Date of publication, 2083 A.D.

A suburban housewife named Carrie is drawn into a widening disturbance when a library mistake puts the wrong volume into circulation. The misdelivered book carries a hypnotic influence that alters behavior across the community, provoking odd fits of sleep, impulsive public outbursts, and role-reversals among respected figures. Domestic inconveniences and small misunderstandings escalate into scenes of public disorder as townspeople, school visitors, and workers respond unpredictably to the book's effects. The narrative links intimate household concerns with a speculative look at how a single piece of information can destabilize routines, authority, and social order.