The Shrinking Man by Richard Matheson

The Shrinking Man
by Richard Matheson [Hoopla eBook and eAudiobook] 

My local science fiction book club recently read this for a group discussion, and I really enjoyed it. This is one of the earliest novels by genre master Matheson, who established a lengthy reputation as a science fiction, fantasy and horror author. Other than for this novel, he’s probably best known as the author of I Am Legend (a post-apocalyptic vampire novel) and as the author of numerous acclaimed short stories, many of which were adapted into fan-favorite episodes of the original 1960s B&W Twilight Zone series, including “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet”.

In The Shrinking Man, adapted into the movie The Incredible Shrinking Man (which was the title used for several paperback reprints of the novel over the years as well), businessman Scott Carey discovers that he is shrinking 1/7th of an inch every single day. The novel is told in two intersecting timelines — the first is Carey’s struggles after he’s reduced in size to less than 1 inch in height, and is trapped in a locked basement cellar. The second is a series of scenes from the months leading up to that condition, as Carey’s continually shrinking height leads to changes in his relationship with his wife, his daughter, his employer (who happens to be his brother), and his sense of masculinity and identity. The novel is a mixture of social commentary and observation, and thrilling adventure. Originally published in the mid-1950s, the “social SF” elements of this story feel a bit dated. However, the action sequences, as the ultra-miniature Carey fights off a monstrously huge (to him) black widow spider with a sewing pin (which is the size of a knight’s lance to him), are pulse-pounding. This is a classic of the sci-fi genre, and I highly recommend it!

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try I Am Legend, Steel, Nightmare at 20,000 Feet, or any of the many short stories by Richard Matheson that were adapted into Twilight Zone episodes!]

[ U.S. publisher Macmillan’s official The Shrinking Man web page ] | [ Wikipedia page for Richard Matheson ]

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library

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