second child and eldest son of Queen Victoria a ...
:
King King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king. *In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the tit ...
of the
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
since 1901. After escaping the United States, the aliens head to
France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
in 1909, where they are to have an audience with King Edward VII regarding the inevitability of a coming world war.
Raf, in wondering why the King of England should be in France, notes, "The King, it appeared, made a habit of leaving his country for substantial periods of time, especially during the uncertain weather of late winter and early spring, which he spent in France, but also in summer and autumn.
His subjects, far from resenting this, were gratified, as most of them would themselves have preferred to be elsewhere much of the time, and so took a prideful vicarious pleasure in their monarch’s travels."
In meeting with Edward, the Explorers demonstrate their stunning lack of tact, having not yet become accustomed to human social norms.
When he hears of the widespread destruction and misery that World War I will bring, Edward is upset.
"'If it must be, so it must. God grant I do not live to see it.'
"'That’s about an even chance,' Ari said, looking at him appraisingly. 'If you were to get at it pretty quickly...you’d probably see it pretty well launched. If you and your fellow kings just let things drag on another couple of years or so, why, I’d have to agree you’d probably be pretty well out of it.'"
Edward nearly dies right in front of the Explorers, and they are obliged to revive him using their highly advanced medical technology, thus restoring him to full health as he has not enjoyed since young manhood. Out of gratitude, Edward shields them from the U.S. Marines seeking to arrest them and sees to it that they make it safely to Berlin. * Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany:
Emperor An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereignty, sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), ...
of
Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
. After leaving France, the Explorers head to the Imperial Palace in
Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...
, where they are received by Wilhelm II. When the team tries to tell him about the coming World War, he is incredulous, insisting that such a conflict is impossible due to the sheer military might of his empire. He, like his uncle Edward VII, is humbled by the alien visitors’ complete and uninhibited honesty. After Wilhelm states that Germans believe a healthy body houses a healthy mind, Dark questions, "'Look here. That healthy body business—how does that square with that arm of yours?'"
The Kaiser's left arm had been pulled from its
socket Socket may refer to: Mechanics * Socket wrench, a type of wrench that uses separate, removable sockets to fit different sizes of nuts and bolts * Socket head screw, a screw (or bolt) with a cylindrical head containing a socket into which the hexag ...
at birth as a result of his Breech birth that caused Erb's palsy, the topic was an extremely sensitive one for him. As a child, he was forced by cruel tutors to learn to ride horseback without any assistance whatsoever. They would watch callously as the young crown prince fell from his steed, never once making a move to come to his aid. Wilhelm consequently developed an extremely bellicose personality, one that, in the real world, contributed to the outbreak of World War I.
When the Kaiser hears Dark's remark regarding his arm, he is so furious that he attempts to attack the alien with his ceremonial sword. This merely results in Wilhelm falling to the ground and being unable to get up. Dark, completely oblivious to the fact that he is responsible for the episode, extends his arm towards the emperor, saying compassionately, "'Here, let me give you a hand, as you've only got one that's of any use to you.'"
The Kaiser forgives Dark's insolence, however, when the spaceman repairs his shriveled limb so that it is in good working order. When the Explorers leave Berlin, their human companions are shocked to see Kaiser Wilhelm waving at them with two healthy arms. The Kaiser gets the troupe on a train to St. Petersburg first thing, so that they might conference with his cousin, Czar Nicholas II. * Czar Nicholas II of Russia: When the Explorers first meet
Czar Tsar ( or ), also spelled ''czar'', ''tzar'', or ''csar'', is a title used by East and South Slavic monarchs. The term is derived from the Latin word ''caesar'', which was intended to mean "emperor" in the European medieval sense of the ter ...
Nicholas at
Tsarskoe Selo Tsarskoye Selo ( rus, Ца́рское Село́, p=ˈtsarskəɪ sʲɪˈlo, a=Ru_Tsarskoye_Selo.ogg, "Tsar's Village") was the town containing a former residence of the Russian imperial family and visiting nobility, located south from the cen ...
, the Imperial palace outside of St. Petersburg, he is timid and unwilling to accept the reality of what they are telling him. He protests that he already has enough trouble on his hands without this new burden, and that "it's all too much for me."
When the Czar's son, five-year-old Czarevitch Alexei, walks right into the room, Nicholas softly objects, "Alexei, you know you're not supposed to come in here while Papa is doing business."
Nicholas is just about to dismiss his visitors when Alexei falls and strikes his head on the desk. Nicholas immediately leaps up, cradling his son and screaming frantically for "Grigori!"
The Czar tearfully lays his son on the couch until the filthy monk
Grigori Rasputin Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin (; rus, links=no, Григорий Ефимович Распутин ; – ) was a Russian mystic and self-proclaimed holy man who befriended the family of Nicholas II, the last Emperor of Russia, thus g ...
enters the room, chants over the suffering child, and leaves. Alexei is calm after this, and is taken back to the children's quarters.
The Czar is deeply shaken by the incident, and begins to discuss the czarevitch's illness with the Explorers.
Valmis, usually withdrawn and ethereal, says that the only thing afflicting the boy is a bad set of Patterns.
Valmis analyses some of Alexei's blood and finds that a certain protein is missing. He then views the Czar's blood, finds the necessary protein, and is able to reproduce it using machinery of Dark's. A sample of this new blood is injected into the czarevitch, who is completely cured within three days.
There is nationwide rejoicing at this news in
Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
, and, the very day of Alexei's recovery, Rasputin is dragged from the Palace by Imperial soldiers.
Czar Nicholas is so boundlessly thankful that he arranges safe passage to
Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...
for the Explorers, who are still being pursued by Marines.
In addition, the Czar promises to seriously consider everything that Ari has told him about the possibility of a World War. Nicholas II would remain the Russian Czar until his death between 1918 and 1933 and would be succeeded by his son Alexi. *
Grigori Rasputin Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin (; rus, links=no, Григорий Ефимович Распутин ; – ) was a Russian mystic and self-proclaimed holy man who befriended the family of Nicholas II, the last Emperor of Russia, thus g ...
: With the Czarevitch cured, Rasputin has no further use at the Imperial court and was thrown out of the palace by Imperial soldiers. He eventually makes his way to New York and becomes successful in the advertising and film industries. * Czarevitch Alexei Nicholaevitch Romanov: In the book, young Czarevitch Alexei of Russia is cured of his
Haemophilia Haemophilia, or hemophilia (), is a mostly inherited genetic disorder that impairs the body's ability to make blood clots, a process needed to stop bleeding. This results in people bleeding for a longer time after an injury, easy bruising, ...
by the visiting aliens in 1909. Following his father's death between 1918 and 1933, he became the Czar of Russia. During their 1933 tour of Earth, which they undertake just prior to their departure from the planet, the Explorers are received by Alexei, who is now the Czar of Russia. During the encounter, Raf describes him as a "strapping young lad." In reality, of course, Czarevitch Alexei was murdered, along with the rest of his family, by
Bolshevik The Bolsheviks (russian: Большевики́, from большинство́ ''bol'shinstvó'', 'majority'),; derived from ''bol'shinstvó'' (большинство́), "majority", literally meaning "one of the majority". also known in English ...
revolutionaries in 1918, when he was only thirteen years old.


Literary significance & criticism

''"a smoothly humorous sf novel set in an alternate world engendered by the survival of the aliens whose crash-landing caused the Siberian Tunguska explosion of 1908. Thomas Alva Edison and H.G. Wells make appearances'' (John Clute/Encyclopedia of SF).


Allusions/references to actual history, geography and current science

The actual Tunguska Event was a massive explosion in
Siberia Siberia ( ; rus, Сибирь, r=Sibir', p=sʲɪˈbʲirʲ, a=Ru-Сибирь.ogg) is an extensive geographical region, constituting all of North Asia, from the Ural Mountains in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east. It has been a part of ...
, in June 1908. The explosion, unexplained even today, felled sixty million trees and produced shockwaves that could be felt four hundred miles away. A popular explanation is that a small comet disintegrated just before impact; conspiracy theorists have more fanciful explanations.


Release details

*1978, USA, Bobbs-Merrill (), Pub date ? ? 1978, hardback (First edition) *1979, USA, Ace Books (), Pub date ? March 1979, paperback


Footnotes


References

*


External links

*{{Isfdb title, id=2487 1978 American novels American alternate history novels 1978 science fiction novels American science fiction novels Fiction set in 1908 Novels set in California Cultural depictions of Theodore Roosevelt Cultural depictions of Thomas Edison Cultural depictions of William Howard Taft Cultural depictions of H. G. Wells Cultural depictions of Edward VII Cultural depictions of Wilhelm II Cultural depictions of Grigori Rasputin Cultural depictions of Nicholas II of Russia Bobbs-Merrill Company books