Jizzle
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Jizzle (ISBN 0-234-77645-5) is a collection of science fiction short stories by John Wyndham, published in 1954.
The collection contains:
[edit] Stories
- Jizzle
- Technical Slip
- A Present from Brunswick
- Chinese Puzzle
- Esmeralda
- How Do I Do?
- Una
- Affair of the Heart
- Confidence Trick
- The Wheel
- Look Natural, Please!
- Perforce to Dream
- Reservation Deferred
- Heaven Scent
- More Spinned Against
[edit] Plot summaries
The title story Jizzle refers to a monkey purchased by a man working in a circus side show. The monkey, presumably named Jizzle as a mis-pronunciation of 'Giselle', has the ability to draw portraits of anyone placed in front of her and her owner exploits this talent in the circus. A jealousy builds up between the monkey and the man's wife, culminating when the man finds a picture Jizzle has drawn of his wife apparently sleeping with his friend. After his wife leaves, as a result of the picture, the man begins to tire of Jizzle and mistreats her, eventually giving her away to another worker at the circus. A few days later the new owner appears with Jizzle and a picture she has drawn of the new owner's wife and the old owner in bed together, as the new owner exacts his revenge Jizzle laughs.
- Technical Slip
- deals with the aftermath of a bureaucratic error by a demonic trader. A wealthy old man given extra life by being taken back to an earlier part of his life. Crucially his memories were left intact meaning that he has a chance to alter the future.
- A Present from Brunswick
- sees the Pied Piper of Hamlyns enchanted pipe reappearing in America during the second world war, with unforeseen consequences for the inhabitants of a small town.
- Chinese Puzzle
- deals with a Chinese dragon egg hatching in Wales much to the astonishment of the local populace. Originally published in Argosy this story inspired the Peter Rudland designed cover for early editions.
- Esmerelda
- is a performing flea. Though she never managed the bicycle trick her greatest stunt was unwittingly sorting out it's owners love life.
- How Do I Do?
- sees a young woman meeting her future self. Her first thought upon travelling to the future? Buying a new wardrobe.
- Una
- sees a genetically created creature fall in love with one of the people that comes to investigate it's creators lab. Originally published in Argosy, this story also appears in The Best of John Wyndham (A.K.A. The Man from Beyond) under the title 'The Perfect Creature').
- Affair of the Heart
- tells of a man who has proposed to the same woman on the same day for over thirty years. Why, then, does he commit suicide after the 32nd date?
- Confidence Trick
- tells of an Underground train journey to hell itself, and the effects of belief on the part of the travellers. This story inspired the cover artwork for later editions.
- The Wheel
- is a brief look at the religiously devout survivors of a near Apocalyptic catastrophe for the human race.
- Look Natural, Please!
- is the story of an iconoclastic young photographer who becomes part of the establishment.
- Perforce to Dream
- sees two people discovering that not only have they independently written two near identical novels based on their recurring dreams these dreams are being shared by many women. This story originally appeared in Women's Journal.
- Reservation Deferred
- sees a ghost visit a dying teenager and change her views of the afterlife.
- Heaven Scent
- originally published in Everybody's is the story of a scheming secretary of a brilliant inventor.
- Much Spinned Against
- (which first appeared in Argosy), tells of how Arachne, of legend, found herself in the clutches of a spider obsessed collector and the deal she made with his wife.
Selected stories from this collection make up the bulk of the material collected in Tales of Gooseflesh and Laughter.
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