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Descending
15 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 1964
1 person is currently reading
62 people want to read
About the author
Thomas M. Disch
378 books323 followersThomas Michael Disch was an American science fiction writer and poet. He won the Hugo Award for Best Related Book—previously called "Best Non-Fiction Book"—in 1999. He had two other Hugo nominations and nine Nebula Award nominations to his credit, plus one win of the John W. Campbell Memorial Award, a Rhysling Award, and two Seiun Awards, among others.
His writing includes substantial periodical work, such as regular book and theater reviews for The Nation, The Weekly Standard, Harper's, The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, The Times Literary Supplement, and Entertainment Weekly.
As a fiction writer and a poet, Disch felt typecast by his science fiction roots. "I have a class theory of literature. I come from the wrong neighborhood to sell to The New Yorker. No matter how good I am as an artist, they always can smell where I come from".
Following an extended period of depression after the death in 2005 of his life-partner, Charles Naylor, Disch stopped writing almost entirely, except for poetry and blog entries, although he did produce two novellas. Disch fatally shot himself on July 4, 2008, in his Manhatten (NYC) apartment.
Naylor and Disch are buried alongside each other at Saint Johns Episcopal Church Columbarium, Dubuque, Iowa. His last book, The Word of God, which was written shortly before Naylor died, was published a few days before Disch's death.
His writing includes substantial periodical work, such as regular book and theater reviews for The Nation, The Weekly Standard, Harper's, The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, The Times Literary Supplement, and Entertainment Weekly.
As a fiction writer and a poet, Disch felt typecast by his science fiction roots. "I have a class theory of literature. I come from the wrong neighborhood to sell to The New Yorker. No matter how good I am as an artist, they always can smell where I come from".
Following an extended period of depression after the death in 2005 of his life-partner, Charles Naylor, Disch stopped writing almost entirely, except for poetry and blog entries, although he did produce two novellas. Disch fatally shot himself on July 4, 2008, in his Manhatten (NYC) apartment.
Naylor and Disch are buried alongside each other at Saint Johns Episcopal Church Columbarium, Dubuque, Iowa. His last book, The Word of God, which was written shortly before Naylor died, was published a few days before Disch's death.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
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December 28, 2020
Descending by American author Thomas M. Disch has been fascinating and sometimes baffling readers for the past 50 years. Just for the fun of it, since the tale's unnamed narrator doesn't have a great deal of fun as events turn strange, I'll give him a name - Artie.
Grasshopper Guy
There he is, scofflaw par excellence, Artie the artist. As a seasoned artist of sorts, Artie's main mode of artistic expression these past years: a bullshit artist. "He had been a grasshopper for years. The ants were on to his tricks." A credit card is currently Artie's way to go - buy now, pay later (or, if you're shrewd enough, pay never).
Department Store Spree
Artie knows there's no way he'll have money anytime soon. What to do? Of course, take the subway to Underwood's Department Store and, thanks to a clean credit card, load up on both groceries and books, the good stuff like Vanity Fair. Then top it off with a visit to the Sky Room on the 15th floor for espresso and baguette. Nothing but the best for Artie the bullshit artist.
Disoriented On the Way Down
What's going on here? Artie has been reading Vanity Fair while riding the down escalator, paying close attention to his book and zero attention to the time or all the down escalators he's been riding.
Artie stops at a landing to orient himself. Damn, there's no signs or doors or other people in sight. Artie tries figuring it out but must admit he's stumped. Oh well, time to move on. But which way?
"Dazedly, and as though to deny the reality of this seemingly interminable stairwell, he continued his descent. When he stopped again at the forty-fifth landing, he was trembling. He was afraid."
You bet Artie is afraid. Little did he expect to suddenly find himself in the middle of a weird science fiction story or horror story (or, more specifically, if he was a New Age SF fan, the middle of a Thomas M. Disch story!)
You're Goin' To Hell, Boy
"I'm going to hell!" he shouted, though he could not drown with his voice the steady purr of the escalators. "This is the way to hell. Abandon hope all ye who enter here."
—If only I were, he reflected. —If that were the case, it would make sense. Not quite orthodox sense, but some sense, a little.
How about that - all those suffering souls in Dante's Inferno at least know there's in hell for a reason. Not so with Artie - he never received instructions outlining the consequences of his actions. Or, maybe all this is the consequence of Artie not paying his bill to the Underwood Company.
Artie the Philosopher
"Perhaps his most interesting theory was the notion that these escalators were a kind of exercise wheel, like those found in a squirrel cage, from which, because it was a closed system, there could be no escape."
Disch fans will recognize that reference to an exercise wheel in a squirrel cage, since The Squirrel Cage counts as one of the American author's top stories.
Marxist
I wonder if this story lends itself to a Marxist interpretation. Could the seemingly endless down escalator leading nowhere be a stand in for capitalist consumerist society? Recall, the escalator is in a large department store building.
Existential
Do we in modern society participate in Artie's dilemma, at least to some degree? Do you know exactly where you are going? In this Disch story, it appears Hell can be the lack of other people.
New Wave SF
A major thrust of 60s New Wave SF was to explore inner space as much as or more than outer space. Does this Disch tale qualify? Read it yourself - the short story can be located online or in his collection Fun With Your New Head. Also, listen to a reading of Descending via this link: https://archive.org/details/MindWebs_...
American author Thomas M. Disch, 1940-2008
May 18, 2019
Brilliant Mindwebs audiobook #3 (& ##16) from https://archive.org/details/MindWebs_... This absolutely original idea is genuinely surreal making it creepily memorable and the production, like most Mindwebs, was superb. It half reminded me of once rather foolishly trying to use the Edinburgh branch of John Lewises as a shortcut between the mall and the street... without having purchased anything! It can be done in theory...
From Disch's book, "Fun with your New Head".
Also Mindwebs audiobook ##16.
16 Mindwebs-770722_Descending Thomas M. Disch
From Disch's book, "Fun with your New Head".
Also Mindwebs audiobook ##16.
16 Mindwebs-770722_Descending Thomas M. Disch
December 9, 2016
So apparently Hell isn't "other people" but rather a long line of downward escalators.
September 14, 2020
Like the GNDN tubes in the Starship Enterprise, this story goes nowhere and does nothing. I did not get a creeping sense of horror, and was not sucked along with the protagonist to his doom. It probably doesn't help that you can't like the man so there isn't much room in your heart for him or his fate. I've never had a fear of escalators either.
January 2, 2019
Interesting short read.
January 15, 2019
Excellent premise to fit the bleak mood. A despairing portrait of this new credit-card world. I only wish the ending were a little more satisfying.
February 10, 2024
4.5 stars
June 7, 2012
Quick read (like 20 minutes, if even), available here. Not much of a conclusion but interesting and disturbing. Do not trust the escalators people, DO NOT TRUST THEM.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews