The magnificent possession by Isaac Asimov
"The magnificent possession by Isaac Asimov" is a humorous science fiction short story written in the early 20th century. It centers on a chemist’s breakthrough in isolating metallic ammonium and creating a brilliant gold-like oxide, setting off a satirical scramble involving industry, politics, and crime. Walter Sills, a cash-strapped chemist aided by his friend Eugene Taylor, discovers a solvent that lets him separate and briefly stabilize ammonium, then produces a glittering “substitute
gold” oxide that promises riches. Newspaper fame draws a predatory industrialist, a blustering ex-congressman, and a notorious gangster into a chaotic night of break-ins and bluff. Though Sills secures his real notes in a bank, the crooks steal decoys. Seeking proof before a big sale, Sills and Taylor plate a spoon with ammonium—only to unleash an indescribably noxious stench when it meets ordinary air, panicking the neighborhood and sending their prospective buyer fleeing. The pair finally wade into the Hudson for clean air, mourning their fiasco yet clinging to the hope that the discovery will still bring renown—and perhaps a fix for the fatal smell. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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About this eBook
| Author | Asimov, Isaac, 1920-1992 |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Meskin, Mort, 1916-1995 |
| Illustrator | Scott, John Walter, 1907-1987 |
| Title | The magnificent possession |
| Original Publication | Chicago, IL: Double Action Magazines, 1940. |
| Series Title | Produced from the July 1940 issue of Future Fiction. |
| Credits | Roger Frank |
| Language | English |
| LoC Class | PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature |
| Subject | Science fiction |
| Subject | Short stories |
| Subject | Chemists -- Fiction |
| Subject | Experiments -- Fiction |
| Category | Text |
| EBook-No. | 76871 |
| Release Date | Sep 13, 2025 |
| Most Recently Updated | Oct 4, 2025 |
| Copyright Status | Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads | 731 downloads in the last 30 days. |
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