Book Review Phyllis Eisenstein in The Western Tradition

Short Science fiction story review – Phyllis Eisenstein – In The Western Tradition. 1981 The Mammoth Book Of Short Science Fiction Novels.

I realized as I started reading this novella that I have read it before, many years ago, but had somehow forgotten it until the opening few paragraphs brought the whole story flooding back to me. How on Earth did this sink into my subconscious and how many other favourite reads have submerged out of reach of my memory?

The story is a gentle, non-violent and rather sad one about the consequences of becoming too occupied with the past. 

In the future, academic historians have developed a technology enabling them to spy directly on the past, following the exploits of anyone in history through a perception bubble, unseen or detected by the people observed. There is no way to change or interfere with events observed.

The story is told by a time bubble professor who has a strong interest in the American Wild West, and especially the life and times of Wyatt Earp (Of Tombstone’s OK Corral fame.

Unfortunately, the professor’s girlfriend develops a crush, and stalker like mental fixation for Earp’s young historically deputy. She behaves as if she is having an affair with the man, turns her flat into a shrine to him, and grows increasingly reclusive. She leaves her boyfriend, who makes a desperate bid to bring her mind back to the present and restore her love for himself.

A beautifully presented tale, avoiding the ethical issues of voyeuristic technology; CCTV surveillance, etc., No one is able to see anything less than 90 years old. Eisenstein looks instead at the devastating effects the research technology has on a beautiful loving human relationship.

The story’s publishing history http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/title.cgi?49589

Arthur Chappell