Elegy

by Charles Beaumont

Elegy, has been considered important throughout the human history, and so that this work is never forgotten we have made efforts in its preservation by republishing this book in a modern format for present and future generations. This whole book has been reformatted, retyped and designed. These books are not made of scanned copies of their original work and hence the text is clear and readable.

Genres: Short Stories, Science Fiction, Fiction, Fantasy

26 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 1953

About the author

Charles Beaumont was born Charles Leroy Nutt in Chicago in 1929. He dropped out of high school in the tenth grade and worked at a number of jobs before selling his first story to Amazing Stories in 1950. His story “Black Country” (1954) was the first work of short fiction to appear in Playboy, and his classic tale “The Crooked Man” appeared in the same magazine the following year. Beaumont published numerous other short stories in the 1950s, both in mainstream periodicals like Playboy and Esquire and in science fiction and fantasy magazines.

His first story collection, The Hunger and Other Stories, was published in 1957 to immediate acclaim, and was followed by two further collections, Yonder (1958) and Night Ride and Other Journeys (1960). He also published two novels, Run from the Hunter (1957, pseudonymously, with John E. Tomerlin), and The Intruder (1959).

Beaumont is perhaps best remembered for his work in television, particularly his screenplays for The Twilight Zone, for which he wrote several of the most famous episodes. His other screenwriting credits include the scripts for films such as The Premature Burial (1962), Burn, Witch, Burn (1962), The Haunted Palace (1963), and The Masque of the Red Death (1964).

When Beaumont was 34, he began to suffer from ill health and developed a baffling and still unexplained condition that caused him to age at a greatly increased rate, such that at the time of his death at age 38 in 1967, he had the physical appearance of a 95-year-old man. Beaumont was survived by his wife Helen, two daughters, and two sons, one of whom, Christopher, is also a writer.

Beaumont’s work was much respected by his colleagues, and he counted Ray Bradbury, Harlan Ellison, Richard Matheson, Robert Bloch, and Roger Corman among his friends and admirers.

-Valancourt Books

Reviews

[Janelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Distressed spaceship think they have found an earth city on an asteroid, turns out it’s a fancy mausoleum.

[Kevin Lucia]

I'd thought this was familiar as I began it, and it didn't take long for me to realize where I'd seen this story before - it was a Twilight Zone episode. In any case, this story, probably more than anything else, marks Beaumont as someone who could've easily rivaled Bradbury's talents, if he hadn't passed away too tragically soon.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

All I will say is Creepy!

[Patrick Gibson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just before the Earth enters into nuclear catastrophe, a space ship takes off for Mars. The ship ends up getting lost -- then discovers a city built on a meteor.

It wasn't until the surprise ending, did I realize this was the basis for another Twilight Zone episode.

It is a beautifully crafted, thought provoking extended short story--part of my 'Delving into Charles Beaumont' project.

P.S. A lot of this authors work is in the Public Domain and free on Kindle.

[Phillip Rodgers · Rating 4 out of 5]

The original version of a classic Twilight Zone.

The vast majority of the episodes of the great Twilight Zone were written by three people: Rod Seeking, Richard Matheson and Charles Beaumont. Of the three Beaumont may have written the most nightmarish episodes. "Elegy" is the original version on a first season episode (aired in February 1960. Starting Cecil Kellaway and Jeff Morrow). Beaumont makes some improvements in the story via his screenplay but it is an enjoyable read and the price is right.

[Mike Jozic · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting premise but the story didn't grab me like I thought it might coming from Beaumont. Feeling the need to go watch the Twilight Zone episode.

***

On second reading I think I enjoyed this story more. Not sure what threw me off the first time around but I really liked the Twilight Zone twist to the story and the overall tone and prose of the thing. Still a three star experience but leaning more towards the better side of it than perhaps it did on my last reading.

[Benjamin Chandler · Rating 3 out of 5]

As I was reading this short story—one I downloaded from Gutenberg after learning Ray Bradbury thought Beaumont's writing was very similar to his own—I kept thinking, this sure feels like a "Twilight Zone" episode. I got to the end and thought, "It must be a 'Twilight Zone' episode." It felt just too familiar. I even imagined the story in black and white as I read it. Lo and behold, looking it up later, "Elegy" was made into an episode of "The Twilight Zone." Still was a nice little read.

[Gregor Xane · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun little story.

[Susan Molloy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliantly written with a plot that does not reveal the end until the end.

This is a plot that keeps one ooo-ing and ahh-ing over the twist, and an ending that surprises.

💥 Recommended.
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