Reading Thread 10/05/2025

Howdy Readers! Welcome to the Reading Thread, your Sunday morning source for the insightful, lively and spirited discussion of books 'n stuff. I'm filling in for a while as this space re-invents itself under new management so please set your near-term expectations accordingly low.

What do we have this week? Why, it's none other than Frankenstein; Or, The Modern Prometheus, written by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley and published in 1818. As I mentioned in the other editions of the Reading Thread you may not always get such fabulous selections as this.

Anyhoo, feel free to discuss reading and books in general and share your thoughts on this week's selection if you're so inclined. There may even be a special added bonus below!

I know you're just as excited as I am, so just jump below the fold to get started!

click for download options

New procedure for clicking - rather than opening a PDF, a link now takes you to the Gutenberg Project web page for the book with multiple download options.

Also, for those interested, here is the Frankenstein Wiki page link.

Special Bonus Topic For Today's Discussion

Yes or No, would you have guessed Frankenstein is the top book downloaded on the Gutenberg Project website?

Extra Super Bonus Additional Content

Review submitted by our pal OrangeEnt

White Mutiny Malcolm Jameson

White Mutiny is a pulp magazine story from 1940. It concerns the officers of the spaceship Pollux and their reactions to a new commanding officer. I'd call it Captain Queeg in space. The captain, Shinnery, runs roughshod over the crew. His regulation mania results in the titular "white mutiny," where the XO, Bullard, orders the crew to follow the captain's orders to the letter, and nothing more.

This results in problems, of course, when the ship receives orders to Neptune to face space pirates. Shinnery's incompetence leads to the ship crash landing, leaving it at the mercy of the pirates, who soon appear and attack the disabled ship.

Shinnery demanded adherence to maintenance regs, and the malicious compliance with them leaves the ship defenseless. The captain loses his nerve and claims sickness to cover his incompetence, allowing Bullard to take over and defeat the pirates.

Bullard returns the victorious ship to its base, and after the fleet commander reviews the captain's reports and Ballard's, Shinnery gets retired by the commander, and Bullard becomes commander of the Pollux.

Fun story. Recommended for those who like old pulp stories, or have an interest in discovering them.

OrangeEnt adds it's available to read online HERE

So that's it for now, guys and gals. Come to class next week prepared to discuss reading 'n stuff, and remember, Reading is FUNdamental!

posted by Weasel at 09:00 AM

| Access Comments