Project Gutenberg 2007-09-14 Public domain in the USA. 113 Harmon, Jim 1933 2010 Harmon, James Judson Measure for a Loner Produced from Amazing Science Fiction Stories March 1959. Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net "Measure for a Loner" by Jim Harmon is a science fiction novella written during the mid-20th century. The narrative explores the psychological implications of loneliness in the context of space travel, particularly the necessity for a pilot who can withstand isolation in deep space. The story examines how contemporary society influences perceptions of loneliness and how finding a suitable astronaut amidst a well-conditioned populace proves to be a significant challenge. The plot centers around Dr. Thorn, a historical psychologist who is tasked with identifying a suitable candidate for piloting a groundbreaking interstellar spaceship, the "Evening Star." The government seeks a man who embodies true loneliness, one who can handle the solitude of space travel for extended periods. Thorn discovers two candidates: Gordon Meyverik, who has deliberately isolated himself on Seal Island to prepare for the mission, and Stan Johnson, who enjoys solitude for its own sake. As Thorn assesses their suitability, he grapples with the moral complexities of his task, culminating in a harrowing realization that both candidates may be unable to return from their mission due to governmental manipulation. Ultimately, the novella poses profound questions about loneliness and the human condition in an era where emotional suppression may come at a great cost. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Reading ease score: 85.5 (6th grade). Easy to read. en Science fiction Short stories PS Text Science Fiction Category: Science-Fiction & Fantasy 55462 2025-08-09T11:29:35.770011 text/html 52150 2021-01-02T23:01:29 text/html 83714 2025-08-09T11:29:39.530994 application/epub+zip 82492 2025-08-09T11:29:37.321996 application/epub+zip 82492 2025-08-09T11:29:36.325004 application/epub+zip 176971 2025-08-09T11:29:41.104982 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 170023 2025-08-09T11:29:38.945996 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 145272 2022-09-10T14:03:25.746195 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 48651 2025-08-09T11:29:35.519011 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 48463 2021-01-02T23:01:29 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 47258 2007-06-12T18:46:06 application/octet-stream 76147 2007-06-12T18:46:06 application/octet-stream 69894 2007-06-12T18:46:06 application/octet-stream 74479 2007-06-12T18:46:06 application/octet-stream 73931 2007-06-12T18:46:06 application/octet-stream 67960 2007-06-12T18:46:06 application/octet-stream 76694 2007-06-12T18:46:06 application/octet-stream 71524 2007-06-12T18:46:06 application/octet-stream 72258 2007-06-12T18:46:06 application/octet-stream 72228 2007-06-12T18:46:06 application/octet-stream 71138 2007-06-12T18:46:06 application/octet-stream 22581 2007-06-12T18:46:06 application/octet-stream 28071 2025-08-09T11:29:41.234993 application/rdf+xml 12738 2025-08-09T11:29:36.808010 image/jpeg 3528 2025-08-09T11:29:36.566038 image/jpeg 20467 2021-01-02T23:01:29 application/octet-stream application/zip 19072 2021-01-02T23:01:29 application/octet-stream application/zip 81633 2025-08-09T11:29:35.776001 application/octet-stream application/zip Archives containing the RDF files for *all* our books can be downloaded at https://book.klll.cc/wiki/Gutenberg:Feeds#The_Complete_Project_Gutenberg_Catalog en.wikipedia