The Calm Man by Frank Belknap Long
QR code
"The Calm Man" by Frank Belknap Long is a science fiction short story written in the early 1950s. The narrative delves into themes of emotional detachment and alien identity, exploring the complexities of domestic life through the eyes of a woman named Sally. The story unfolds as she grapples with her unresponsive husband's true nature, ultimately leading to revelations about both her family and her own feelings of isolation. In this tale,
Sally Anders bears the burden of her husband's emotional coldness, which becomes increasingly troubling as they raise their son, Tommy. Despite the joy of motherhood, Sally's life with her husband, Jim, feels hollow and lacking warmth. As the story progresses, a shocking truth is revealed: Jim is not human but an alien who has been using a stand-in to maintain his life on Earth while preparing to return to Mars. This revelation not only shatters Sally's world but also reveals the deeper impacts of her husband's calm demeanor. The climax builds towards the realization that Tommy, too, is drawn to his father's world, culminating in an emotional goodbye as the two entities leave Earth behind, illuminating the profound sorrow of a mother who is losing her child to another realm. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
Download for free
For your e-reader or reading app — Kindle, Kobo, Apple Books, Calibre etc.
Kindle → Use Send-to-Kindle
- Download the EPUB3 file above
- Upload it on the Amazon site your Kindle is registered with: amazon.com/sendtokindle for the US, amazon.co.uk/sendtokindle for the UK etc.
- It appears on your Kindle and in the Kindle app
Kobo, Nook etc. → Transfer via USB
- Download the EPUB3 file on your computer
- Connect your e-reader by USB and tap "Connect" on its screen
- Drag the file onto the e-reader drive
Phone, Tablet or Computer → Online or Reading App
Easiest: read online in your browser. Nothing to install.
Or use a reading app:
- Find and install one you like, for example Apple Books, ReadEra or Thorium Reader
- Download the EPUB3 file above
- Open it in the app
More help: iPhone / iPad · Android · Computer
Other formats & older devices
There may be more files related to this item.
About this eBook
| Author | Long, Frank Belknap, 1903-1994 |
|---|---|
| Title | The Calm Man |
| Series Title | Produced from Fantastic Universe May 1954. |
| Credits |
Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at www.pgdp.net |
| Reading Level | Reading ease score: 84.5 (6th grade). Easy to read. |
| Language | English |
| LoC Class | PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature |
| Subject | Science fiction |
| Subject | Short stories |
| Category | Text |
| eBook-No. | 28583 |
| ISBN (HTML) | 979-8-238-28583-2 |
| Release Date | Apr 21, 2009 |
| Copyright | Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads | 155 downloads in the last 30 days. |
Project Gutenberg eBooks are always free!