"Eurema's Dam" is a

science fantasy Science fantasy is a hybrid genre within speculative fiction that simultaneously draws upon or combines tropes and elements from both science fiction and fantasy. In a conventional science fiction story, the world is presented as being scientif ...

story by

R. A. Lafferty Raphael Aloysius "R. A." Lafferty (November 7, 1914March 18, 2002) was an American science fiction and fantasy writer known for his original use of language, metaphor, and narrative structure, Lafferty also wrote a set of four autobiographical n ...

. It was first published in 1972 (although written in 1964)My interview with R.A. Lafferty
by Tom Jackson; originally published in ''Lan's Lantern'' #39 (1991); published in the ''

Sandusky Register The ''Sandusky Register'' is a daily newspaper serving Sandusky, Ohio, as well as nearby Port Clinton and the Lake Erie Islands (collectively known regionally as Vacationland). History The ''Sandusky Register'' has been in production since 18 ...

'', January 16 2015; retrieved December 17, 2016 in the

Robert Silverberg Robert Silverberg (born January 15, 1935) is an American author and editor, best known for writing science fiction. He is a multiple winner of both Hugo and Nebula Awards, a member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame, and a Grand ...

-edited anthology ''

New Dimensions II ''New Dimensions II: Eleven Original Science Fiction Stories'' is an anthology of original science fiction short stories edited by American writer Robert Silverberg, the second in a series of twelve. It was first published in hardcover by Double ...

'', and subsequently republished in ''The Best Science Fiction of the Year #2'' and ''Best Science Fiction Stories of the Year, Second Annual Collection'' (both 1973), in ''The Hugo Winners, Volume Three'' (1977), in ''Golden Gate and Other Stories'' (1982), in ''Space Odyssey'' (1988), and in ''Masterpieces: The Best Science Fiction of the Century'' (2001).Eurema's Dam
at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database; retrieved December 17, 2016

Synopsis

Albert is "the last of the dolts": someone so stupid that he cannot learn to do simple things, and must instead invent hugely complex and powerful machines to do them for him. The story follows Albert from elementary school (where he conceals his inability to do arithmetic by inventing the

calculator An electronic calculator is typically a portable electronic device used to perform calculations, ranging from basic arithmetic to complex mathematics. The first solid-state electronic calculator was created in the early 1960s. Pocket-sized ...

) to adulthood, where his inventions have brought him fame and fortune, ushered in a worldwide golden age, and earned him the Eurema Prize. Even at the peak of his success, however, Albert is still plagued by

impostor syndrome Impostor syndrome, also known as impostor phenomenon or impostorism, is a psychological occurrence in which an individual doubts their skills, talents, or accomplishments and has a persistent internalized fear of being exposed as a fraud. Despi ...

, and by his inability to function without his inventions.

Reception

"Dam" won the 1973

Hugo Award for Best Short Story The Hugo Award for Best Short Story is one of the Hugo Awards given each year for science fiction or fantasy stories published or translated into English during the previous calendar year. The short story award is available for works of fiction of ...

,1973 Hugo Awards
, at TheHugoAwards.org; retrieved December 17, 2016 tied with

Frederik Pohl Frederik George Pohl Jr. (; November 26, 1919 – September 2, 2013) was an American science-fiction writer, editor, and fan, with a career spanning nearly 75 years—from his first published work, the 1937 poem "Elegy to a Dead Satelli ...

's " The Meeting". It also won the 1975

Seiun Award The is a Japanese speculative fiction award given each year for the best science fiction works and achievements during the previous calendar year. Organized and overseen by , the awards are given at the annual Nihon SF Taikai, Japan Science Fict ...

for Best Translated Story Mike Ashley considers "Dam" to be one of Lafferty's "most memorable" stories, even if it "isn't necessarily his most creative",Gateways to Forever: The Story of the Science-fiction Magazines from 1970 to 1980
by Mike Ashley; published 2007 by

Liverpool University Press Liverpool University Press (LUP), founded in 1899, is the third oldest university press in England after Oxford University Press and Cambridge University Press. As the press of the University of Liverpool, it specialises in modern languages, li ...

(via

Google Books Google Books (previously known as Google Book Search, Google Print, and by its code-name Project Ocean) is a service from Google Inc. that searches the full text of books and magazines that Google has scanned, converted to text using optical c ...

) while

Dave Langford David Rowland Langford (born 10 April 1953) is a British author, editor, and critic, largely active within the science fiction field. He publishes the science fiction fanzine and newsletter ''Ansible'', and holds the all-time record for most ...

described it as "wild and woolly", and " ophetic".Laugh with Lafferty
originally published in ''

SFX SFX may refer to: Entertainment * Special effects (usually visual), illusions used in film, television, and entertainment * Sound effects, sounds that are artificially created or enhanced * SFX (magazine), ''SFX'' (magazine), a British magazine c ...

'' #92 (June 2002); archived at Ansible.uk; retrieved December 17, 2016 '' Black Gate'' called it "not great, just pretty good", and found it to be lacking "the true inspiration, the magic" of Lafferty's best stories.The Golden Age of Science Fiction: The 1973 Hugo Award for Best Short Story: “The Meeting,” by Frederik Pohl and C. M. Kornbluth, and “Eurema’s Dam,” by R. A. Lafferty
by Rich Horton, at '' Black Gate''; published March 16, 2019; retrieved December 31, 2021 Lafferty himself expressed puzzlement at "Dam"'s winning of the Hugo Award, stating that although he still considered it to be "a pleasant little story", he had had "four or five better stories published" in 1972.

References

{{Hugo Award Best Short Story 1961–1980 Hugo Award for Best Short Story winning works Works by R. A. Lafferty