"The Wondersmith" in THE ATLANTIC MONTHLY.
Boston: Fields, Osgood, & Co., Successors to Ticknor and Fields, 1859. Octavo, single issue, printed wrappers. Features the first publication of the classic tale, "The Wondersmith." This story is considered an early robot story. A toyshop owner plans to massacre thousands on the Christmas holiday by supernaturally animated small toy soldiers, dolls and animals with small poisoned blades. This story influenced other writers and can be seen today in popular film, such as Chuckie and others. Jessica Amanda Salmonson writes in her introduction to O'Brien's works, "...O'Brien is the most important figure after Poe and before Lovecraft in modern horror literature." Clean contents with darkening to covers with some staining, inked name and marks to upper front cover. Scarce. (32929). Item #32929
Price: $750.00