Welcome to our latest Tale for Our Time: Robert Hugh Benson's ambitious preview of the twenty-first century, Lord of the World - and, as always, I thank you for your kind words about our story so far. John Wilson, a First Week Founding Member of The Mark Steyn Club, writes of last night's episode:
I was beginning to doubt Mr. Benson's powers of prognostication. But then he goes and pulls global warming and recreational euthanasia out of his hat in one episode! I must say 'well done' old boy for predicting these over a century ago.
Indeed. In tonight's installment, what strikes one, from the Canada of 2025 (not to mention certain European countries), is that while this or that detail may vary the author is spot on about the general character of bureaucratised death:
There rested upon it a white-enamelled box, delicately painted with flowers. From this box emerged a white flexible tube with a broad mouthpiece, fitted with two leather-covered steel clasps. From the side of the box nearest the chair protruded a little china handle.
"Now, my dear," began the nurse quietly, watching the other's eyes turn once again to the window, and then back—"now, my dear, you sit there, as you are now. Your head right back, please. When you are ready, you put this over your mouth, and clasp the springs behind your head.... So.... it works quite easily. Then you turn this handle, round that way, as far as it will go. And that is all...
"I shall come back in half-an-hour," said Sister Anne.
Members of The Mark Steyn Club can hear Part Thirty-Three of our adventure simply by clicking here and logging-in. Earlier episodes can be found here.
If you have friends who might appreciate Lord of the World or our other tales, we have a special Steyn Club Gift Membership that lets them in on that and on all the other fun in The Mark Steyn Club.
If you've only joined the Steyn Club in recent days and missed our earlier serials (Conan Doyle's The Tragedy of the Korosko, George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four, Joseph Conrad's The Secret Agent, Baroness Orczy's The Scarlet Pimpernel, Anthony Hope's The Prisoner of Zenda, plus Kipling, Kafka, Dickens, Gogol, Jane Austen, Louisa May Alcott, P G Wodehouse, Scott Fitzgerald and more), you can find them all on our easy-to-access Netflix-style Tales for Our Time home page. Indeed, it's so easy to access that we've introduced a similar format for the audio editions of The Mark Steyn Show.
The Mark Steyn Club is now in its eighth year, and helps support all our content - whether in print, audio or video - and keep it out there in the world for everyone. In return, membership confers, aside from Tales for Our Time, a few other benefits:
~Exclusive Steyn Store member pricing on over 40 books, mugs, T-shirts, and other products;
~The opportunity to engage in live Clubland Q&A sessions with yours truly, such as tomorrow's;
~Transcript and audio versions of The Mark Steyn Show, Mark's Mailbox, and our other video content;
~My video series of classic poetry, our Saturday music show and other weekend diversions;
~Booking for special members-only events such as The Mark Steyn Christmas Show;
~Advance booking for my live appearances around the world, such as the Mark Steyn Cruise;
~Customised email alerts for new content in your areas of interest;
~and the opportunity to support our print, audio and video ventures as they wing their way around the planet.
To become a member of The Mark Steyn Club, please click here - and please join me tomorrow for Part Thirty-Four of Lord of the World.