The Creature from Cleveland Depths

MP3 Audio CD. For a novel that was published before the era of smart phones and the internet, The Creature from Cleveland Depths illustrates Fritz Leiber's remarkable insight and intuition ? or perhaps even foreknowledge ? of the dangers that the world of technology might represent for humanity.

Set in a future period, when the Cold War degenerated into an even more serious conflict, and many people took refuge underground, the novel explores the story of a writer who chose to remain on the surface, and whose whimsical idea of a gadget that could act as a reminder for daily tasks and chores leads to the inception of the Tickler ? an actual gadget that sits on people's shoulders and whispers instructions in their ears, forces positive suggestions, or even injects drugs when needed.

Leiber's idea for this novel is undoubtedly inspired from the growing technological progress that the early 1960s had spawned. Although the leading technology of the day promised to bring humanity closer together, and make people's lives easier, Leiber had the insight to draw attention toward a possible outcome that most were not aware of: what if machines end up not just assisting our lives, but leading them as well?

This idea ? novel and even absurd at the time ? is far more relevant today than it was in 1962, when the first publication of The Creature from Cleveland Depths appeared. More than 50 years later, the world is experiencing a surge in advanced technological progress that goes far beyond even what Franz Leiber or his character, writer George Gusterton, could have conceived of.

Anyone even remotely interested in the effect that technology has on the human mind, and in the ramifications of humanity's technological development might have in the future, will be simply fascinated with this outstanding book.