Our latest Tale for Our Time charges on - Out of Time, my variation on H G Wells, in which the Eloi and the Morlocks show up 800,000 years ahead of schedule.
Thank you for all your shrewd comments about our serialization. Glen Flint, a First Fortnight Founding Member of The Mark Steyn Club, wonders if this whole thing isn't just your humble host tying up a few loose ends:
Dear Mark,
Loving this tale, Out of Time, but I have some concerns.
Out of Time has so many meanings. The Wicket Keeper's Son has stepped out of his time and into his future, our present. He's certainly out of the rhythm of our times. The Elloelloi are out of time to save their civilization. Your tale is preamble to HG Wells Time Machine by exploring how we got to that dystopian future.
California Steyn Clubber James Lamb got me listening to each episode backwards, looking for hidden messages. I hope I'm reading too much into this. Is Mark Steyn Out of Time? Like the Wicket Keeper's Son, you're a self-described 19th century imperialist a century past your sell-by date. Are you the time traveler? Has your inter-dimensional passport expired and you're about to disappear back to Victorian England?
And then today, 'My final book will be distributed via (as I always say) the last photocopier in the woods.' Is this the final book? Is this your way to break the unpleasant news? Say it isn't so!
Wishing you a speedy recovery and safe travels back to your home whether New Hampshire or Victorian England.
Actually, Glen, from my days with the town historical society, I would have been very happy in Victorian-era New Hampshire.
At any rate, in tonight's episode of Out of Time, our time-traveller visits the warehouse into which the entirety of our discarded civilization is being squeezed:
I thought of the Riddle of the Sphinx. 'Do you know Oedipus?' I asked Devon.
'No,' he said. 'But he's probably around here somewhere.'
Members of The Mark Steyn Club can listen to Part Nine of our adventure simply by clicking here and logging-in. Earlier episodes can be found here.
If you've yet to hear any of our Tales for Our Time, you can do so by joining The Mark Steyn Club. Membership is available now - and, if you sign up, you'll be all set for Part Ten of Out of Time this time tomorrow (and all the earlier episodes, of course). And, if you've a friend who likes classic fiction, don't forget our special Gift Membership.
~Notwithstanding my one-step-forward-three-steps-back health, we had a busy weekend at SteynOnline, starting with Laura Rosen Cohen's return to the anchor seat of our Clubland Q&A. Rick McGinnis's Saturday movie date was a Jules Dassin classic Night and the City, and my Sunday Song of the Week found me at the strange confluence of footie and opera.
If you were too busy spending the weekend trying not to get collaterally offed in the FBI takedown of your septuagenarian 300-lb neighbor, we hope you'll want to check out one or two of the foregoing as a new week begins.
