Everybody knows Joe

Name: Everybody knows Joe
Author: C. M. Kornbluth

By C. M. Kornbluth

Open in WeRead

Explore more books like this:

Science-Fiction & Fantasy Short Stories

About This Book

A sardonic first-person narrator follows Joe through a day that exposes vanity, procrastination, and performative intellect. Joe luxuriates in food and small comforts, boasts about thorough library research yet delays the actual writing, and courts a woman with pretensions to cultural knowledge. A small social test—a mismatched record pressing—reveals his superficiality and prompts an awkward confrontation, while the narrator’s wry commentary highlights self-deception and everyday hypocrisy.

About the Author

C. M. Kornbluth

C. M. Kornbluth was an influential American science fiction writer known for his sharp social commentary and imaginative storytelling. Active primarily in the mid-20th century, he contributed significantly to the genre with works that often explored themes of technology, society, and human nature. His notable stories include "The Marching Morons," which critiques consumerism and societal complacency, and "Crisis!" which delves into the complexities of human relationships in a futuristic setting. Kornbluth's writing is characterized by its wit and incisive observations, making him a key figure in the development of speculative fiction.