What's He Doing in There? by Fritz Leiber
QR code
"What's He Doing in There?" by Fritz Leiber is a humorous science fiction short story written in the late 1950s. The narrative centers around a cultural anthropologist's encounter with the first Martian visitor to Earth, highlighting themes of miscommunication and cultural taboos. The story deftly explores the absurdity of human and alien interactions, particularly when reflecting on the mundane aspects of life like bathroom etiquette. The plot unfolds as the Martian, having
landed on Earth, retreats to the bathroom for an extended period, prompting concern from the professor and his family about what he might be doing. Speculation runs wild as they consider the possible consequences of the Martian's actions, ranging from illness to cultural misunderstandings. The story builds tension and humor around the family's anxiety, revealing the alien's innocent intentions and misconceptions about terrestrial customs when he eventually emerges, blissfully unaware of the fuss he has caused. Ultimately, it serves as a delightful exploration of cross-cultural interactions, emphasizing the challenges and misunderstandings inherent in communications between vastly different beings. (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 | Leiber, Fritz, 1910-1992 |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Bowman |
| Title | What's He Doing in There? |
| Series Title | Produced from Galaxy Science Fiction December 1957. |
| Credits |
Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at www.pgdp.net |
| Reading Level | Reading ease score: 74.6 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read. |
| Language | English |
| LoC Class | PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature |
| Subject | Science fiction |
| Subject | Short stories |
| Subject | Martians -- Fiction |
| Subject | Human-alien encounters -- Fiction |
| Category | Text |
| eBook-No. | 29504 |
| ISBN (HTML) | 979-8-238-29504-6 |
| Release Date | Jul 24, 2009 |
| Copyright | Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads | 210 downloads in the last 30 days. |
Project Gutenberg eBooks are always free!