TY  - BOOK
AU  - Banta,Frank
TI  - The Connoisseur
T2  - Produced from Worlds of If Science Fiction, May 1961
AV  - PS 
PY  - 2019///
CY  - Salt Lake City, UT
PB  - Project Gutenberg
KW  - Science fiction
KW  - Short stories
KW  - Space ships -- Fiction
KW  - Bride price -- Fiction
N1  - Release date is 2019-12-22; Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online
Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net; Original publication data not identified
N2  - "The Connoisseur" by Frank Banta is a science fiction short story written in the early 1960s. The narrative explores themes of desire, value, and the complex interplay of human relationships within a speculative setting. The story presents an unconventional and thought-provoking view on the idea of marriage and the value assigned to individuals.  The storyline follows a protagonist who enters into a negotiation to "purchase" a young girl named Lisa from her father, using various valuable items as currency. As the father and daughter barter, Lisa’s innocence and growing awareness of her own value come into play. While Lisa appears to be merely a prize in this transaction, she ultimately asserts her individuality by refusing the initial offers, leading to a surprising conclusion that raises questions about agency and respect in relationships. The story combines dark humor with a critique of social norms, all set against a backdrop of a fantastical spaceship and its crew, making for a compelling reflection on human nature and the concept of worth. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
UR  - https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/60991
ER  -