Welcome to the conclusion of our latest Tale for Our Time: first published in 1955, Isaac Asimov's Franchise, a speculation on presidential elections of the early twenty-first century, in "the world's first electronic democracy". In tonight's finale, it's a perfectly normal Election Day in America:
The armored car purred down empty streets. They were empty even for that hour of the morning.
Handley indicated that and said, 'They always shift traffic away from the line of drive ever since the attempted bombing that nearly ruined the Leverett Election of 'ninety-two.'
When the car stopped, Norman was helped out by the always polite Handley into an underground drive whose walls were lined with soldiers at attention.
He was led into a brightly lit room, in which three white-uniformed men greeted him smilingly.
Norman said sharply, 'But this is the hospital.'
'There's no significance to that,' said Handley at once. 'It's just that the hospital has the necessary facilities.'
Just so. Members of The Mark Steyn Club can hear me read the conclusion of Franchise simply by clicking here and logging-in. The opening episode can be found here.
We always get queries about the music. In this case, I wanted something that captured the old-time ballyhoo of American electioneering, even as the story is a complete negation of that tradition. So I picked "Wintergreen for President" from Of Thee I Sing, the 1931 satirical operetta by George S Kaufman, Morrie Ryskind, George and Ira Gershwin. "Wintergreen" was George Gershwin's campaign theme for the eponymous presidential candidate. Our brief excerpt being instrumental, we don't hear Ira's short but unforgettable lyric:
Wintergreen for President!
Wintergreen for President!
He's the man the people choose!
Loves the Irish and the Jews!
Thank you so much for your compliments about Tales for Our Time during this time of looting and lockdown. Some like the ripping yarns for boys, some the more genteel social comedy for girls, but of the tales in totality all seem to be in favor. Thank you too for your kind words about our Covid-spawned audio edition of The Mark Steyn Show.
If you enjoyed our time with Isaac Asimov, I hope you'll join me next month for a brand new and very different Tale for Our Time. And, if you've yet to hear any of our Tales, you can enjoy the first three years' worth of audio adventures - by Conan Doyle, Kafka, Conrad, Gogol, Dickens, Baroness Orczy, Jack London, Louisa May Alcott, Robert Louis Stevenson and more - by joining The Mark Steyn Club. For details on membership, see here - and, if you're seeking the perfect present for a fellow fan of classic fiction, don't forget our Steyn Club Gift Membership. Sign up a pal today!
