Happy Endings; 15 Stories by the Masters of the Macabre
by Damon Knight
Happy Endings
Edited by Damon Knight
15 stories by the Masters of the Macabre
This is an anthology of murder mystery stories that share an unusual theme: The demise of the victim leaves the world better off.
It is hard to think of anyone whose untimely death would be gratifying to somebody - a favorite nephew, say; that would not lift up his heart and bring a little lightness to his step, a new sparkle to his eye. The victims in these stories are unremarkable people except that for one reason or another they are blots on somebody's psychic landscape. Not everyone would agree with or approve of this viewpoint, but before we pass judgment, we should examine their histories; all fifteen of them; with care.
for it is with utmost care that these masters of the macabre have presented their cases. Meticulous in detail, scrupulously fair in viewpoint, overflowing in talent, they plot their Machiavellian ways to the inexorable .... happy endings.
Masters of the Macabre
The Greatest Man In the World - James Thurber
The Way Up to Heaven -- Roald Dahl
The Purist -- Ogden Nash
Father's in the Basement -- Philip Jose Farmer
Miss Thompson -- W. Somerset Maugham
The Damnedest Thing -- Garson Hanin
Tobermory -- Saki
De Mortuis -- John Collier
Undertaker Song -- Damon Runhyon
The Idol of the Flies -- Jane Rice
The Red-Headed Murderess Robert Branson
The Language of Flowers -- Hugh Atkinson
Ashes to Ashes -- Nunnally Johnson
A letter -- Isaac Babel
Winter -- Kit Reed
Edited by Damon Knight
15 stories by the Masters of the Macabre
This is an anthology of murder mystery stories that share an unusual theme: The demise of the victim leaves the world better off.
It is hard to think of anyone whose untimely death would be gratifying to somebody - a favorite nephew, say; that would not lift up his heart and bring a little lightness to his step, a new sparkle to his eye. The victims in these stories are unremarkable people except that for one reason or another they are blots on somebody's psychic landscape. Not everyone would agree with or approve of this viewpoint, but before we pass judgment, we should examine their histories; all fifteen of them; with care.
for it is with utmost care that these masters of the macabre have presented their cases. Meticulous in detail, scrupulously fair in viewpoint, overflowing in talent, they plot their Machiavellian ways to the inexorable .... happy endings.
Masters of the Macabre
The Greatest Man In the World - James Thurber
The Way Up to Heaven -- Roald Dahl
The Purist -- Ogden Nash
Father's in the Basement -- Philip Jose Farmer
Miss Thompson -- W. Somerset Maugham
The Damnedest Thing -- Garson Hanin
Tobermory -- Saki
De Mortuis -- John Collier
Undertaker Song -- Damon Runhyon
The Idol of the Flies -- Jane Rice
The Red-Headed Murderess Robert Branson
The Language of Flowers -- Hugh Atkinson
Ashes to Ashes -- Nunnally Johnson
A letter -- Isaac Babel
Winter -- Kit Reed
FictionMystery & DetectiveCollections & Anthologies
RELEASED1974
PUBLISHERBobbs-Merrill
LENGTH205
LANGUAGEEN
Damon Knight was born in Baker City, Oregon. He graduated from the WPA Art Center in Salem, Oregon, then moved to New York City. His first story, "Resilience", was published in 1941. In 1943 he went into publishing, first with Popular Publications, then editing Beyond in 1950-51 and If in 1959-60. He became a science fiction critic in 1945, but gave that up in 1954. In 1956 he co-founded the Milford Science Fiction Writers' Conference. Also in 1956, he received the Hugo Award for science fiction criticism. In 1965, he founded and became the first president of the Science Fiction Writers of America. He published his last book, Will the Real Hieronymus Bosch Please Stand Up? on the internet in 2000. He lived in Eugene, Oregon, United States, with his wife Kate Wilhelm, also a science fiction writer.
Happy Endings; 15 Stories by the Masters of the Macabre
by Damon Knight
Happy Endings
Edited by Damon Knight
15 stories by the Masters of the Macabre
This is an anthology of murder mystery stories that share an unusual theme: The demise of the victim leaves the world better off.
It is hard to think of anyone whose untimely death would be gratifying to somebody - a favorite nephew, say; that would not lift up his heart and bring a little lightness to his step, a new sparkle to his eye. The victims in these stories are unremarkable people except that for one reason or another they are blots on somebody's psychic landscape. Not everyone would agree with or approve of this viewpoint, but before we pass judgment, we should examine their histories; all fifteen of them; with care.
for it is with utmost care that these masters of the macabre have presented their cases. Meticulous in detail, scrupulously fair in viewpoint, overflowing in talent, they plot their Machiavellian ways to the inexorable .... happy endings.
Masters of the Macabre
The Greatest Man In the World - James Thurber
The Way Up to Heaven -- Roald Dahl
The Purist -- Ogden Nash
Father's in the Basement -- Philip Jose Farmer
Miss Thompson -- W. Somerset Maugham
The Damnedest Thing -- Garson Hanin
Tobermory -- Saki
De Mortuis -- John Collier
Undertaker Song -- Damon Runhyon
The Idol of the Flies -- Jane Rice
The Red-Headed Murderess Robert Branson
The Language of Flowers -- Hugh Atkinson
Ashes to Ashes -- Nunnally Johnson
A letter -- Isaac Babel
Winter -- Kit Reed
Edited by Damon Knight
15 stories by the Masters of the Macabre
This is an anthology of murder mystery stories that share an unusual theme: The demise of the victim leaves the world better off.
It is hard to think of anyone whose untimely death would be gratifying to somebody - a favorite nephew, say; that would not lift up his heart and bring a little lightness to his step, a new sparkle to his eye. The victims in these stories are unremarkable people except that for one reason or another they are blots on somebody's psychic landscape. Not everyone would agree with or approve of this viewpoint, but before we pass judgment, we should examine their histories; all fifteen of them; with care.
for it is with utmost care that these masters of the macabre have presented their cases. Meticulous in detail, scrupulously fair in viewpoint, overflowing in talent, they plot their Machiavellian ways to the inexorable .... happy endings.
Masters of the Macabre
The Greatest Man In the World - James Thurber
The Way Up to Heaven -- Roald Dahl
The Purist -- Ogden Nash
Father's in the Basement -- Philip Jose Farmer
Miss Thompson -- W. Somerset Maugham
The Damnedest Thing -- Garson Hanin
Tobermory -- Saki
De Mortuis -- John Collier
Undertaker Song -- Damon Runhyon
The Idol of the Flies -- Jane Rice
The Red-Headed Murderess Robert Branson
The Language of Flowers -- Hugh Atkinson
Ashes to Ashes -- Nunnally Johnson
A letter -- Isaac Babel
Winter -- Kit Reed
FictionMystery & DetectiveCollections & Anthologies
RELEASED1974
PUBLISHERBobbs-Merrill
LENGTH205
LANGUAGEEN
Damon Knight was born in Baker City, Oregon. He graduated from the WPA Art Center in Salem, Oregon, then moved to New York City. His first story, "Resilience", was published in 1941. In 1943 he went into publishing, first with Popular Publications, then editing Beyond in 1950-51 and If in 1959-60. He became a science fiction critic in 1945, but gave that up in 1954. In 1956 he co-founded the Milford Science Fiction Writers' Conference. Also in 1956, he received the Hugo Award for science fiction criticism. In 1965, he founded and became the first president of the Science Fiction Writers of America. He published his last book, Will the Real Hieronymus Bosch Please Stand Up? on the internet in 2000. He lived in Eugene, Oregon, United States, with his wife Kate Wilhelm, also a science fiction writer.
