Journey into the realms of science and imagination with Fitz-James O'Brien’s intriguing tale, "The Diamond Lens." This captivating story explores the boundaries of perception and reality, inviting readers to witness the wonders that lie just beyond our sight. As O'Brien unfolds his narrative, a provocative question arises: What if the microscopic world, often invisible to the naked eye, holds secrets that could change everything we know? Follow the story of a passionate scientist whose groundbreaking discovery leads him into a mesmerizing and perilous journey through the microscopic universe. O'Brien’s vivid descriptions and imaginative plot challenge our understanding of life and the extraordinary possibilities that lie within the tiniest of creatures. This edition revitalizes O'Brien’s classic tale, making it accessible for contemporary readers while preserving the brilliance of his prose. Each chapter invites you to ponder the intersection of science and fantasy, urging you to consider what wonders might be lurking in the unseen world around you. Are you prepared to peer through the lens of imagination in "The Diamond Lens"? Engage with thought-provoking passages that will stretch your understanding of reality and ignite your curiosity about the natural world. O'Brien's storytelling invites you to explore the delicate balance between discovery and obsession. This is your chance to experience a classic that blurs the lines between science fiction and adventure. Will you dare to uncover the hidden marvels that await within the pages? Don’t miss the opportunity to own this fascinating tale. Purchase "The Diamond Lens" now, and embark on an extraordinary journey through the unseen!

An absorbing and haunting collection of early science fiction tales by an Irish-American author Fitz-James O'Brien capitalized on the success of his predecessors Edgar Allan Poe and Mary Shelley in writing disturbing stories with demented protagonists, and this collection of three tales shows his mastery of the macabre. "The Diamond Lens" tells of a lone scientist's discovery of a microcosmic world within a drop of water, and his growing obsession with the beautiful Animula, a fair maiden within this world which he can see but never enter. His uncompromising pursuit of knowledge at any cost foreshadows the mad scientist familiar to readers in a multitude of works. In "What Was It?" an invisible man is discovered by residents of a boarding house. The residents' capture and investigation of the creature blends the fantastic with the scientific as they seek rational explanations for this extraordinary phenomenon. "The Wondersmith" is a macabre tale of an embittered toymaker who seeks revenge upon the society that has persecuted him by creating demonic mannequins and imbuing them with life in order to slaughter the masses— a fantastic melodrama in which the cunning Wondersmith is offset by the unassuming and unlikely hero Solon the hunchback, in love with the villain's daughter.

A scientist creates a very special Diamond Lens to study water… but what he discovers is so much greater than a mere drop of water!

The Diamond Lens by Fitz-James O'Brien: An enthralling and imaginative science fiction short story by Fitz-James O'Brien. The tale follows a young microscopist who discovers a fascinating miniature world within a diamond lens. As he becomes obsessed with his discovery, the story takes readers on a journey through the wonders and perils of this hidden world, blurring the boundaries between reality and fantasy. Key Aspects of the Book "The Diamond Lens": Science Fiction and Fantasy: O'Brien's story combines elements of science fiction and fantasy, creating a captivating and otherworldly narrative. Themes of Obsession: The tale delves into the protagonist's intense fascination with the microscopic world, leading to dramatic consequences. Exploration of the Unseen: "The Diamond Lens" explores the hidden mysteries of the microscopic realm and the wonders that lie beyond human perception. Fitz-James O'Brien was an Irish-American author and poet born in 1828. He is best known for his contributions to science fiction and fantasy literature, with stories that often incorporated elements of the macabre and the supernatural. His short story The Diamond Lens exemplifies his talent for crafting imaginative and thought-provoking narratives that continue to captivate readers with their originality and creativity.

A "riveting and illuminating" Bill Gates Summer Reading pick about how and why some nations recover from trauma and others don't (Yuval Noah Harari), by the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of the landmark bestseller Guns, Germs, and Steel. In his international bestsellers Guns, Germs and Steel and Collapse, Jared Diamond transformed our understanding of what makes civilizations rise and fall. Now, in his third book in this monumental trilogy, he reveals how successful nations recover from crises while adopting selective changes -- a coping mechanism more commonly associated with individuals recovering from personal crises. Diamond compares how six countries have survived recent upheavals -- ranging from the forced opening of Japan by U.S. Commodore Perry's fleet, to the Soviet Union's attack on Finland, to a murderous coup or countercoup in Chile and Indonesia, to the transformations of Germany and Austria after World War Two. Because Diamond has lived and spoken the language in five of these six countries, he can present gut-wrenching histories experienced firsthand. These nations coped, to varying degrees, through mechanisms such as acknowledgment of responsibility, painfully honest self-appraisal, and learning from models of other nations. Looking to the future, Diamond examines whether the United States, Japan, and the whole world are successfully coping with the grave crises they currently face. Can we learn from lessons of the past? Adding a psychological dimension to the in-depth history, geography, biology, and anthropology that mark all of Diamond's books, Upheaval reveals factors influencing how both whole nations and individual people can respond to big challenges. The result is a book epic in scope, but also his most personal yet.

Filmmaker Mouse FitzHenry reluctantly returns to Los Angeles with her fiancâe after sixteen years in Africa, as they each pursue secret projects; he is writing a screenplay set in the city, while she is making a documentary about her bethrothal.

For decades the suburbs have been where art happens despite: despite the conformity, the emptiness, the sameness. Time and again, the story is one of gems formed under pressure and that resentment of the suburbs is the key ingredient for creative transcendence. But what if, contrary to that, the suburb has actually been an incubator for distinctly American art, as positively and as surely as in any other cultural hothouse? Mixing personal experience, cultural reportage, and history while rejecting clichés and pieties and these essays stretch across the country in an effort to show that this uniquely American milieu deserves another look.