License to Steal by Louis Newman
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"License to Steal" by Louis Newman is a satirical science fiction tale published in the late 1950s. The narrative explores the humorous complications of intergalactic law through the story of Skrrgck, a native of a planet where theft is deemed honorable, as he navigates the legalities of doing business on Earth, where the same actions are criminal. The book cleverly examines themes of cultural differences, legal absurdities, and the ramifications of actions
influenced by societal norms. The plot centers around Skrrgck's request for a "license to steal" in Chicago, which leads to a series of absurd legal proceedings after he mistakenly believes he has the right to steal according to local customs. Following a convoluted journey that includes theft of a major building and its occupants, the story unfolds to showcase the chaos that ensues in both legal and social spheres. Through his escapades, Skrrgck inadvertently becomes a hero in his home planet of Altair after stealing the Altairian Crown Jewels, ultimately navigating the complexities of interstellar law and politics. His rise to power as Premier leads to a striking conclusion where he enacts legislation against theft, humorously flipping the script on his origins and the very nature of his character. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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About this eBook
| Author | Newman, Louis |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Wood, Wallace, 1927-1981 |
| Title | License to Steal |
| Series Title | Produced from Galaxy Magazine August 1959 |
| Credits |
Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at www.pgdp.net |
| Reading Level | Reading ease score: 54.0 (10th to 12th grade). Somewhat difficult to read. |
| Language | English |
| LoC Class | PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature |
| Subject | Science fiction |
| Subject | Short stories |
| Subject | Extraterrestrial beings -- Fiction |
| Subject | Chicago (Ill.) -- Fiction |
| Subject | Legal stories |
| Subject | Human-alien encounters -- Fiction |
| Subject | Theft -- Fiction |
| Category | Text |
| eBook-No. | 51420 |
| Release Date | Mar 11, 2016 |
| Last Update | Oct 23, 2024 |
| Copyright | Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads | 431 downloads in the last 30 days. |
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