A tale of negative gravity -- Asaph -- His wife's deceased sister -- The lady or the tiger? -- The remarkable wreck of the Thomas Hyke -- Old pipes and the dryad -- The transferred ghost -- The philosophy of relative existences -- A piece of red calico.
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"A Chosen Few: Short Stories" by Frank R. Stockton is a collection of short stories written in the late 19th century. The volume showcases several of the author's best-known works, selected through a unique literary process. The stories explore various themes, often featuring interesting characters faced with peculiar situations, including tales of scientific inquiry, social dilemmas, and human emotions. The opening of the collection introduces a narrative titled "A Tale of Negative Gravity," which follows a middle-aged American couple enjoying a spring afternoon in northern Italy. The protagonist, a retired professional, reveals his groundbreaking invention of a mechanism that produces "negative gravity," significantly reducing weight and making objects easier to carry. As the story unfolds, the couple confronts the implications of this invention on their lives, revealing their thoughts on personal satisfaction versus societal expectations. This mix of scientific endeavor and personal reflection sets the tone for the fascinating and imaginative stories to follow in the collection. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
Reading ease score: 77.3 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read.
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