TY  - BOOK
AU  - West,Wallace
TI  - The belt
T2  - Produced from Science Fiction Quarterly November 1951
AV  - PS 
PY  - 2023///
CY  - Salt Lake City, UT
PB  - Project Gutenberg
KW  - Science fiction
KW  - Short stories
KW  - Islands -- Fiction
KW  - Factories -- Fiction
KW  - Mines and mineral resources -- Fiction
KW  - Human evolution -- Fiction
N1  - Release date is 2023-04-27; Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net; Originally published; United States: Columbia Publications, Inc., 1951
N2  - "The Belt" by Wallace West is a science fiction novel written in the early to mid-20th century. Set on a fictional Caribbean island known as New Patmos, the book explores themes of social experimentation and the consequences of dehumanization through labor. The narrative delves into a family's generational struggle with a curse tied to their exploitation of convict labor and the resulting loss of humanity.  The story follows Jonathan Robertson, who returns to New Patmos after his father’s death to claim his inheritance. Upon arrival, he discovers a grim reality: the descendants of convicts have been reduced to robotic laborers in a factory that processes Lapis Lazuli. As Jonathan grapples with the oppressive legacy of his ancestors, he attempts to liberate the workers and awaken their humanity. Despite his efforts, he is met with resistance and learns that the generation of workers has become so conditioned to their servitude that they cannot comprehend freedom. The tragic tale unfolds as Jonathan's attempts to effect change lead to devastating consequences, including the death of a young worker named Jo, which ultimately prompts Jonathan's realization of the depth of the curse that has gripped the island. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
UR  - https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/70647
ER  -