Heart by Henry Slesar

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About this eBook

Author Slesar, Henry, 1927-2002
Illustrator Llewellyn
Title Heart
Note Reading ease score: 87.2 (6th grade). Easy to read.
Credits Produced by Sankar Viswanathan, Greg Weeks, and the Online
Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
Summary "Heart" by Henry Slesar is a science fiction short story published in the mid-20th century. The narrative centers around Fletcher Monk, an industrialist with a failing heart, who believes he can manipulate circumstances and wealth to secure his health. The story explores themes of mortality, the limits of money, and human resilience in the face of physical decline, set against a backdrop of futuristic medical possibilities and space colonization. In the story, Fletcher Monk visits Dr. Rostov, who informs him of the dire state of his heart condition, which has been neglected for years. Monk refuses to accept that his health cannot be improved through financial means and sets out on a quest to escape to Mars, where he believes the lower gravity will save him. Throughout the tale, Monk’s dogged pursuit of medical solutions, akin to buying his way out of trouble, ultimately leads him to a stark realization about life in the Mars Colony, where hard work and collaboration are essential for survival. Despite a brief period of improvement, Monk’s insistence on maintaining his old identity and ways ultimately results in his demise, hinting at a deeper emotional struggle as he is metaphorically "dying of a broken heart." (This is an automatically generated summary.)
Language English
LoC Class PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature
Subject Science fiction
Subject Short stories
Subject Rich people -- Fiction
Subject Mars (Planet) -- Fiction
Subject Space colonies -- Fiction
Category Text
EBook-No. 30885
Release Date
Copyright Status Public domain in the USA.
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