Sixty-Year Extension

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Nourse, Alan Edward, 1928-1992

Language:

English

Physical Description:

1 online resource : multiple file formats

Other Title:

60-Year Extension

Place of Publication:

Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg,

Summary:

"Sixty-Year Extension" by Alan Edward Nourse is a science fiction novella written in the early 1950s. The story explores themes of identity, life after death, and the complexities brought forth by advanced medical technology that provides people with a second chance at life. The narrative centers on a character named Daniel Carter Griffin, who voluntarily undergoes a radical medical procedure which effectively replaces his failing body and grants him a new lease on life. The plot follows Griffin as he grapples with his new identity as a "Free Agent," a term denoting individuals who have undergone a complete medical overhaul, leaving their previous selves behind. After his procedure, Griffin experiences profound existential turmoil, realizing that while his body is rejuvenated, he may no longer fit into the life he once knew, especially with his wife, Marian. Disoriented and filled with anxiety, he avoids returning home and instead embarks on a journey through the bustling city. Along the way, he uncovers dark truths about the fate of other Free Agents, questioning whether their transformation is genuinely liberating or if it's a manipulation leading to a loss of autonomy. Ultimately, Griffin's journey culminates in a grim revelation that the technology meant to save lives might also be a means to exploit them, as he learns he is being sent to the stars against his will, raising unsettling questions about freedom and existence in a rapidly changing society. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Credits:

Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net

Notes:

Reading ease score: 84.5 (6th grade). Easy to read.

Release date is 2020-11-13