First Expedition Yll and Ylla K Nathaniel York and Bert Killed by a jealous husband Marital problems “Marriage made people old and familiar while still young.”

The Second Expedition Captain Jonathan Williams and three men Insane Asylum Mr. Xxx Euthanasia

The Third Expedition Captain John Black and 16 men Navigator Lustig and Samuel Hinkston, archaeologist Martian Ambush Green Bluff, Illinois, 1926 Ed Black

The Taxpayer Pritchard “To get away from wars and censorship and statism and conscription and government control of this and that, of art and science!”

The Fourth Expedition Captain Wilder and 19 men Jeff Spender Dr. Hathaway Biggs Sam Parkhill Cherokee Chicken Pox Spender to Biggs: “I’m the last Martian.” Spender to Wilder: “History will never forgive Cortez.” Spender to Wilder: “The Martians discovered the secret of life among animals. The animal does not question life. It lives.” Spender to Wilder: “They blended religion and art and science because, at base, science is no more than an investigation of a miracle we can never explain, and art is an interpretation of that miracle.”

The Green Morning Benjamin Driscoll Johnny Appleseed of Mars

Similes and Metaphors “…the entire planet earth became a muddy baseball tossed away…” (“The Settlers”) “The rockets came like locusts…” (“The Locusts”) “Mars was a distant shore and the men spread upon it in waves.” (“The Shore”)

Night Meeting Tomas Gomez Muhe Ca Foreshadowing: Pop – “Everything’s crazy up here, the soil, the air, the canals, the natives (I never saw any yet, but I hear they’re around), the clocks. Even my clock acts funny. Even time is crazy up here.” Muhe Ca to Tomas Gomez: “Let us agree to disagree.”

Way in the Middle of the Air Racism in the South Samuel Teece, hardware store owner Silly, 17, works for Teece Grandpa Quartermain Belter Teece to men on porch: “He’s mine. I’m lockin’ him in the back room until tonight.” Roll dem bones Silly to Teece: “What you goin’ to do nights, Mr. Teece? Teece to men on porch: “Did you notice? Right up the very last, by God, he said, ‘Mister’!”

Usher II Censorship William Stendahl Pikes Mr. Garrett, investigator The Society for the Prevention of Fantasy – the Moral Climates Great Fire of 1975 Miss Drummond, Miss Pope, Miss Blunt, Mr. Steffens Edgar Allan Poe “The Cask of Amontillado” Stendahl to Garrett: “I’m being ironic. Don’t interrupt a man in the midst of being ironic. It’s not polite.” Stendahl to Garrett: “Ignorance is fatal, Mr. Garrett.”

The Martian Mr. And Mrs. LaFarge Tom LaFarge Lavinia Spaulding Tom (the Martian) to Mr. LaFarge: “If you cannot have the reality, a dream is just as good.”

War – November, 2005 “The Luggage Store” “There was going to be war on earth.” “The Off Season” Sam Parkhill Elma Hot Dogs “The Watchers” “Australian continent atomized in premature explosion of atomic stockpile. Los Angeles, London bombed. War. Come Home. Come Home. Come Home.”

The Silent Towns Walter Gripp Genevieve Selsor New Texas City – Marlin Village

Genevieve

The Long Years December, 2005 – April, 2026 Dr. Hathaway Robots Captain Wilder (Jupiter, Pluto, Saturn) (Walter Gripp) Man’s technological ability to create

There Will Come Soft Rains August 4, 2026 Allendale, California “The house stood alone in a city of rubble and ashes. At night the ruined city gave off a radioactive glow which could be seen for miles.” Man’s technological ability to destroy

The Million-Year Picnic William Thomas Mom, Timothy, Robert and Michael Governor of Minnesota Bert Edwards, wife and four daughters Future of the Human Race? “Science ran too far ahead of us too quickly…”