The Machine Stops

By: E. M. Forster

Narrated by: Jim Roberts

E. M. Forster is known primarily as a great English novelest of such books as A Passage to India, A Room with a View, and Where Angels Fear to Tread. In 1909, he wrote his only science-fiction story, and it proved to be a shocker. It describes a world of the future in which humans all remain in their cubicles while all their needs are met by a supercomputer called "The Machine". They communicate with each other and attend "online" classes and meetings through the Machine, and people seldom meet face to face. A problem arises when one man, Kuno, decides he is not satisfied with staying in his room and decides to explore outside.

The story has proved to be far ahead of its time, with remarkably accurate predictions of modern technologies such as TV, online chat, and the Internet. This is a truly remarkable story and one that has many lessons of caution for today.

After being voted one of the best novellas up to 1965, it was included that same year in the populist anthology Modern Short Stories and in 1973 was also included in The Science Fiction Hall of Fame.

Public Domain (P)2009 Jimcin Recordings

Accuracy to 2024

From 1909, this story parallels the story of today with alarming accuracy.
From the blue optic plates, to the denial of history, to the religious embrace of science, to the isolation of the individual: these and many more touchstones of the modern world are vividly predicted.
Forester predicted it all.
Even the mechanisms by which the dystopia was enabled: the lecturers (the media), the acceptable ‘ideas’ (the propaganda), the acquiescence to comfort (pervasive technological pandering)… there are uncountable parallels to today’s weakening of the human condition.
Perhaps the story it’s not so much a brilliant prediction of the future, but rather a brilliant assessment of how vulnerable humans are to an ever present lurking of totalitarianism.

Thought provoking

I feel fortunate to have stumbled across this reading. I enjoyed it immensely. I would like to share.

Dystopian

HM wrote this Early on in his career too! I like it times of HG wells but crisper/cleaner.

Stunning Sci Fi

I am a fan of E.M. Forster but this book was a real surprise. I heard about it on NPR and decided to give it a try. It was written close to a century ago and it is as fresh as today's headlines. The story is slight but filled with amazing detail about life in the future; that's today. The narrator was terrific and I will look for him again. I recommend this book for serious readers. It was so thought provoking.

Ahead of its time, though not sublime

What did you like best about The Machine Stops? What did you like least?

Predictions that come true; somewhat wooden vision and execution of story.

Would you be willing to try another book from E. M. Forster? Why or why not?

Read some years ago.

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

yes

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

no

Any additional comments?

Predictions that come true; somewhat wooden vision and execution of story.