Length3h 21m
About this audiobook
In "The Dead Lady of Clown Town," Cordwainer Smith weaves a rich tapestry of science fiction that juxtaposes themes of love, sacrifice, and the haunting resonance of memory against a vividly imagined cosmic backdrop. Smith's distinctive literary style is marked by a lyrical prose that elevates the genre, drawing readers into a world where emotional depth is intertwined with elaborate, almost mythic narratives. This story stands as part of Smith's broader sagas concerning the Instrumentality of Mankind, exploring the intricate interplay of humanity with technology and the cosmos, while also serving as a poignant reflection on the nature of mortality and the quest for meaning in an indifferent universe. Cordwainer Smith, the pen name of Paul Linebarger, was notably influenced by his experiences as a military officer and a scholar of Eastern philosophy. His unique perspective on the complexities of human nature and societal structures shaped his narrative choices, allowing him to create communities that reflect profound emotional landscapes. Much of his writing draws upon his fascination with mythology and the moral quandaries faced by individuals in a futuristic setting, making "The Dead Lady of Clown Town" a vivid expression of his distinctive vision. This novella is a must-read for aficionados of speculative fiction, offering a haunting yet beautiful meditation on the fragility of life, the weight of memory, and the connections that bind us. Readers seeking a thought-provoking exploration of humanity's future will find Smith's work an invaluable addition to their literary journey, providing both profound insights and a gripping narrative that lingers long after the last page is turned.
Audiobook details
Rating★★★★ 4.2 (667)
Includes Goodreads, LibraryThing, StoryGraph, Amazon
GenreScience Fiction, General Fiction
Length3 hrs 21 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateJul 21, 2022
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1Titlepage
2Text (pt. 1)
3Text (pt. 2)
More from Cordwainer Smith
The Boy Who Bought Old EarthCordwainer Smith4h 20m4.3 (212)$1 · $0.00
Under Old EarthCordwainer Smith1h 49m4.2 (54)$2 · $0.00
On the Sand PlanetCordwainer Smith1h 17m3.3 (13)$1 · $0.00
On the Sand PlanetCordwainer Smith1h 17m3.4 (13)$2 · $0.00
Scanners Live in VainCordwainer Smith2h 7m4.3 (718)$1 · $0.00
The Store Of Heart's DesireCordwainer Smith2h 40m$1 · $0.00
The Store Of Heart's DesireCordwainer Smith3h 18m$2 · $0.00
Under Old EarthCordwainer Smith2h 28m4.2 (54)$2 · $0.00
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)Free
The War of The Worlds (A Sci-Fi Classic)H. G. Wells8h 15m4.5 (11.2K)$1.99 · $0.00
GenesisRick Partlow10h 50m4.5 (2.2K)$20 · $0.00
The Galaxy, and the Ground WithinBecky Chambers9h 56m4.5 (55.2K)$29 · $0.00
TimelessR. A. Salvatore12h 30m4.5 (8K)$33 · $0.00
Thud!Terry Pratchett12h 29m4.4 (108.4K)$8 · $0.00
Anne of Green GablesLucy Maud Montgomery10h 54m4.4 (1.3M)$12 · $0.00
Science Fiction & Fantasy CollectionH. P. Lovecraft16h 32m4.5 (2.7K)$2 · $0.00
The Twilight Zone Companion, Second EditionMarc Scott Zicree16h 46m4.5 (1.8K)$28 · $0.00
Lord Kalvan of Otherwhen (Annotated)H. Beam Piper8h 23m4.5 (1.6K)$2 · $0.00
Philip K. Dick: SF Boxed SetPhilip K. Dick29h 38m4.5 (608)$1 · $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
1984George Orwell11h 31m4.3 (6.2M)$1.20 · $0.00
Lost ValleyWalt Browning7h 47m4.3 (5.4K)$20 · $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
WhistlerAnn Patchett10h 45m4.6 (4.6K)$29 · $0.00
Demon CopperheadBarbara Kingsolver21h 3m4.5 (949.4K)$46 · $0.00
To Kill a MockingbirdHarper Lee12h 18m4.5 (7.4M)$29 · $0.00
Remarkably Bright CreaturesShelby Van Pelt11h 17m4.4 (1.7M)$29 · $0.00
Desperate MeasuresBrenda Jackson8h 59m4.7 (670)$28 · $0.00
This Side of Paradise - The Original 1920 Edition (Annotated)F. Scott Fitzgerald11h 30m4.6 (1.6K)$2 · $0.00
War LordBernard Cornwell13h 21m4.6 (33.1K)$33 · $0.00
The Great Gatsby: Original 1925 Edition (An F. Scott Fitzgerald Classic NovelFrancis Scott Fitzgerald4h 45m4.6 (9.3K)$18 · $0.00
Something Like LoveBeverly Jenkins10h 21m4.6 (2.7K)$29 · $0.00
Black History CollectionFrederick Douglass, Harriet Ann Jacobs, Booker T. Washington, W.E.B. Du Bois27h 9m4.6 (2.6K)$18 · $0.00
The Old Man and the Sea (Annotated)Ernest Hemingway4h 27m4.6 (1.4K)$2 · $0.00
White HotIlona Andrews13h 18m4.5 (136.9K)$5 · $0.00
The Ghost by the Billabong (The Matilda Saga, #5)Jackie French14h 58m4.6 (773)$33 · $0.00
Cast in BloodMichelle Sagara16h 35m4.6 (607)$33 · $0.00
The Captain Blood Trilogy (Annotated)Rafael Sabatini29h 20m4.6 (1K)$3 · $0.00
Ship of the Line (Annotated)Cecil Louis Troughton Smith11h 13m4.6 (1K)$2 · $0.00
The George Orwell CollectionGeorge Orwell24h 46m4.5 (14.4K)$12 · $0.00
Time RegainedMarcel Proust15h 38m4.5 (9.2K)$2 · $0.00
Driving ForceElle James4h 58m4.6 (407)$20 · $0.00
When God Calls the HeartBrian Bird, Michelle Cox3h 24m4.6 (439)$10 · $0.00
You may also like
More Than WordsJohn Warner7h 46m4.0 (513)$23
MetropolisThea von Harbou8h 21m4.0 (5.7K)$2 · $0.00
Set My Heart to FiveSimon Stephenson11h 4m3.9 (3.3K)$29 · $0.00
The Infinite Sadness of Small AppliancesGlenn Dixon7h 52m4.0 (3.2K)$26 · $0.00
The Infinite Sadness of Small AppliancesGlenn Dixon7h 52m4.0 (3.2K)$26 · $0.00
Greatest HitsHarlan Ellison17h 35m4.3 (3.2K)$30
Attention SpanGloria Mark10h 52m3.7 (2.3K)$29 · $0.00
The AI ConEmily M. Bender, Alex Hanna7h 51m3.7 (1.7K)$26 · $0.00
Some RemarksNeal Stephenson11h 36m3.9 (2.4K)$29 · $0.00
Notes on a Nervous PlanetMatt Haig5h 11m4.1 (64.5K)$24 · $0.00
AnthemAyn Rand1h 57m3.8 (194.7K)$1 · $0.00
The Child and Sky Cities (Translated)David De Angelis18m$1.20 · $0.00
No More WorkJames Livingston3h 16m3.7 (449)$15
Tech AgnosticGreg M. Epstein12h 48m3.5 (300)$25
Miracle by Price and two more storiesIrving E. Cox2h 45m$2.30
The True Creator of EverythingMiguel Nicolelis14h 41m3.9 (314)$23 · $0.00
Trust Your MindJenara Nerenberg6h 58m3.7 (38)$24 · $0.00
The Planet of ShameBruce Elliot4h 26m$2.40
Design(s) for LawRossana Ducato, Enguerrand Marique, Alain Strowel19h 1m$29 · $0.00
The Masterclass of Machine LearningJohn9h 55m$6.80