The Crystal Button or, Adventures of Paul Prognosis in the Forty-Ninth Century

Submitted by admin on Wed, 02/03/2016 - 16:49
TitleThe Crystal Button or, Adventures of Paul Prognosis in the Forty-Ninth Century
Year for Search1891
AuthorsThomas, Chauncey(1822-98)
Secondary AuthorsHoughton, George
Pagination302 pp
Date Published1891
PublisherHoughton, Mifflin
Place PublishedBoston, MA
KeywordsMale author, US author
Annotation

Eutopia based on scientific advances and a eugenic policy that eliminated the unfit. Focus on mechanical and material developments. By the time of the novel, there is little change and custom is the rule in most things. The crystal button of the title is a symbol that the followers of the man who started the process of reform wear, and there is an emphasis on how the eutopia was achieved. In Houghton’s “Editor’s Preface”, he says that it was written between 1872 and 1878 and published as the result of the popularity of Bellamy’s Looking Backward (viii). 
Additional Publishers

Rpt. Boston, MA: Gregg Press, 1975 with an "Introduction by Ormond Seavey" (v-xiii).
Info Notes

 Written between 1872 and 1878 and published as the result of the popularity of Bellamy's Looking Backward. 
Holding Institutions

Hathi, MoU-St, PSt, W3,5430
Author Note

In the "Editor's Preface", the author (1822-98) is described as a successful Boston coach maker.
Full Text

1891 Thomas, Chauncey (1822-98). The Crystal Button or, Adventures of Paul Prognosis in the Forty-Ninth Century. Ed. George Houghton. Boston, MA: Houghton, Mifflin, with an “Author’s Preface” (vi-vi) and an “Editor’s Preface” (vii-xi). 302 pp. Rpt. Boston, MA: Gregg Press, 1975 with an “Introduction by Ormond Seavey (v-xiii). Hathi, MoU-St, PSt, W3,5430

Eutopia based on scientific advances and a eugenic policy that eliminated the unfit. Focus on mechanical and material developments. By the time of the novel, there is little change and custom is the rule in most things. The crystal button of the title is a symbol that the followers of the man who started the process of reform wear, and there is an emphasis on how the eutopia was achieved. In Houghton’s “Editor’s Preface”, he says that it was written between 1872 and 1878 and published as the result of the popularity of Bellamy’s Looking Backward (viii). Houghton describes Thomas as a successful Boston coach maker (viii).