"The Doll-House" is a
short story
A short story is a piece of prose fiction that typically can be read in one sitting and focuses on a self-contained incident or series of linked incidents, with the intent of evoking a single effect or mood. The short story is one of the oldest ...
by
Hugh Jones Parry, under the name "James Cross".
[The Most Dangerous Sci-Fi Anthology: A Look Back at Harlan Ellison's Dangerous Visions (1967)]
by Ted Gioia, at ConceptualFiction.com; published May 21, 2014; retrieved October 14, 2016 It was first published in
Harlan Ellison
Harlan Jay Ellison (May 27, 1934 – June 28, 2018) was an American writer, known for his prolific and influential work in New Wave speculative fiction and for his outspoken, combative personality. Robert Bloch, the author of '' Psycho'' ...
's 1967
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 ...
anthology
In book publishing, an anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler; it may be a collection of plays, poems, short stories, songs or excerpts by different authors.
In genre fiction, the term ''anthology'' typically categ ...
''
Dangerous Visions
''Dangerous Visions'' is a science fiction short story anthology edited by American writer Harlan Ellison and illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon. It was published in 1967.
A path-breaking collection, ''Dangerous Visions'' helped define the New ...
''.
[
]
Synopsis
When Jim Eliot is in financial trouble, he asks for help from his wife's uncle, who gives him a dollhouse containing a miniature oracle
An oracle is a person or agency considered to provide wise and insightful counsel or prophetic predictions, most notably including precognition of the future, inspired by deities. As such, it is a form of divination.
Description
The word '' ...
. Due to his lack of patience he loses this oracle in the end.
Development
Per Algis Budrys
Algirdas Jonas "Algis" Budrys (January 9, 1931 – June 9, 2008) was a Lithuanian-American science fiction author, editor, and critic. He was also known under the pen names Frank Mason, Alger Rome (in collaboration with Jerome Bixby), John ...
, the short story was one of two stories that was "simply submitted by the authors ' literary agent when Harlan got desperate for material".
Reception
Ted Gioia described "The Doll-House" as "a very appealing mixture of ancient mythology and modern psychodrama".[ ]Algis Budrys
Algirdas Jonas "Algis" Budrys (January 9, 1931 – June 9, 2008) was a Lithuanian-American science fiction author, editor, and critic. He was also known under the pen names Frank Mason, Alger Rome (in collaboration with Jerome Bixby), John ...
said that it was a '' Weird Tales''-style story, only published in ''Dangerous Visions'' because "Harlan got desperate for material".Boston University
Boston University (BU) is a private research university in Boston, Massachusetts. The university is nonsectarian, but has a historical affiliation with the United Methodist Church. It was founded in 1839 by Methodists with its original campu ...
.[Parry, Hugh (1916-1997)]
at the Howard Gotlieb Archival Research Center, Boston University
Boston University (BU) is a private research university in Boston, Massachusetts. The university is nonsectarian, but has a historical affiliation with the United Methodist Church. It was founded in 1839 by Methodists with its original campu ...
; retrieved October 14, 2016
References
External links
*
1967 short stories
Science fiction short stories
Dangerous Visions short stories
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