02556cam a22003853u 4500 71813 UtSlPG 20260610134648.0 m cr n 260607r20231957utu|||||o|||||||||||||| d UtSlPG en iso639-1 PS Mason, David, 1924-1974 The long question Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg, 2023 1 online resource : multiple file formats text txt rdacontent computer c rdamedia online resource cr rdacarrier Produced from Infinity November 1957 Release date is 2023-10-05 Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net "The Long Question" by David Mason is a science fiction novella written in the late 1950s. The story revolves around a unique quiz show premise where the main character, Don Gerson, is isolated on an uninhabited island for two months with the goal of preparing for a quiz that could win him a substantial cash prize. The book explores themes of isolation, self-discovery, and the impact of time on a person's thoughts and priorities. In the narrative, Don Gerson, an accountant with a penchant for logic, finds himself unexpectedly thrust into solitude as part of a quiz show scheme. As the days turn into weeks, he initially follows a structured routine, reading and writing to prepare for the questions he will face upon his return to the outside world. However, as time goes on, the boundaries of his structured life begin to blur. Don loses track of time, his physical appearance changes, and he indulges in the freedom brought by isolation, leading him to develop new interests and insights. Ultimately, his experience transforms him from a mere contestant into a contemplative individual, deeply reflecting on his life and the future beyond the quiz show, intertwining both personal growth with the overarching theme of time's capacity to alter one's trajectory. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Originally published: New York, NY: Royal Publications, Inc., 1957 Science fiction Short stories Islands -- Fiction Social isolation -- Fiction Television game shows -- Fiction Forecasting -- Fiction Produced from Infinity November 1957 https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/71813 112539 112539