AboutSue Kayton Expertise Engineer who has read thousands of science fiction books and short stories. Can recommend stories on specific subjects and comment on technical feasibility. Especially good at older out-of-print books and authors.
Question QUESTION: Forty years ago at the New Orleans public library in a sci-fi collection I read a story about a man who was investigating why parties fall silent at the same time world over. It was, he said, as if the human race was programmed to pause at that exact time to remember something long since forgotten. When his conversation partner asked if he had any idea what it was, he started to answer but was interrupted by bright light and the blare of a trumpet outside (the Second Coming) and just said something like, "I think I know but I just ran out of time to tell you."
Does that ring any bells as to title and/or author?
C. Taylor
ANSWER: I read this one, too. As I recall it was by Asimov, but I can't remember the title. Try emailing the world's largest SF library mitsfs@mit.edu
Please let me know when you find it since I want to re-read it also.
Along the same lines is the short story Jokester by Asimov. It appears in the short story collection Earth Is Room Enough, published by Doubleday in 1957. This book is easy to find in most pulic libraries.
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QUESTION: Dear Sue (Kayton):
The folks at were able to identify the story. (And the people at asked me to ask you to refer such questions as mine to instead of to them.)
Mildred Clingrman, "The Last Prophet." It is in THE BEST OF FICTION AND SCIENCE FICTION, 5th Series, ed. Anthony Boucher, 1956.
Thanks for your help! You helped answer my decades old question!
Cordially,
Dr Cecil Taylor
University of Mobile
Answer The links you tried to paste into your answer didn't show up. Please send me the links so I can learn about this other source. Also, the message didn't come through - do they want questions directly referred to them, or to someplace else?? Couldn't read your post.
