Moving Spirit
| "Moving Spirit" | |
|---|---|
| Author | Arthur C. Clarke |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Series | Tales from the White Hart |
| Genre(s) | Science fiction |
| Published in | Tales from the White Hart |
| Publisher | Ballantine Books |
| Publication date | 1957 |
| Preceded by | "The Next Tenants" |
| Followed by | "The Man Who Ploughed the Sea" |
"Moving Spirit" is a science fiction short story by Arthur C. Clarke, first published in 1957.[1] The story within a comic story is narrated by Harry Purvis, who is called to assist a scientist relative of his in a trial. The scientist has been brought before the court on charges of illegally brewing liquor. Purvis manages to get him acquitted, by arguing that he was actually working on a fictional "osmotic bomb." Purvis demonstrates this bomb by exploding it in the courtroom, thus "accidentally" destroying all the evidence. However, the scientist is later booked for driving under the influence.
The piece is one of two original stories written for Clarke's collection Tales from the White Hart, the other being "The Defenestration of Ermintrude Inch."[2] Galaxy reviewer Floyd C. Gale praised the collection as "as light and frothy a conglomeration of sidesplitters as it has been my good fortune to read."[3]
References
- ↑ "Bibliography: The Ultimate Melody". Internet Speculative Fiction Database. Retrieved 12 December 2013.
- ↑ Clarke, Arthur C. (1957). Tales from the White Hart. London: Ballantine Books. p. Forward.
- ↑ "Galaxy's 5 Star Shelf", Galaxy Science Fiction, June 1957, p.108
External links
- Moving Spirit title listing at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database