The Chrysalids (Penguin Modern Classics)[重生]

Apowerfulpost-apocalypticallegoryofpersecutionandintolerance,thePenguinModernClassicseditionofJohnWyndham'ssciencefictionmasterpieceTheDayoftheTriffidscontainsanintroductionbyM.JohnHarrison.Nuclearwarhasdevastatedtheworld,bringingwithitahostofgeneticmutations.Inthebleak,primitivesocietythathasemergedfromitsruins,anysignofdeviation,nomatterhowsmall,isruthlesslyrootedoutanddestroyed.Davidlivesinfearofdiscovery,forheispartofasecretgroupofchildrenwhoareabletocommunicatewitheachotherbytransferringthought-shapesintoeachother'sminds.Astheygrowolder,theyfeelincreasinglyisolated.Thenoneofthemmarriesa'norm',withterrifyingconsequences.JohnWyndham(1903-1969)thesonofabarrister,triedanumberofcareersincludingfarming,law,commercialartandadvertisingbeforewritingshortstories,intendedforsale,in1925.AfterservingintheCivilServiceandtheArmyduringtheSecondWorldWar,hedecidedtotrywritingamodifiedformofScienceFiction,whichhecalled'logicalfantasy'.AmonghismostfamousbooksareTheDayoftheTriffids(1951),TheKrakenWakes(1953),TheChrysalids(1955),TheMidwichCuckoos(1957,filmedtwiceasVillageoftheDamned),TroublewithLichen(1960),andChocky(1968).IfyouenjoyedTheChrysalids,youmightlikeArthurMiller'sTheCrucible,alsoavailableinPenguinModernClassics.