medicine – Page 4

Assorted new LibriVox Science Fiction short stories

SFFaudio Online Audio

Here are three short Science Fiction stories with a humorous bent. They’re taken from a new LibriVox audiobook called Coffee Break Collection 001. Book coordinator Bellona Times sez:

“This is a collection of short (15 minute or less readings) stories suitable for a coffee break at work or a short commuter ride. Emphasis for this collection is Humor in various genres — fiction and non-fiction.”

Beyond Pandora has been recorded previously (for the Short Science Fiction Collection Vol. 014) – it’s an SF story that tries hard to make a scary medical problem funny. I’m not sure that it succeeds with the humour, but it might be a fruitful line of medical inquiry anyway.

Graeme Dunlop brings his Australian accent to the reading of Hard Guy. This story too has been previously recorded (in Short Science Fiction Collection Vol. 015). It’s a hitchhiker and road gangs story set on an atomic highway.

The all new (to audio) story in this collection is Poppa Needs Shorts. It’s a silly little story that trades on a peculiarity of the English language. But it also makes a very interesting point, namely that toddlers are actually practicing scientists! Sure, baby-proofing your house might make it safer for your baby, but it defeats many of the experiments that your tiny scientist can perform. It’s a very clever tale. Narrator Patti Cunningham does a nice job reading it too.

Beyond Pandora
By Robert J. Martin; Read by msjodi777
1 |MP3| – Approx. 5 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: LibriVox.org
Published: September 11, 2009
The ideal way to deal with a pest—any menace—is, of course, to make it useful to you… From Analog September 1962.

Hard Guy
By H.B. Carelton; Read by Graeme Dunlop
1 |MP3| – Approx. 7 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: LibriVox.org
Published: September 11, 2009
There will be fine, glittering, streamlined automobiles in 2000 A.D. Possibly they will run themselves while the driver sits back with an old-fashioned in his hands. Perhaps they will carry folks down the highways at ninety miles an hour in perfect safety. But picking up a hitch-hiker will still be as dangerous as it is today. From Amazing Stories April 1956.

Poppa Needs Shorts
By Walt Richmond and Leigh Richmond; Read by Patti Cunningham
1 |MP3| – Approx. 13 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: LibriVox.org
Published: September 11, 2009
Given valid data, you can reach completely wrong conclusions. But given a wrong conclusion, you can still get a right answer! From Analog Science Fact & Fiction January 1964.

Posted by Jesse Willis

LibriVox: Short Science Fiction Collection Vol. 021

SFFaudio Online Audio

Here’s another double handful of Science Fiction short stories from LibriVox. It’s made up of nine all-new to audio stories and one previously recorded by another reader (My Friend Bobby). In addition to the kind work of its generous narrators, this audiobook was made possible by the “Dedicated Proof-Listener” designated “julicarter” and by the meta-coordinating and cataloging skills of Lucy Burgoyne. Finally, extra credit should probably go to Gregg Margarite, a seemingly powerful force in getting stuff done over at LibriVox.org. Thanks people – you be cool!

Short Science Fiction Collection Vol. 021
By various; Read by various
10 Zipped MP3 Files or Podcast – Approx. 4 Hours 48 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: LibriVox.org
Published: July 24, 2009
Science Fiction is speculative literature that generally explores the consequences of ideas which are roughly consistent with nature and scientific method, but are not facts of the author’s contemporary world. The stories often represent philosophical thought experiments presented in entertaining ways. Protagonists typically “think” rather than “shoot” their way out of problems, but the definition is flexible because there are no limits on an author’s imagination. The reader-selected stories presented here were written prior to 1962 and became US public domain texts when their copyrights expired.

Cogito Ergo Sum
By John Foster West; Read by Gregg Margarite
1 |MP3| – Approx. 19 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: LibriVox.org
Published: July 24, 2009
Are the Spirit and the Flesh one and the same thing? Or are they separate entities, dependent and at the same time independent of each other? Perhaps some great Cosmic Law holds this secret. But the one Universal Element that we can depend upon, apparently, is The Lucky Accident. From Fantastic Universe March 1954.

Dead World
By Jack Douglas; Read by Troy Bond
1 |MP3| – Approx. [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: LibriVox.org
Published: July 24, 2009
Out on the ice-buried planet, Commander Red Stone led his Free Companions to almost certain death. They died for a dangerous dream that had only one chance in a thousand trillion to come true. Is there a better reason for dying? First published in Amazing Stories May 1961.

Divinity
By William Morrison; Read by aun
1 |MP3| – [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: LibriVox.org
Published: July 24, 2009
Bradley had one fear in his life. He had to escape regeneration. To do that, he was willing to take any chance, coward though he was—even if it meant that he had to become a god! From Space Science Fiction 1953.

The Gift Bearer
By Charles L. Fontenay; Read by Troy Bond
1 |MP3| – Approx. 11 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: LibriVox.org
Published: July 24, 2009
This could well have been Montcalm’s greatest opportunity; a chance to bring mankind priceless gifts from worlds beyond. But Montcalm was a solid family man—and what about that nude statue in the park? From Amazing Science Fiction Stories September 1958.

The Helpful Robots
By Robert Shea; Read by Donald Finch
1 |MP3| – [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: LibriVox.org
Published: July 24, 2009
“Robert J. Shea, of Rutgers University, makes an interesting contribution to robotics with this story of Rankin, who prided himself on knowing how to handle robots, but did not realize that the robots of the Clearchan Confederacy were subject to a higher law than implicit obedience to man.” From Fantastic Universe September 1957.

The Love Of Frank Nineteen
By David C Knight; Read by Bellona Times
1 |MP3| – Approx. 51 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: LibriVox.org
Published: July 24, 2009
What will happen to love in that far off Day after Tomorrow? David C. Knight, editor with a New York trade publisher, agrees with the many impressed by “the range of possible subjects and situations” in science fiction. The result is a unique love story from that same Tomorrow. From Fantastic Universe December 1957.

My Friend Bobby
By Alan E. Nourse; Read by Bellona Times
1 |MP3| – Approx. 25 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: LibriVox.org
Published: July 24, 2009
From the collection The Counterfeit Man and Other Science Fiction Stories by Alan E. Nourse published in 1963.

The Pygmy Planet
By Jack Williamson; Read by Gregg Margarite
1 |MP3| – Approx. 54 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: LibriVox.org
Published: July 24, 2009
Down into the infinitely small goes Larry on his mission to the Pygmy Planet. From Astounding Stories February 1932.

Resurrection
By Robert Shea; Read by Daniele
1 |MP3| – Approx. 4 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: LibriVox.org
Published: July 24, 2009
Robert J. Shea returns with this intriguing short-short predicting a not too distant future where medicine, not content with stimulating life and new growth in people who had already died, goes on to further experiments which Baron von Frankenstein would have found interesting. From Fantastic Universe December 1957.

Salvage In Space
By Jack Williamson; Read by Gregg Margarite
1 |MP3| – Approx. 49 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: LibriVox.org
Published: July 24, 2009
To Thad Allen, meteor miner, comes the dangerous bonanza of a derelict rocket-flier manned by death invisible. From Astounding Stories March 1933.

Podcast feed:

http://librivox.org/bookfeeds/short-science-fiction-collection-21.xml

iTunes 1-Click |SUBSCRIBE|

Posted by Jesse Willis

LibriVox: Short Science Fiction Stories Vol. 19

SFFaudio Online Audio

It seems LibriVox has started adding a few more credits to its collections starting with this volume. Besides the narrators, this collection was created by the following LibriVox volunteers:

Book Coordinator: Gregg Margarite
Dedicated Proof-Listener: julicarter
Meta-Coordinator/Cataloging: Lucy Burgoyne

Stories new to this collection include:

Stopover by William Gerken. This is a well written but annoying story. It is one of better parapsychology short stories, but that isn’t saying much. John W. Campbell was absolutely obsessed with paraspychological ESP bunk – it makes for very repetitive reading. This story’s setting, in a post-apocalyptic USA, is vivid – and the characters are emotionally realistic -too bad about the ESP crap. Bellona Times, the narrator, has a few missteps in this one – including the reading “psi talents” as “pee-ess-eye talents.”

Something Will Turn Up by David Mason. The beatnik/hippy repairman, and his dialogue, in this tale are a real hoot. It’s more a Fantasy tale than an SF one, but its got a beatnik TV repairman so I’m still happy. Read by Bellona Times again without any serious flaws but with a few little ones here and there. Times snaps his fingers and whistles – which to me is a narrator double no-no. There’s also a word or two improperly read, notably “reversed” read as “reverse.”

The Sargasso Of Space by Edmond Hamilton. This is a fast paced space opera (and mystery) about an interplanetary spacecraft that’s run out of gas. Gregg Margarite continues to kick ass as a narrator. He’s no vocal chameleon but he’s just a few tweaks away from being a pro sounding narrator. He seems to choose some of the better stories too. I think he’s super cool. Maybe he’ll be my friend? That’d be cool.

Short Science Fiction Stories Vol. 19
By various; Read by various
10 Zipped MP3 Files or Podcast – Approx. 4 Hours 41 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: LibriVox.org
Published: June 23, 2009
Science Fiction is speculative literature that generally explores the consequences of ideas which are roughly consistent with nature and scientific method, but are not facts of the author’s contemporary world. The stories often represent philosophical thought experiments presented in entertaining ways. Protagonists typically “think” rather than “shoot” their way out of problems, but the definition is flexible because there are no limits on an author’s imagination. The reader-selected stories presented here were written prior to 1962 and became US public domain texts when their copyrights expired.

Podcast feed:

http://librivox.org/bookfeeds/short-science-fiction-collection-19.xml

iTunes 1-Click |SUBSCRIBE|

All Cats are Gray
By Andre Norton; Read by Gregg Margarite
1 |MP3| – Approx. 16 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: LibriVox.org
Published: June 23, 2009
An odd story, made up of oddly assorted elements that include a man, a woman, a black cat, a treasure—and an invisible being that had to be seen to be believed. – Under normal conditions a whole person has a decided advantage over a handicapped one. But out in deep space the normal may be reversed—for humans at any rate. First published using Norton’s Andrew North pseudonym in Fantastic Universe Science Fiction, August–September 1953.

Beyond Lies The Wub
By Phillip K. Dick; Read by Tom Hackett
1 |MP3| – Approx. 16 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: LibriVox.org
Published: June 23, 2009
The slovenly wub might well have said: Many men talk like philosophers and live like fools. From Planet Stories July 1952.

The Gallery
By Rog Phillips; Read by Ted Ryan
– [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: LibriVox.org
Published: June 23, 2009
Wherever he went Arthur felt the power behind the lens. – Aunt Matilda needed him desperately, but when he arrived she did not want him and neither did anyone else in his home town. From Amazing Stories January 1959.

The Happy Unfortunate
By Robert Silverberg; Read by Gregg Margarite
1 |MP3| – Approx. 39 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: LibriVox.org
Published: June 23, 2009
Dekker, back from space, found great physical changes in the people of Earth; changes that would have horrified him five years before. But now, he wanted to be like the rest—even if he had to lose an eye and both ears to do it. From Amazing Stories December 1957.

The Man Who Saw The Future
By Edmond Hamilton; Read by Xanderphilips
1 |MP3| – Approx. [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: LibriVox.org
Published: June 23, 2009
“Jean de Marselait, Inquisitor Extraordinary of the King of France, raised his head from the parchments that littered the crude desk at which he sat. His glance shifted along the long stone-walled, torchlit room to the file of mail-clad soldiers who stood like steel statues by its door. A word from him and two of them sprang forward.” First published in Amazing Stories, October 1930. Later reprinted in the February 1961 issue of Amazing Stories.

A Matter Of Proportion
By Anne Walker; Read by Dale A. Bade
1 |MP3| – Approx. 37 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: LibriVox.org
Published: June 23, 2009
In order to make a man stop, you must convince him that it’s impossible to go on. Some people, though, just can’t be convinced. From Astounding Science Fiction August 1959.

Sargasso Of Space
By Edmond Hamilton; Read by Greg Margarite
1 |MP3| – Approx. 50 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: LibriVox.org
Published: June 23, 2009
She was floating along the wreck-pack’s edge. Helpless, doomed, into the graveyard of space floats the wrecked freighter Pallas. From Astounding Stories September 1931.

Something Will Turn Up
By David Mason; Read by Bellona Times
1 |MP3| – Approx. 17 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: LibriVox.org
Published: June 23, 2009
Err … maybe it had to do with this being a non-Parity universe, perhaps? Some things can’t be simply inverted, after all… From Analog February 1963.

Stopover
By William Gerken; Read by Bellona Times
1 |MP3| – Approx. 23 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: LibriVox.org
Published: June 23, 2009
What will the world be like, the day after Tomorrow, for the lonely ones who will have talents that others will half fear, half envy? William Gerken describes this strange world in which young and old will have to find new values and pursue new dreams, as they search for the answer… From Fantastic Universe September 1957.

Toy Shop
By Harry Harrison; Read by Xanderphillips
1 |MP3| – Approx. 10 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: LibriVox.org
Published: June 23, 2009
The gadget was strictly, beyond any question, a toy. Not a real, workable device. Except for the way it could work under a man’s mental skin… From Analog April 1962.

Posted by Jesse Willis

Lux Radio Theatre: Panic In The Streets

Aural Noir: Online Audio

Panic In The Streets

Seven.

Even looking at it now the truth sounds like an April Fools day joke.

Had you asked me: “How many ‘uniformed services’ does the United States of America have?”

I would have said: “They have only five uniformed services, Army, Air-Force, Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard.” I would have bet you cash money on the fact. I could have even given you great details about all five – detailing for instance when the USAF split off from the Army (1947).

But I would have lost that bet.

I might even have hedged a little, asking: “Are you including the Merchant Marine?” But even had I said, “It has 5 plus the merchant marine” I would have lost the bet because, apparently, the United States of America has:

7 UNIFORMED SERVICES!

That fact blew my mind.

I found out about this by watching, disbelievingly, an old Film Noir movie called Panic In The Streets. In it a doctor, played by Richard Widmark, gets a phone call from the New Orleans coroner’s office. It seems there is a corpse presenting some very disturbing symptoms – one that requires Widmark’s expertise. As he complains about having to come in on his day off he dons what looks like a tan Navy officer’s uniform. His epaulets seemingly indicating his holding the rank of a Lt. Cmdr.

“That’s weird,” I said to myself as he put on the clothes. “Why would they have called a Navy doctor?” I paused the movie and broke out Wikipedia. Two or three clicks later…

Uniformed Services Of The United States.

United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps!

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps?

…

Yeah, I was stunned too. It has a feeling of unreality.

I’ve slowly come to the realization that the USA is, like the Roman Republic, loathe to abandon any institution or tradition it creates (typically requiring either a civil war or a sustained public demonstration). I had no idea the USA had founded either the USPHSCC or the NOAACC. This is all à propos to Aural Noir due to a recent podcast…

Lux Radio Theatre – Panic In The Streets
1 |MP3| – Approx. 53 Minutes [RADIO DRAMA]
Broadcaster: CBS Radio
Broadcast: March 5, 1951
Provider: Relic Radio
An illegal immigrant carrying pneumonic plague is found murdered on the New Orleans waterfront. It’s up to Lt. Cmdr. Clinton ‘Clint’ Reed M.D., of the Public Health Service, to prevent a national epidemic. Reed must find and inoculate the murderer and anyone he’s come into contact with. He has 48 hours. The movie, released June 12, 1950, starred Richard Widmark, so does this radio version.

For a similar, but Science Fiction, adventure try Alan Nourse’s Star Surgeon.

Posted by Jesse Willis

Recent Arrivals: Blake’s 7, Alan E. Nourse, John W. Campbell

SFFaudio Recent Arrivals

Recent arrivals in the Canadian offices of SFFaudio include a two-in-one MP3-CD from the USA…

Star Surgeon / The Black Star Passes
By Alan E. Nourse and John W. Campbell; Read by Scott D. Farquhar
1 MP3-CD – Approx. 12 Hours [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: ScottVox
Published: 2009
Two original SFFaudio Challenge titles, The Black Star Passes and Star Surgeon, are now available on a single mp3 data disc. Both audiobooks are slightly remastered versions of the audio files which are still available for free download at Podiobooks.com and LibriVox. So this data disc version is for folks that want to save some download time. It comes in DVD style packaging and also includes a little 8 page booklet with information about both books, biographies of the authors, and a chapter/filename index. Asking price is $10.

And from the U.K. the first three episodes of the prequel audio dramas set in the Blake’s 7 universe…

Blake’s 7 – When Vila Met Gan (Vol. 1.1)
By Ben Aaronovitch; Performed by a full cast
1 CD – Approx. 50 Minutes [AUDIO DRAMA]
Publisher: B7 Media
Published: October 2008
ISBN: 9781906577056
Michael Keating reprises his most popular role as the cowardly thief, Vila Restal, the only character to appear in all 52 episodes of the original Blake’s 7 TV series. The new audio incarnation of Olag Gan played by Owen Aaronovitch also stars. (BLAKE’S 7 – THE EARLY YEARS Vol 1.1) is a prequel exploring the origins of key B7 characters prior to them meeting rebel leader, Roj Blake. This, the first of these prequel stories When Vila met Gan was written by lead writer, Ben Aaronovitch. It explores the history and enduring friendship between Gan and Vila, two of the most unlikely rebels to take up arms against the Federation.

Blake’s 7 – Point Of No Return and Eye Of The Machine (Vol. 1.2 & 1.3)
By Ben Aaronovitch and James Swallow; Performed by a full cast
2 CDs – Approx. 70 Minutes [AUDIO DRAMA]
Publisher: B7 Media
Published: November 2008
ISBN: 9781906577063
Second of the first season of prequel stories on 2 CDs, starring Colin Salmon, Keeley Hawkes, Craig Kelly, Peter Guinness, Jake Maskall, and featuring Geoffrey Palmer.

Point Of No Return (Episode 2) – The right hand of Supreme Commander Servalan, Travis (Craig Kelly) is the relentless security officer dedicated to hunting down the dissident Roj Blake… but what choices made him the man he became? London, 2230. On the eve of a tense election that will send shockwaves throughout the Federation, Major Stefan Travis finds his liberty unexpectedly cancelled and a new assignment thrust upon him. A key political opponent of the government, Carl Varon (Peter Guinness), has been arrested, accused of hate crimes and incitement to violence, but a trail of murder and conspiracy leads Travis to doubt the truth presented to him. When the deadly threat of a terrorist atrocity looms, how far will he go to prevent the deaths of millions of people? Written by James Swallow, directed by Andrew Mark Sewell.

Eye Of The Machine (Episode 3) – The University of Oxford in the year 2230, and the campus is a hotbed of student protest as Roj Blake’s Freedom Party seeks to sweep away a century of corrupt rule. Kerr Avon (Colin Salmon), a young man from the frontier, brilliant, ambitious and naïve, has arrived to make his mark on the future. Working with Professor Ensor (Geoffrey Palmer), the Federation’s eminent cyberneticist, Avon has no intention of getting involved in politics – – he may be naïve, but he isn’t stupid. But, when he meets activist Anna Grant (Keeley Hawes), all bets are off…. Written by Ben Aaronovitch, directed by Andrew Mark Sewell.

Posted by Jesse Willis

LibriVox: Short Science Fiction Collection Vol. 008 by Alan E. Nourse

SFFaudio Online Audio

Single author short story collections from LibriVox! This is a new trend, if we count that Lovecraft Collection from late last week. Volume 8 in the LibriVox Short SF collections series is all Alan E. Nourse. Some of these stories were previously recorded, by other narrators, but most are new to audio. Here’s a mini-review/rundown on the extremely varied narrations:

Daniele F.’s readings are heavily accented (Italian?) but well recorded. James Christopher’s entry is quiet, maybe he’s a little too far away from his mic (or maybe his mic just isn’t great). Mooseboy Alfonzo is quiet too. Actually he’s sounding muffled, perhaps his pop-filter is just a big old sweater? Too thick Moose! Larissa Little’s debut is solidly recorded for a first – hopefully she’ll stick with it – adding some performance to her reading. Hector has run his recording through a noise filter that’s quieted his pauses, making it all sound too undulating. Joseph Kellogg’s reading is good, but he’s in need of a pop filter, maybe Mooseboy can lend him an arm of that sweater. Allegra’s got a noisy recording environment. Turn off the air conditioning! Overall, I’d have to credit Jerry Dixon’s reading as the best of the bunch, though it’s not absolutely stellar.

All of the below has also been added to our ALAN E. NOURSE page.

Short Science Fiction Collection Vol. 008
By Alan Edward Nourse; Read by various
10 Zipped MP3 Files or Podcast – Approx. 5 Hours [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: LibriVox.org
Published: October 24th, 2008
This volume of the LibriVox Science-Fiction Collection is devoted to Alan E. Nourse (1928-1992). Nourse became a science fiction writer to help pay for his medical education, but eventually retired from practicing medicine to pursue his writing career. This reader-selected collection presents ten of his short stories which were published between 1954 and 1963. Extensive research by Project Gutenberg volunteers did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on these publications were renewed. Please consider this a brief sampling of Nourse’s full range, and have fun buying and borrowing his other works.

Circus
By Alan E. Nourse; Read by Daniele F.
1 |MP3| – Approx. 20 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]

The Coffin Cure
By Alan E. Nourse; Read by James Christopher
1 |MP3| – Approx. 30 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]

Letter of the Law
By Alan E. Nourse; Read by Daniele F.
1 |MP3| – Approx. 43 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]

The Link
By Alan E. Nourse; Read by Jerry Dixon
1 |MP3| – Approx. 36 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]

Meeting of the Board
By Alan E. Nourse; Read by Corey M. Snow
1 |MP3| – Approx. 36 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]

My Friend Bobby
By Alan E. Nourse; Read by Mooseboy Alfonzo
1 |MP3| – Approx. 22 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]

The Native Soil
By Alan E. Nourse; Read by Larissa Little
1 |MP3| – Approx. 47 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]

An Ounce of Cure
By Alan E. Nourse; Read by Hector
1 |MP3| – Approx. 11 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]

PRoblem
By Alan E. Nourse; Read by Joseph Kellogg
1 |MP3| – Approx. 29 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]

Second Sight
By Alan E. Nourse; Read by Allegra
1 |MP3| – Approx. 27 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]

Podcast Feed:

http://librivox.org/bookfeeds/short-science-fiction-collection-vol-008.xml

Posted by Jesse Willis