Literary A True Story by Lucian of Samosata

sun surfer · 07-15-2019, 09:52 AM

'Widely hailed as the first science fiction story, A True Story by Lucian of Samosata is a voyage to the edges of the universe and reason. The title is the first clue that this will be a tall tale. As much a predecessor of Douglas Adams as Jules Verne, Lucian's fantasy explores not only outer space (where he brokers war and peace between the inhabitants of the sun and moon), but also the Elysian fields, the geography of the Odyssey, and the interior of a giant whale. We get to meet Homer, Pythagoras, Socrates, and other immortals, as well as a host of bizarre creatures. The text is riddled with puns, innuendo, parody and satire. The narrative breaks off in the second book. Whether there were more adventures or Lucian just ran out of ideas is unknown.'

This book has many variations of its translated title, including 'The True Story', 'True History', 'Lucian's True History', etc. It is also known in English as 'Trips to the Moon'.

Goodreads

Anyone can discuss any part or aspect at any time, though there's a softly recommended timeframe of discussing the entire book by the time next month's selection is finalised (usually around the 10th).

This is the MR Literary Club selection for July 2019. Everyone is welcome so feel free to start or join in the conversation at any time; the more the merrier!

Click image for larger version

Name: 3551087.jpg
Views: 275
Size: 7.8 KB
ID: 172408

Click image for larger version

Name: 3104331.jpg
Views: 260
Size: 7.6 KB
ID: 172407

Click image for larger version

Name: 23476746.jpg
Views: 333
Size: 53.5 KB
ID: 172409

Click image for larger version

Name: 17159547.jpg
Views: 268
Size: 14.7 KB
ID: 172410

Click image for larger version

Name: 17783831.jpg
Views: 291
Size: 13.9 KB
ID: 172411

Bookworm_Girl · 07-16-2019, 11:38 PM

I'm reading True History Decrypted: Full Text and Commentary of Lucian's True History published by Frank Redmond. It's $2.99 for the Kindle version. Reading an annotated version is making a big difference to me in understanding the text. I also saw that there are illustrated editions available. I think it would be fun to have the pictures accompany the text because some of the stories/places/people are quite imaginative.

Spinnenmonat · 07-17-2019, 01:23 AM

Hi Bookworm Girl, who's the translator of the version you are reading now?
I think it's always wise to read the annotated versions of any very old book because we need a lot of informations about the cultural background so as to understand it correctly and deeply.

Bookworm_Girl · 07-17-2019, 09:56 AM

The text is translated by H. W. Fowler and F. G. Fowler. It has not been bowdlerized to remove what was considered improper content as I read some versions of the text translated in the Victorian era were.

sun surfer · 07-17-2019, 10:07 AM

Thanks, Bookworm_Girl. I downloaded a free version and was going to post (well, am posting, heh) that there are free translations available at gutenberg.org and The University of Adelaide websites since there aren't any versions here at Mobileread.

On Amazon it is difficult to find a completely free version, but there are 'Works of Lucian of Samosata' in four volumes, the first three of which I can find and are free on Kindle. There are no Kindle previews of them, but there are paperback previews, and from the paperback preview The True History is listed as included in the second volume. Here is the Kindle link for it if anyone is interested.

However now I think I'll go with the same version as you.

fantasyfan · 07-17-2019, 12:01 PM

I’ll give the Project Gutenberg version translated by Hickes a try. It has illustrations by William Strang, J. B. Clark and Aubrey Beardsley.
Librivox also has an audio version though I haven’t yet heard it.

AnotherCat · 07-17-2019, 06:41 PM

There is an online copy of True History Decrypted: Full Text and Commentary of Lucian's True History at lucianofsamosata.info. Just put True History Decrypted in the search bar of the page the link lands one on and it should go right to it.

But the book itself is cheap enough and likely more convenient.

Bookworm_Girl · 07-18-2019, 12:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fantasyfan

I’ll give the Project Gutenberg version translated by Hickes a try. It has illustrations by William Strang, J. B. Clark and Aubrey Beardsley.
Librivox also has an audio version though I haven’t yet heard it.

Thank you! The book that I got uses an Aubrey Beardsley illustration as the cover image and cites this version as its reference. You have saved me the time of trying to find it because I would like to see the illustrations. I think it will enhance the experience.

Spinnenmonat · 07-18-2019, 07:29 AM

Has anybody tried the version of Delphi Classics, is it a good bargain?

fantasyfan · 07-18-2019, 07:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spinnenmonat

Has anybody tried the version of Delphi Classics, is it a good bargain?

They are usually very good bargains with excellent additional material and illustrations though they do use older public domain translations.. I haven't tried this one but it might be worth downloading a sample. A lot would depend on whether one would like to go deeper into the other works of the author.

fantasyfan · 07-24-2019, 12:57 AM

For anyone interested, there is an excellent extended article on “Proto-science fiction” in the Science Fiction Encyclopedia here

http://www.sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/proto_sf

The same source also has an article concerning Lucian:

http://www.sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/lucian

Personally, I think that The True History is satire using the conventions of imaginative literature in the broad sense. The Encyclopedia of Fantasy describes the work as “a parody of the travellers’ tales that were already multitudinous in Lucian’s day.”

fantasyfan · 07-24-2019, 08:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spinnenmonat

Has anybody tried the version of Delphi Classics, is it a good bargain?

Just an update—the Delphi volume iis an excellent buy! It contains the translation by H W Fowler as well as others.

AnotherCat · 07-31-2019, 11:55 PM

I have enjoyed this and is another choice of the group which I would likely otherwise never got to.

In the main I read the Fowler translation with the Redmond commentary. I also partly read the Harmon translation and glanced through the Hickes one. The Harmon one, although dating from 1913, contained the most fluid prose to me (enough so for it to come across well using a text to speech reader).

I could not really find much that for me gave the story any inkling as to it being science fictionish, rather I found it to be fantasy and satire with humor. In considering this I tried to put myself back in Lucian's time and scientific (really philosophic then) environment and while he takes us to the moon, for example, that is a fantasy voyage in a contemporary vehicle. In comparison, Well's science fiction also takes us to the moon but that is in a rocket ship of a type yet to be invented.

I found parts of Book II to be a lampoon of the classics authors and others. What drove Lucian to that I do not know as the targets were people of mythology or from several centuries before his time.

It is short enough and enjoyable enough that I will read it again, the Harmon version that time in full.

Bookworm_Girl · 08-03-2019, 05:08 PM

I am glad that we read this book. It was an interesting and unique choice. I can safely say that I never would have heard of this book or author if not for the book club. I wish I had read Gulliver's Travels at some time in the past to understand its influence on Swift.

I also would describe it as more fantasy than science fiction. I enjoyed reading the article on proto-SF that fantasyfan posted (thanks again!) since I do not know much about the history of the science fiction genre. There were some lines that were laugh out loud funny. It was very imaginative. I am very glad that I read an annotated version so I was able to understand the allusions to the works that were the object of his satire. I am also thankful that the version I read also included an appendix of selections from works of that time period, placing the parody in context. Therefore this work was also an insightful read for me. I fully admit that I am very ignorant of classical literature and mythology.

How ironic that there is little biographical information of Lucian except what he tells in his works that may or not be autobiography. Because of his sarcasm, scholars can't trust the truth of his writing.

What a great concluding line! I hope no one waited patiently for the sequels.

Quote:

Our fortunes on the continent will be the subject of the following books.

Spinnenmonat · 08-13-2019, 04:27 AM

That's exactly the magic of our book club. Different participants have different background knowledges and points of view. One may know something that the others know little about. We can always share our knowledges and thoughts.
(I am sorry, because of the problems of my internet connection to this website, I can not take part in the activities of our book club regularly. But I am always with you all.)

07-15-2019, 09:52 AM	#1
sun surfer languorous autodidact ✦ Posts: 4,235 Karma: 44637926 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: smiling with the rising sun Device: onyx boox poke 2 colour, kindle voyage	A True Story by Lucian of Samosata 'Widely hailed as the first science fiction story, A True Story by Lucian of Samosata is a voyage to the edges of the universe and reason. The title is the first clue that this will be a tall tale. As much a predecessor of Douglas Adams as Jules Verne, Lucian's fantasy explores not only outer space (where he brokers war and peace between the inhabitants of the sun and moon), but also the Elysian fields, the geography of the Odyssey, and the interior of a giant whale. We get to meet Homer, Pythagoras, Socrates, and other immortals, as well as a host of bizarre creatures. The text is riddled with puns, innuendo, parody and satire. The narrative breaks off in the second book. Whether there were more adventures or Lucian just ran out of ideas is unknown.' This book has many variations of its translated title, including 'The True Story', 'True History', 'Lucian's True History', etc. It is also known in English as 'Trips to the Moon'. Goodreads Anyone can discuss any part or aspect at any time, though there's a softly recommended timeframe of discussing the entire book by the time next month's selection is finalised (usually around the 10th). This is the MR Literary Club selection for July 2019. Everyone is welcome so feel free to start or join in the conversation at any time; the more the merrier!

07-17-2019, 12:01 PM	#6
fantasyfan Wizard Posts: 1,368 Karma: 26886344 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Ireland Device: Kindle Oasis 3, 4G, iPad Air 2, iPhone IE	I’ll give the Project Gutenberg version translated by Hickes a try. It has illustrations by William Strang, J. B. Clark and Aubrey Beardsley. Librivox also has an audio version though I haven’t yet heard it. Last edited by fantasyfan; 07-17-2019 at 12:15 PM.

07-24-2019, 12:57 AM	#11
fantasyfan Wizard Posts: 1,368 Karma: 26886344 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Ireland Device: Kindle Oasis 3, 4G, iPad Air 2, iPhone IE	For anyone interested, there is an excellent extended article on “Proto-science fiction” in the Science Fiction Encyclopedia here http://www.sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/proto_sf The same source also has an article concerning Lucian: http://www.sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/lucian Personally, I think that The True History is satire using the conventions of imaginative literature in the broad sense. The Encyclopedia of Fantasy describes the work as “a parody of the travellers’ tales that were already multitudinous in Lucian’s day.” Last edited by fantasyfan; 07-24-2019 at 03:12 AM.

07-31-2019, 11:55 PM	#13
AnotherCat .... Posts: 1,547 Karma: 18068960 Join Date: May 2012 Device: ....	I have enjoyed this and is another choice of the group which I would likely otherwise never got to. In the main I read the Fowler translation with the Redmond commentary. I also partly read the Harmon translation and glanced through the Hickes one. The Harmon one, although dating from 1913, contained the most fluid prose to me (enough so for it to come across well using a text to speech reader). I could not really find much that for me gave the story any inkling as to it being science fictionish, rather I found it to be fantasy and satire with humor. In considering this I tried to put myself back in Lucian's time and scientific (really philosophic then) environment and while he takes us to the moon, for example, that is a fantasy voyage in a contemporary vehicle. In comparison, Well's science fiction also takes us to the moon but that is in a rocket ship of a type yet to be invented. I found parts of Book II to be a lampoon of the classics authors and others. What drove Lucian to that I do not know as the targets were people of mythology or from several centuries before his time. It is short enough and enjoyable enough that I will read it again, the Harmon version that time in full. Last edited by AnotherCat; 07-31-2019 at 11:58 PM.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
A true story (mostly)	slayda	Self-Promotions by Authors and Publishers	0	02-28-2019 02:20 PM
Science Fiction Lucian: True History or Trips to the Moon V1 4 June 2011	crich70	ePub Books	0	06-04-2011 01:18 AM
Science Fiction Lucian: True History or Trips to the Moon V1 4 June 2011	crich70	Kindle Books	0	06-04-2011 01:17 AM
True adventure story	AlaskaJill	Self-Promotions by Authors and Publishers	0	05-23-2011 01:58 PM

07-16-2019, 11:38 PM	#2
Bookworm_Girl E-reader Enthusiast Posts: 4,871 Karma: 36507503 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Southwest, USA Device: Kindle Oasis 3; Kobo Aura One; iPad Mini 5	I'm reading True History Decrypted: Full Text and Commentary of Lucian's True History published by Frank Redmond. It's $2.99 for the Kindle version. Reading an annotated version is making a big difference to me in understanding the text. I also saw that there are illustrated editions available. I think it would be fun to have the pictures accompany the text because some of the stories/places/people are quite imaginative.

07-17-2019, 01:23 AM	#3
Spinnenmonat Guru Posts: 606 Karma: 2058508 Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Wien Device: Sony Reader PRS-650 Kindle Voyage 3G	Hi Bookworm Girl, who's the translator of the version you are reading now? I think it's always wise to read the annotated versions of any very old book because we need a lot of informations about the cultural background so as to understand it correctly and deeply.

07-17-2019, 09:56 AM	#4
Bookworm_Girl E-reader Enthusiast Posts: 4,871 Karma: 36507503 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Southwest, USA Device: Kindle Oasis 3; Kobo Aura One; iPad Mini 5	The text is translated by H. W. Fowler and F. G. Fowler. It has not been bowdlerized to remove what was considered improper content as I read some versions of the text translated in the Victorian era were.

07-17-2019, 10:07 AM	#5
sun surfer languorous autodidact ✦ Posts: 4,235 Karma: 44637926 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: smiling with the rising sun Device: onyx boox poke 2 colour, kindle voyage	Thanks, Bookworm_Girl. I downloaded a free version and was going to post (well, am posting, heh) that there are free translations available at gutenberg.org and The University of Adelaide websites since there aren't any versions here at Mobileread. On Amazon it is difficult to find a completely free version, but there are 'Works of Lucian of Samosata' in four volumes, the first three of which I can find and are free on Kindle. There are no Kindle previews of them, but there are paperback previews, and from the paperback preview The True History is listed as included in the second volume. Here is the Kindle link for it if anyone is interested. However now I think I'll go with the same version as you.

07-17-2019, 06:41 PM	#7
AnotherCat .... Posts: 1,547 Karma: 18068960 Join Date: May 2012 Device: ....	There is an online copy of True History Decrypted: Full Text and Commentary of Lucian's True History at lucianofsamosata.info. Just put True History Decrypted in the search bar of the page the link lands one on and it should go right to it. But the book itself is cheap enough and likely more convenient.

07-18-2019, 07:29 AM	#9
Spinnenmonat Guru Posts: 606 Karma: 2058508 Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Wien Device: Sony Reader PRS-650 Kindle Voyage 3G	Has anybody tried the version of Delphi Classics, is it a good bargain?

08-13-2019, 04:27 AM	#15
Spinnenmonat Guru Posts: 606 Karma: 2058508 Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Wien Device: Sony Reader PRS-650 Kindle Voyage 3G	That's exactly the magic of our book club. Different participants have different background knowledges and points of view. One may know something that the others know little about. We can always share our knowledges and thoughts. (I am sorry, because of the problems of my internet connection to this website, I can not take part in the activities of our book club regularly. But I am always with you all.)