It's a Good Life Jerome Bixby Read Online

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Jul 14, 2020 Thomas rated information technology it was astonishing

This one got under my pare when I was a teenager and I never forgot it.

I read information technology in an anthology of science fiction stories long earlier I e'er saw the Twilight Zone episode.

Creepy and disturbing every bit all get out. This is truly a classic.

Everyone is happy in the small, idyllic boondocks of Peaksville, Ohio. Life is… expert! The people of Peaksville cannot but play-human activity this fashion: they must believe it, at all times. And if their Norman Rockwell smiles crack, well… Anthony will know. You see, the people of Peaksville live under the capricious rule of a near-almighty three-twelvemonth old boy named Anthony: a telepath of well-nigh limitless ability. Anthony isn't exactly evil. He'south a toddler, with a toddler's capricious mind, and the power of a god. Anybody is happy in the small, idyllic town of Peaksville, Ohio. Life is… skillful! The people of Peaksville cannot just play-act this mode: they must believe it, at all times. And if their Norman Rockwell smiles crack, well… Anthony will know. You see, the people of Peaksville live nether the arbitrary rule of a almost-omnipotent three-year sometime boy named Anthony: a telepath of near limitless ability. Anthony isn't exactly evil. He's a toddler, with a toddler'south capricious mind, and the power of a god. The citizens of Peaksville exercise what they can: they try to raise their own crops, they brand practice in their community cut off from the rest of the globe, unsure what (if anything) lies outside their town. They try to keep Anthony happy and satisfied, to avoid the sudden turn of his wrath, and they keep their smiles on, their thoughts positive. Whatever they do, they try non to think about the ones Anthony has "thought" into the cornfield.
Information technology'southward a Adept Life is a deeply unnerving tale, easily amongst the all-time short stories I've read and arguably one of the single nigh effective horror and sci-fi shorts written in the 20th Century. In 1961, it was adjusted into an episode of the Twilight Zone. If you're looking for a terrifying supernatural dystopia of Centre-America, you know, if y'all don't experience like yous alive in the grip of a demented kid king enough already, this is the story for you.
...more than

Jun 21, 2021 Adam rated it really liked it

-Read in The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume One-

Terrifying story that riffs off how unready humans are for telepathy. Successfully builds suspense and really creeps you out. I can definitely see why they fabricated a Twilight Zone episode based on this story.

I read this story 50 years ago, while on a holiday with my grandfather at my aunt's house in Virginia. (We flew domicile; my start time on an airplane.) All I remembered were the scrambled thoughts on the sidewalk outside the mind-reading boy's business firm, the terror of the villagers, and the devastation of the world beyond, yet the story somehow managed to haunt me. And then glad my vague recollections led me to the story this afternoon. And how did I manage to miss the Twilight Zone episode based on this? I read this story fifty years ago, while on a vacation with my granddaddy at my aunt's business firm in Virginia. (We flew home; my showtime time on an airplane.) All I remembered were the scrambled thoughts on the sidewalk outside the mind-reading boy's firm, the terror of the villagers, and the destruction of the earth beyond, yet the story somehow managed to haunt me. So glad my vague recollections led me to the story this afternoon. And how did I manage to miss the Twilight Zone episode based on this? ...more

I think that "It's a Good Life" is written very well and would appeal to people who beloved a very similar book, "The Veldt." "It's a Good Life" evangelize a very powerful bulletin - that we NEED healthy relationships with the people around us. Without them, life tin exist dangerous and we would accept then much more pressure and stress over the smallest things. Overall, I think that this is a great story and that Jerome Bixby is a gifted writer.

Oct 13, 2020 Nivi rated information technology information technology was amazing

Chilling. Much better than the Twilight Zone episode, in my opinion, specially the scene with Dan.

"You are my sunshine ... my just sunshine ... you brand me happy ... when I am blue ..."

Anthony Fremont is a three-year-old male child with nigh-godlike powers is terrorizing the residents of his small town by reading their thoughts. This causes everyone to maintain a façade of happiness and cheerful thoughts, when they are actually living in constant fear.Fear because Anthony can transform other people or objects into anything he wishes, retrieve new things into existence, teleport himself and others where he

"You are my sunshine ... my only sunshine ... you lot make me happy ... when I am blue ..."

Anthony Fremont is a three-year-old boy with near-godlike powers is terrorizing the residents of his small boondocks by reading their thoughts. This causes everyone to maintain a façade of happiness and cheerful thoughts, when they are actually living in constant fright.Fear because Anthony can transform other people or objects into anything he wishes, think new things into being, teleport himself and others where he wishes, read the minds of people and animals and even revive the expressionless. All this ability in the hands of a child whos perception of good and evil right or wrong was never tempered by the paw of an developed… how could it be.

I loved this story. I imagined it like a childlike Q from Star Expedition an omnipotent being who at the click of his fingers could exercise anything he wished. Its two parts psychological horror and one office science fiction and all of it is and then very very skillful to read.

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Goddamn, that was an exhausting read.

Anthony's character was very striking from the beginning of the story. (view spoiler)[The way he handled the rat showed what kind of person he was, what powers he had, and how destructive he could have been. (hide spoiler)] The further I read, however, the worse I felt: about the villagers, about the kid, almost the whole plot. (view spoiler)[The constant faking and lack of control tuckered me, as I imagined living among these people, devoid of life, devoid of

Goddamn, that was an exhausting read.

Anthony'south grapheme was very striking from the beginning of the story. (view spoiler)[The way he handled the rat showed what kind of person he was, what powers he had, and how destructive he could take been. (hide spoiler)] The further I read, however, the worse I felt: most the villagers, most the kid, about the whole plot. (view spoiler)[The constant faking and lack of control drained me, as I imagined living amongst these people, devoid of life, devoid of real happiness. Only three years with young Anthony had done and then much. What would the rest of eternity agree, and then? (hide spoiler)] There were also so many unnecessary details, even in a story this short.

...more

May 12, 2021 Jason rated it really liked it

Wow, very creepy.
I child born in a small boondocks has god like powers. Is this a good affair or a horror story? You lot'll just take to read it to find out.
Well that's probably non true since information technology was written most 70 years ago and a Twilight Zone episode of the same championship is pretty famous.
It'due south nevertheless a great story and definitely worth reading.

Always loved the Twilight Zone movie segment of this and had no idea it was based on a short story. This is not as goofy and is a picayune darker. As well nice to accept a petty more complexity to Anthony's character and the childish randomness to the way he thinks.

Dec 17, 2021 Sergey rated it it was amazing

The scariest book I ever read.. Certain ane of Asimov'south Foundation book took an idea or two..from this volume. The scariest book I ever read.. Sure 1 of Asimov'south Foundation book took an idea or two..from this book. ...more

Sep 17, 2020 Cally Jean rated information technology it was amazing

This was a fun story. It manages to create a great idea of the earth and the terror of the kid in a brusk corporeality of fourth dimension.

Good brusque story almost a child who has god like powers and is a psychopath.
Moral of the story: Kids are crazy and should never have any ability

What happens when a kid has a lot of strange powers? More a horror than science fiction. The Science Fiction Hall of Fame: Book 1, 1929-1964 #21

February 22, 2021 Connie rated information technology did not like it

Horrible, no me gustó la trama ni los personajes.

Not bad horror story, and the Twilight Zone episode was different enough that I didn't feel like I already knew what was going on.

Apr 06, 2021 KATHLEEN rated information technology really liked it

This story is definitely my idea of hell. A child given immense ability and everyone around him forced to pretend they call back it'south a good thing. He makes the cornfield expect improve by comparing. This story is definitely my idea of hell. A kid given immense ability and everyone effectually him forced to pretend they think it's a good affair. He makes the cornfield look meliorate past comparing. ...more

The Simpsons — Treehouse of Horror Ii: Bart's Nightmare (a.k.a. The Bart Zone)

Life is happy - Oh! So happy! - in Peaksville, where everyone must recall skillful thoughts and benefit things to appease sweetness lilliputian Anthony. Only that's not all the story. Anthony is the kind of little boy who will "wish" yous impairment and banish you to the cornfield if you dare make him the slightest bit unhappy.

I enjoyed this creepy tale of what one could arguably conclude that this is now the state of upbringing today; that is, the adults do everything in their power to curve to the whims and wishes o

Life is happy - Oh! Then happy! - in Peaksville, where everyone must recall good thoughts and benefit things to appease sweet little Anthony. But that's not all the story. Anthony is the kind of trivial boy who will "wish" you harm and banish you to the cornfield if you lot dare make him the slightest chip unhappy.

I enjoyed this creepy tale of what one could arguably conclude that this is now the state of upbringing today; that is, the adults do everything in their power to curve to the whims and wishes of children, wherein children ultimately dominion over the household with the adults fearing not beingness liked. themselves..

💥 Recommended.
🟣
📺

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Would like to put 7 stars if I could.

A SF/horror short story.

Absolutely 1 of the best short stories
I accept ever read. And I have read so many.

One of the summit three curt stories I take
ever read.

Not out of the box. The box doesn't
fifty-fifty exist.

Would like to put 7 stars if I could.

A SF/horror curt story.

Absolutely 1 of the all-time short stories
I take ever read. And I have read so many.

One of the top 3 short stories I have
ever read.

Not out of the box. The box doesn't
fifty-fifty exist.

...more

-Emily Schmidt & Gregory Kerkman

Drexel Jerome Lewis Bixby (January 11, 1923 Los Angeles, California – April 28, 1998 San Bernardino, California) was a American short story writer, editor and scriptwriter, all-time known for his comparatively small output in scientific discipline fiction. He also wrote many westerns and used the pseudonyms D. B. Lewis, Harry Neal, Albert Russell, J. Russell, Yard. St. Vivant, Thornecliff Herrick and Alger Rome (for o Drexel Jerome Lewis Bixby (Jan 11, 1923 Los Angeles, California – April 28, 1998 San Bernardino, California) was a American brusk story writer, editor and scriptwriter, best known for his comparatively small output in scientific discipline fiction. He too wrote many westerns and used the pseudonyms D. B. Lewis, Harry Neal, Albert Russell, J. Russell, 1000. St. Vivant, Thornecliff Herrick and Alger Rome (for one collaboration with Algis Budrys).

He was the editor of Planet Stories from Summer 1950 to July 1951; and editor of Two Complete Science Gamble Novels from Winter 1950 to July 1951.

Probably his best-known piece of work is the Star Trek: The Original Series 1967 episode "Mirror, Mirror", which introduced the series' concept of the Mirror Universe, too "Requiem for Methuselah" (Episode 76, Flavour 3:) about 'Flintstone' a 6,000 year old man. He also wrote the short story "It's a Good Life" (1953), adapted as a teleplay for The Twilight Zone by Rod Serling and parodied in the Simpsons Halloween episode "Treehouse of Horror II". His 1968 Star Expedition episode "Day of the Dove" is besides much respected by fans of science fiction. Bixby also conceived and co-wrote the 1966 moving-picture show Fantastic Voyage, subsequently novelized by Isaac Asimov.

Jerome Bixby'south last work, a screenplay The Homo From Earth, was conceived in the early 1960s and completed on his deathbed in April 1998. In 2007, Jerome Bixby's The Human From Earth (every bit it is now chosen) was turned into an independent motion picture executive produced by his son Emerson Bixby, directed by Richard Schenkman and starring David Lee Smith, William Katt, Richard Riehle, Tony Todd, Annika Peterson, Alexis Thorpe, Ellen Crawford and John Billingsley.

Bixby wrote the original screenplay for 1958's It! The Terror from Beyond Space, which was the inspiration for 1979's Conflicting. The Star Trek: Deep Space 9 seventh season (1999) Mirror Universe episode, "The Emperor's New Cloak," is dedicated to Bixby'due south retentiveness.

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