About this book
Murray Leinster's "Sam, This is You" is a delightfully strange science fiction tale that begins when a telephone lineman receives an impossible call—from himself, ten days in the future. Published in Galaxy Science Fiction in 1955, this inventive short story explores the mind-bending consequences of accidentally bridging time through a party line telephone malfunction.
Sam Yoder, an earnest lineman for the Batesville and Rappahannock Telephone Company, has been tinkering with a device to create privacy on shared telephone lines—inspired by his fiancée Rosie's belief that he's capable of something extraordinary. While troubleshooting a dead line near Bridge's Run, his phone suddenly rings with an urgent message: his own voice warning him not to hang up. What unfolds is a clever puzzle of causality, free will, and the consequences of knowing too much about your own future.
Leinster masterfully weaves humor, scientific curiosity, and genuine suspense into this compact narrative. The story's premise is simple yet ingenious, inviting readers to puzzle through the paradoxes alongside Sam as his ordinary July evening spirals into something wonderfully complicated.
Perfect for fans of classic science fiction and time travel stories, this audiobook captures the wit and imaginative spirit of 1950s speculative fiction. Ideal for anyone who enjoys short stories that pack philosophical intrigue into lean, engaging narratives.