When I was ten years old I read a science fiction story that had a profound effect on me. I was discussing this memory today with my brother, who as a child was also deeply into science fiction (we both still are). Back then, our uncle Lou would regularly bring us paperback SciFi anthologies, which we would both eagerly devour.
But this one story, whose title I could not recall, stood out from all the others. I told my brother today that it probably had had more of an effect on my particular approach to research, in my grownup life, than any other single influence.
So this evening I decided to search the Web for this fabled story, choosing my keywords based on memories from long ago. And I found it!
The story’s title might be met with amusement by those of you who know my work. Now I find myself wondering how much the naming choices in my own research were influenced by the title of a story I had last read when I was ten years old.
Thanks for sharing. Reading that was a good way to spend a Sunday Afternoon.
You are very welcome!
I thought you were referring to this one:
Double Dare by Robert Silverberg. You can find it here:
https://archive.org/details/cuberootofuncert00silv
Almost a retelling of the story – but with aliens!