"The Happy Breed" is a short story by American writer John Sladek, originally published in Harlan Ellison's anthology Dangerous Visions (1967). It is Sladek's first published story.

"The Happy Breed"
Short story by John Sladek
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Genre(s)Science fiction
Publication
Published inDangerous Visions
Publication typeAnthology
PublisherDoubleday
Media typeHardback
Publication date1967

Synopsis

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The last five adults discuss how their lives have improved ever since the computers took over the world and made everything better for everyone all the time.

Reception

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Graham Sleight called it "fine and cutting",[1] and Keith Brooke described it as "grimly dystopian" and evidence that Sladek is "a true satirist".[2] Algis Budrys said that "this is not an exactly new idea, nor is it newly proposed, nor does it go to any new place", published in Dangerous Visions "when Harlan got desperate for material".[3]

References

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  1. ^ Maps: The Uncollected John Sladek, reviewed by Graham Sleight at Infinity Plus; published March 15, 2003; retrieved August 15, 2017
  2. ^ The Steam-Driven Boy, by John Sladek, reviewed by Keith Brooke, at Infinity Plus; published April 29, 2006; retrieved August 15, 2017
  3. ^ Budrys, Algis (April 1968). "Galaxy Bookshelf". Galaxy Science Fiction. pp. 155–163.
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