Myths of the Near Future

Short story by James Graham Ballard

Blurb

Myths of the Near Future is a short-story collection by J. G. Ballard, first published in 1982. It contains the following stories:
"Myths of the Near Future"
"Having a Wonderful Time" - Written in the form of postcards, the story chronicles a young couple who vacation on the Canary Islands, but their flight home is repeatedly cancelled until it becomes apparent that they—along with thousands of other families vacationing—will never return home, and have been forever exiled.
"A Host of Furious Fancies" - A doctor looks into the curious case of a young girl who became orphaned after her father inexplicably killed himself several years after her mother died. In the care of nuns, the girl shows bizarre behaviors, such as burning childhood books, and obsessively cleaning out the fireplaces afterwards. Despite the fact that she inherited millions from her parents, she treats herself as a servant, allowing herself to become malnourished. It is suspected by the doctor that before his death, the girl's father had engaged in an incestuous relationship with her, and to cope with the trauma she is playing out the fairytale of Cinderella.
"Zodiac 2000"
"News from the Sun"
"Theatre of War"

First Published

1982

Member Reviews Write your own review

Be the first person to review

Log in to comment