The Status Civilization (Annotated)
Enriched Edition. Sci-Fi NovelBy Robert Sheckley
Length6h 17m
About this audiobook
In The Status Civilization, Robert Sheckley constructs a sharp dystopian satire around Will Barrent, an amnesiac condemned to Omega, a prison planet where criminality is not merely tolerated but codified as social advancement. The novel's brisk, ironic prose and episodic structure expose the absurd logic of hierarchies built on violence, fear, and ritualized transgression. Situated within mid-twentieth-century science fiction's anxieties about conformity, bureaucracy, and social engineering, it combines adventure with philosophical critique. Sheckley, one of the most incisive satirists of the American science-fiction boom, was renowned for turning speculative premises into mordant examinations of human institutions. His experiences in postwar America, his service in the army, and his work during an era marked by Cold War paranoia and mass consumer culture all inform the novel's suspicion of official virtue. Like much of his fiction, this book distrusts systems that define morality for their own convenience. Readers drawn to dystopian fiction, social satire, and intellectually agile science fiction will find The Status Civilization both entertaining and unsettling. It is recommended for those who value speculative narratives that move quickly while asking enduring questions about freedom, guilt, punishment, and the manufactured nature of respectability.
This enriched edition has been carefully crafted to add value to your reading experience.
- A succinct Introduction situates the work's timeless appeal and themes.
- The Synopsis outlines the central plot, highlighting key developments without spoiling critical twists.
- A detailed Historical Context immerses you in the era's events and influences that shaped the writing.
- A thorough Analysis dissects symbols, motifs, and character arcs to unearth underlying meanings.
- Reflection questions prompt you to engage personally with the work's messages, connecting them to modern life.
- Hand‐picked Memorable Quotes shine a spotlight on moments of literary brilliance.
- Interactive footnotes clarify unusual references, historical allusions, and archaic phrases for an effortless, more informed read.
Audiobook details
Rating★★★★ 4.0 (17)
Includes Amazon, Goodreads
GenreScience Fiction, Dystopia
Length6 hrs 17 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateAug 1, 2019
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1Introduction
20Chapter Sixteen
2Introduction
21Chapter Seventeen
3Synopsis
22Chapter Eighteen
4Historical Context
23Chapter Nineteen
5Chapter One
24Chapter Twenty
Show all chaptersShow less
6Chapter Two
25Chapter Twenty-One
7Chapter Three
26Chapter Twenty-Two
8Chapter Four
27Chapter Twenty-Three
9Chapter Five
28Chapter Twenty-Four
10Chapter Six
29Chapter Twenty-Five
11Chapter Seven
30Chapter Twenty-Six
12Chapter Eight
31Chapter Twenty-Seven
13Chapter Nine
32Chapter Twenty-Eight
14Chapter Ten
33Chapter Twenty-Nine
15Chapter Eleven
34Chapter Thirty
16Chapter Twelve
35Analysis
17Chapter Thirteen
36Reflection
18Chapter Fourteen
37Memorable Quotes
19Chapter Fifteen
More from Robert Sheckley
Before the Coffee Gets Cold: A Toshikazu Kawaguchi Book SetToshikazu Kawaguchi18h 55m4.5 (1.4K)$40 · $0.00
PRIMAL 2055 - EscapeJack Silkstone6h 47m4.4 (232)$14 · $0.00
Magician's EndRaymond E. Feist17h 5m4.4 (21.7K)$40 · $0.00
Good OmensNeil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett12h 14m4.4 (1M)$29 · $0.00
The Emperor's FistJay Allan8h 37m4.5 (272)$26 · $0.00
The DispossessedUrsula K. Le Guin13h 26m4.4 (189.3K)$33 · $0.00
1984 (Nineteen Eighty-Four)George Orwell11h 10m4.3 (5.3M)$7 · $0.00
Lost ValleyWalt Browning7h 47m4.3 (5.4K)$20 · $0.00
The Best of H. G. Wells: The War of the Worlds, The Time Machine & The Invisible ManH. G. Wells14h 58m4.3 (3K)$2 · $0.00
AgincourtBernard Cornwell16h 18m4.3 (41.4K)$40 · $0.00
Frankenstein (The Uncensored 1818 Edition) (Annotated)Mary Shelley9h 25m4.3 (1.7M)$3 · $0.00
The World Wasn't Ready for YouJustin C. Key11h 34m4.4 (812)$5 · $0.00
Godzilla vs. KongGreg Keyes10h 32m4.3 (1.4K)$20 · $0.00
Alas, Babylon (Annotated)Pat Frank12h 32m4.3 (11.6K)$2 · $0.00
Day of WrathWilliam R. Forstchen4h 36m4.3 (1.9K)$14 · $0.00
StargodsIan Douglas12h 15m4.4 (732)$5 · $0.00
Two Plays for VoicesNeil Gaiman2h 4m4.3 (1K)$16 · $0.00
The Mysterious IslandJules Verne22h 13m4.2 (87.3K)$2 · $0.00
March UpcountryDavid Weber, John Ringo17h 17m4.2 (17.1K)$28 · $0.00
Freedom’s FireBobby Adair7h 50m4.3 (7.6K)$20 · $0.00
The Rose CodeKate Quinn16h 2m4.4 (493.7K)$33 · $0.00
The Consequences of FearJacqueline Winspear10h 28m4.4 (26.1K)$29 · $0.00
At the Foot of the Cherry Tree: The bestselling, heart-warming novel based on a true story of forbidden love & heartbreak SHORTLISTED FOR THE DYMOCKS 2023 BOOK OF THE YEARAlli Parker10h 8m4.4 (5.6K)$29 · $0.00
Counting Lost StarsKim van Alkemade13h 55m4.4 (22.7K)$33 · $0.00
The German WifeKelly Rimmer13h 49m4.3 (70.3K)$33 · $0.00
The Tattooist of AuschwitzHeather Morris7h 26m4.3 (1.4M)$24 · $0.00
1984Eric Arthur Blair12h 41m4.3 (6.1M)$1 · $0.00
The Unbreakable Heart of Oliva DenaroViola Ardone8h 57m4.3 (14.7K)$29 · $0.00
The Pearl That Broke Its ShellNadia Hashimi13h 47m4.3 (125.6K)$8 · $0.00
Lord of the SilentElizabeth Peters6h 7m4.3 (14.9K)$24 · $0.00
The Little LiarMitch Albom7h 41m4.3 (122.5K)$26 · $0.00
The Benevolent Society Of Ill-Mannered LadiesAlison Goodman15h 33m4.3 (25.5K)$33 · $0.00
The Flight GirlsNoelle Salazar10h 21m4.3 (49.9K)$29 · $0.00
Scandalous WomenGill Paul10h 46m4.4 (1.5K)$29 · $0.00
Daughters of the OccupationShelly Sanders10h 59m4.3 (5.3K)$29 · $0.00
The Woman in the White KimonoAna Johns11h 55m4.3 (47.1K)$29 · $0.00
The Keeper of Hidden BooksMadeline Martin10h 53m4.3 (42.9K)$29 · $0.00
The Complete Western Stories of Elmore LeonardElmore Leonard6h 49m4.3 (4K)$24 · $0.00
The Home for Unwanted GirlsJoanna Goodman9h 59m4.3 (77.5K)$29 · $0.00
Reminiscences of a Stock OperatorEdwin Lefèvre10h 39m4.3 (50.9K)$29 · $0.00
You may also like
The Status CivilizationRobert Sheckley5h 24m4.0 (4K)$2.30
An Unkindness of GhostsRivers Solomon11h 53m4.1 (36.3K)$23 · $0.00
Destination: VoidFrank Herbert9h 43m3.7 (7.7K)$17
The Ticket That ExplodedWilliam S. Burroughs9h 24m3.8 (3.9K)$20
To Live ForeverJack Vance7h 49m3.9 (1.5K)$20
WeYevgeny Zamyatin9h 12m4.0 (140.8K)$29 · $0.00
The Status CivilizationRobert Sheckley5h3.7 (3.5K)$10 · $0.00
BlindsightMatt Johnson PhD, Prince Ghuman9h4.3 (791)$20 · $0.00
The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Vol. 2-BIsaac Asimov, Jack Vance, others22h 43m4.4 (1.9K)$25
AnthemAyn Rand2h 12m3.8 (187.6K)$10 · $0.00
The Minority Report and Other StoriesPhilip K. Dick5h 33m4.0 (27.5K)$24 · $0.00
ShiftHugh Howey14h 36m4.2 (206.6K)$23
This Perfect DayIra Levin11h 16m4.2 (22.7K)$29 · $0.00
TwinmakerSean Williams12h 7m3.5 (1.7K)$29 · $0.00
WeYevgeny Zamyatin8h 35m4.0 (115.4K)$1 · $0.00
Wolfbane (Sci-Fi Classic)Cyril M. Kornbluth, Frederik Pohl4h 51m3.7 (1.4K)$1 · $0.00
Second Chance AngelGriffin Barber, Kacey Ezell11h 6m4.3 (409)$20
The Last Place On Earth and five more storiesJim Harmon4h 45m$2.30
THE WEIGHT OF ANOTHER'S SKINAeryn Voss12h 50m5.0 (3) Only with Ultra
The City That Learned to WatchLynvina Mance45m4.6 (23) Only with Ultra