The Book Nook

Classic science fiction set in Wisconsin One fond childhood memory is the first time I went with my family to the “big city” library. When comparing it to the one from our much smaller town, it seemed cavernous, mysterious and wonderful. Instead of a few small shelves for young readers, they had a WHOLE ROOM! They also offered music, magazines and other “exotic” items I never associated with libraries. Best of all, they had an entire floor dedicated to fiction: row upon row of shelves reaching well over my head. I remember thinking that I wanted to return as often as needed until I’d read every fiction book they had. While that dream was obviously never realized, I did spend many happy hours in that and other libraries. Sometimes after finding items from my list, I’d just wander down a row, waiting for one book to “stand out” from the others. I didn’t look at titles, jackets or spine colors – just selected one at random, and that was how I discovered science fiction, sometimes shortened to sci-fi or just SF. The genre is rich with many stellar authors, from Asimov to Zalazny and everyone in between. In addition to novels, there were also many short stories and anthologies to be discovered and devoured. Considering that Clifford D. Simak’s “Way Station” was published in 1963, I am surprised it hasn’t crossed my path earlier, but not that it won the prized Hugo award and was nominated for other honors. This short novel centers on the life of Enoch Wallace, who has appeared on the U.S. government’s radar. He lives in on an isolated farm in southwestern Wisconsin and served in the Civil War. Nothing unusual in that, except that the year is now 1964 and he appears to be in his early thirties. The agent assigned to watch him is convinced that Enoch’s chronological age is 124. Local folk are well aware there’s something different about him and some believe the rumors that he’s really immortal. But Wallace is civil, has never caused any trouble and minds his own business, so they mind theirs. Enoch knows it’s best to keep a very low profile by staying on his farm and severely limiting his contact with the outside world. The closest thing he has to a friend is the mailman, who delivers not only the mail but also food and the local gossip. Enoch has an unpleasant hillbilly family for neighbors and wisely avoids much contact with them. There is one bright spot in that nasty bunch – a young deaf-mute woman who seems to have unusual powers. What no one suspects is that Enoch’s home is actually a way station – one of countless transit posts scattered throughout the galaxy. He is the keeper who helps the many intergalactic visitors passing through on their way to another part of the universe. He’s polite to each of the many strange guests and accepting of their variety in its many forms. Now, after many years of quiet isolation, Enoch’s lonely outpost on Earth has become the center of a galaxy-wide crises, all because of a single act of human kindness. Enoch’s integrity and intelligence will be called into play after he learns he must make a crucial decision. It will not only decide the Earth’s fate, but also have an impact on the entire galaxy. This puts him at a terrible crossroads with little time to make his choice. This is not an action-packed SF story where aliens must be feared and destroyed, but a reflective and straight-forward tale that explores humanity. Simak wrote this during the Cold War, and the fear of nuclear destruction is evident in the book. The author makes no attempt to hide his politics or beliefs, and while it occasionally sounds preachy, it didn’t detract much from the account. Enoch himself is a simple, yet thoughtful person doing his best to accept a daunting task and an unusual life filled with loneliness. The pacing will seem slow to AF fans expecting humans versus alien skirmishes or technology-heavy sagas, but the story was compelling. The material itself smoothed over any problems I had with style, and there was some urgent action towards the end. I’ve frequently felt that while many novels in this genre are about outer space, most explores our “inner space” or humanity. The writing may seem a smidge old-fashioned, but considering its over 50 years old, that’s not surprising. It was never a barrier and I felt it was reminiscent of Isaac Asimov’s clarity and the book is still considered a science fiction classic. In his career, Simak garnered all of the major sci-fi awards: the Nebula, the Hugo, the International Fantasy Award and a Grand Master Nebula. He was known as a pioneer of “pastoral science fiction”, which is evident in the novel’s rural Wisconsin setting and the almost dreamy descriptions of the landscape. Those who appreciate meditative SF will want to add this to their stack. It made more than one of current “Top 100 SF” lists I’ve found online. Simak also won the Bram Stoker Award for Lifetime Achievement, an honor he shares with other great writers such as Ray Bradbury and Stephen King. While not set in outer space, it does have aliens. It also has interesting commentary and is satisfying fiction.