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The Box: Uncanny Stories
The Box: Uncanny Stories
The Box: Uncanny Stories
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The Box: Uncanny Stories

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What if you were told that you could make a fortune just by pushing a button on a box? But pressing this button will simultaneously cause the death of another human being somewhere in the world . . . someone you don't know. Would you still push the button?

"Button, Button," Richard Matheson's chilling tale of greed and temptation, is now the basis of The Box, the new film from the director of Donnie Darko. In addition, this outstanding collection also contains many other unforgettable stories by Matheson, the award-winning author of I Am Legend and What Dreams May Come.

"The inventive plots and spare but convincing portraits of ordinary men and women caught up in forces beyond their control demonstrate why Stephen King has called Matheson his most significant influence."
--Publishers Weekly




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LanguageEnglish
Release dateSep 15, 2009
ISBN9781429946278
Author

Richard Matheson

Richard Matheson (1926-2013) is the author of many classic novels and short stories. He wrote in a variety of genres including terror, fantasy, horror, paranormal, suspense, science fiction and western. In addition to books, he wrote prolifically for television (including The Twilight Zone, Night Gallery, Star Trek) and numerous feature films. Many of Matheson’s novels and stories have been made into movies including I Am Legend, Somewhere in Time, and Shrinking Man. His many awards include the World Fantasy and Bram Stoker Awards for Lifetime Achievement, the Hugo Award, Edgar Award, Spur Award for Best Western Novel, Writer’s Guild awards, and in 2010 he was inducted into the Science Fiction Hall of Fame.

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  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    The Box: Uncanny Stories is a creepy collection of twelve short stories by author Richard Matheson who also wrote I Am Legend and What Dreams May Come.As with most short story anthologies, I enjoyed some of these tales more than others. In this collection, there were maybe two that I didn't care for.These stories are strange and suspenseful and have supernatural and fantasy aspects to them. Most of the stories have an unexpected twist to them. I'll mention a few that I enjoyed here in my review.-Button, Button - A couple is asked to push a button and in return they get fifty thousand dollars. The price however, is that someone they do not know will drop dead. It is mainly the wife who wonders if they should push the button and take the money. I guess the ending fairly quickly, but I enjoyed this one none the less. -Girl of My Dreams- A woman has vivid nightmares about the ways others will die. Her husband greedily exploits her supernatural ability. Told from the husbands point of view, you really get a feel as to how grimy he is. -Dying Room Only- This was more of a suspenseful story that got under my skin and made me uncomfortable as I read it. A married couple stops to eat at a small rest stop in the middle of nowhere. After going to the ladies room, the wife comes out to find her husband is missing. There are only locals at this rest stop, and no one wants to answer her questions about her husbands whereabouts.This is my favorite story of the bunch. It tapped into the fear of being utterly alone and helpless. Matheson sets the mood perfectly, the heat of the day is stifling, as is the wife's slowly growing terror. -No Such Thing As a Vampire: A woman awakes one day to find tell tale bite necks on herself. She fears the worst, as do the townspeople and her servants. This was a story about revenge and the lengths someone will go to attain it. This one reminded me a bit of Dracula. -A Flourish of Strumpets: A conservative husband and wife find that each night a different prostitute comes knocking at their door offering her services. The descriptions of these 'strumpets' as well as the uptight husbands reactions had me laughing a bit. This story had a nice twist at the end. -Creeping Terror : Los Angeles is actually alive and slowly spreading all over the world. Citrus trees begin to grow where they should not, people are struck with the sudden urge to dress for the beach and to cut the tops off their cars to make them into convertibles. Another story that was bizarre and humorous. I found this story to be very cleverly written. It's written in the form of a paper written for a university class, there's even footnotes included. This one had more of a science fiction feel to it. Overall this was a nice collection of creepy and bizarre, sometimes even humorous short stories and I enjoyed my introduction Matheson's work. I hope to read more of his books. I have seen a few on screen adaptations. It's not easy to write good short stories. Matheson did well with most to the ones in this collection, they were short yet packed a punch. These tales felt very Twilight Zone like to me and I enjoyed that.Interestingly enough, Matheson wrote the short story Nightmare at 20,000 Feet, which was made into one of my favorite Twilight Zone episodes starring William Shatner.I won my copy of this book online, this is my honest review.

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Button, Button is collection of previously printed stories from Matheson's career. Matheson is an amazing writer. Just look at I Am Legend or The Incredible Shrinking Man or the fabulous collection Nightmare at 20,000 Feet (which contains the uber-creepy story "Prey," which I get shivery just thinking about). Even second rate Matheson is still better than a lot of stuff out there.

    Matheson was one of the original Twilight Zone writers, and you'll recognize that style, and perhaps even an episode or two, within these stories. My personal favorite is "Pattern For Survival," but I'm sure you'll find your own.

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    Richard Matheson wrote some of the most iconic Twilight Zone episodes, so when I saw this short story collection at the library, I figured it had to be great.Unfortunately, only the title story really packed the sort of punch that I was expecting. The other stories range from clever to mediocre, with more falling on the latter side. The TZ episode "Mute" was never one of my favorites, and the short story that inspired it went on for far too long and wasn't any better than the television episode.On the bright side, it was a very quick read so I was able to enjoy the better stories without spending too much time on the clunkers.

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I picked this book up because it has the short story that the movie "The Box" was derived from. As usual the movie did not do Mr. Matheson's book any justice. Button, Button is so much more twisted than the movie (believe it or not) and really makes you think.The other stories in the book were, likewise, thrilling. I couldn't help but read through them quickly. One after the other you are kept in suspense until the end. Mr. Matheson has a way of letting you in on the secret while still holding your attention to see the reaction from the other characters at the end of the short story. I LOVE IT!The stories in this compilation are more mystery/thriller than horror. If you're looking for his more horrific stories I'd go with I Am Legend.

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    "The Box" was predictable but the other stories with it are great.

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    I was disappointed in "Button, Button" and wondered why it was included, never mind made into the cover story for the anthology. Most of the stories didn't stay with me at all but I did like "Mute". It is a good story if you enjoy obsessing over the limitations of language. If you enjoy stories about telepathy, there is some candy in here for you as well.

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Richard Matheson is one of the premiere writers of suspense and horror. Many of his works have become movies or were made into television shows, most notably on the "Twilight Zone."Mr. Matheson is extremely prolific and this collection of short stories just represents a small portion of his work. Fortunately, there are several top notch stories included in this volume. "Button, Button," "Girl of My Dreams," and "Dying Room Only" stand out as the best, and they are truly entertaining, thought provoking, and creepy to a point, but not terrifying. They make you think. If there was a button, and everythime you hit the button you'd get $50,000, but someone you didn't know died as a result, would you hit the button? How many times? That's the plot of "Button, Button" and it really is a great theme and I've posed the question to several people after reading the story and it is a real insight into the human mind and conscience. Not all the stories hit the mark, but those stories can be skipped. I still recommend this book because the stories that are good are really good.

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Richard Matheson is one of those good authors you’ve probably never heard of. And, without knowing him, you’ve also probably seen the effect of much of his work. His stories and novels are the basis for the movies “What Dreams May Come”, “Somewhere in Time”, and “Omega Man” (“I Am Legend”). (I can’t speak for the others because I haven’t read them, but I can say that “I am Legend” is infinitely superior to either of the movies.) He also wrote a number of famous television episodes including Twilight Zone’s “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet”. So, you’ve experienced Matheson, even if you didn’t know it.This is a nice collection of stories that provides a nice slice of Matheson stories. It starts with “Button, Button” (which was recently turned into “The Box” – which, just like “I Am Legend”, I am willing to bet is not as good as the source material), then walks through a collection of mystery, horror, and science fiction that provides a decent overview of Matheson’s work. These are each tight little stories that tell their tale and move to their conclusions methodically and entertainingly. A husband uses his clairvoyant wife’s talent to extort money. An orphaned boy who has never learned to speak and for whom learning to speak might be the worst crime. Streetwalkers who begin to brazenly drum up their trade by going door-to-door. And a promise of $50,000 if you push a button, knowing that someone you don’t know will die. (Again, I’ll bet it’s better than the movie.) A couple of these stories are predictable, but most twist in ways that are reasonable enough to be comfortable, but different enough to catch the reader by surprise.Is this a collection you need to run right out and buy? Probably not. But, if you stumble across it, you won’t go wrong in picking it up. Neither will you go wrong when you read it.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Thanks to Linda (Whisper) I had the opportunity to read the short story "Button, Button" included in this book of short stories brought together by Richard Matheson before the movie was released November 6th starring Cameron Diaz.I found it to be a quick read but a surprise ending haunts me still. I am intriqued how a story of 12 pages can be made into a 2 hour movie, so I look forward to see what Hollywood did with it.There are other great shorts here as well as some that make you go "huh?" None the less, it is a book I very much recommend to read beside a bonfire on a chilly evening in October, for my family, discussing the stories was as enjoyable as eating the roasted marshmellows.

Book preview

The Box - Richard Matheson

INTRODUCTION

A question often asked of writers is Where did you get the idea for that story? It is a question we can usually answer easily. I can answer it with regard to Button, Button because the idea came from my wife although, at the time, she had no idea she was doing it. Neither did I. That came later.

I will not tell you the idea prior to your reading of the story except to say that the idea was mentioned in a college psychology class my wife took. One idea in that class that I can mention is the following: To contribute importantly to world peace, would you walk down New York’s Broadway—naked?

The idea, which resulted in my writing of Button, Button was of a similar nature: a sacrifice of human dignity in exchange for a specific goal—in this case nothing anywhere near as worthy as world peace.

RICHARD MATHESON

May 17, 2007

Button, Button

The package was lying by the front door—a cube-shaped carton sealed with tape, the name and address printed by hand: MR. AND MRS. ARTHUR LEWIS, 217 E. 37TH STREET, NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10016. Norma picked it up, unlocked the door, and went into the apartment. It was just getting dark.

After she put the lamb chops in the broiler, she made herself a drink and sat down to open the package.

Inside the carton was a push-button unit fastened to a small wooden box. A glass dome covered the button. Norma tried to lift it off, but it was locked in place. She turned the unit over and saw a folded piece of paper Scotch-taped to the bottom of the box. She pulled it off: Mr. Steward will call on you at eight p.m.

Norma put the button unit beside her on the couch. She sipped the drink and reread the typed note, smiling.

A few moments later, she went back into the kitchen to make the salad.

The doorbell rang at eight o’clock. I’ll get it, Norma called from the kitchen. Arthur was in the living room, reading.

There was a small man in the hallway. He removed his hat as Norma opened the door. Mrs. Lewis? he inquired politely.

Yes?

I’m Mr. Steward.

Oh, yes. Norma repressed a smile. She was sure now it was a sales pitch.

May I come in? asked Mr. Steward.

I’m rather busy, Norma said. I’ll get you your watchamacallit, though. She started to turn.

Don’t you want to know what it is?

Norma turned back. Mr. Steward’s tone had been offensive. No, I don’t think so, she said.

It could prove very valuable, he told her.

Monetarily? she challenged.

Mr. Steward nodded. Monetarily, he said.

Norma frowned. She didn’t like his attitude. What are you trying to sell? she asked.

I’m not selling anything, he answered.

Arthur came out of the living room. Something wrong?

Mr. Steward introduced himself.

Oh, the . . . Arthur pointed toward the living room and smiled. What is that gadget, anyway?

It won’t take long to explain, replied Mr. Steward. May I come in?

If you’re selling something . . . Arthur said.

Mr. Steward shook his head. I’m not.

Arthur looked at Norma. Up to you, she said.

He hesitated. Well, why not? he said.

They went into the living room and Mr. Steward sat in Norma’s chair. He reached into an inside coat pocket and withdrew a small sealed envelope. Inside here is a key to the bell-unit dome, he said. He set the envelope on the chairside table. The bell is connected to our office.

What’s it for? asked Arthur.

If you push the button, Mr. Steward told him, somewhere in the world, someone you don’t know will die. In return for which you will receive a payment of fifty thousand dollars.

Norma stared at the small man. He was smiling.

What are you talking about? Arthur asked him.

Mr. Steward looked surprised. But I’ve just explained, he said.

Is this a practical joke? asked Arthur.

Not at all. The offer is completely genuine.

You aren’t making sense, Arthur said. You expect us to believe . . .

Whom do you represent? demanded Norma.

Mr. Steward looked embarrassed. I’m afraid I’m not at liberty to tell you that, he said. However, I assure you the organization is of international scope.

I think you’d better leave, Arthur said, standing.

Mr. Steward rose. Of course.

And take your button unit with you.

Are you sure you wouldn’t care to think about it for a day or so?

Arthur picked up the button unit and the envelope and thrust them into Mr. Steward’s hands. He walked into the hall and pulled open the door.

I’ll leave my card, said Mr. Steward. He placed it on the table by the door.

When he was gone, Arthur tore it in half and tossed the pieces onto the table. God! he said.

Norma was still sitting on the sofa. What do you think it was? she asked.

I don’t care to know, he answered.

She tried to smile but couldn’t. Aren’t you curious at all?

No. He shook his head.

After Arthur returned to his book, Norma went back to the kitchen and finished washing the dishes.

Why won’t you talk about it?" Norma asked later.

Arthur’s eyes shifted as he brushed his teeth. He looked at her reflection in the bathroom mirror.

Doesn’t it intrigue you?

It offends me, Arthur said.

I know, but— Norma rolled another curler in her hair —doesn’t it intrigue you, too?

You think it’s a practical joke? she asked as they went into the bedroom.

If it is, it’s a sick one.

Norma sat on the bed and took off her slippers.

Maybe it’s some kind of psychological research.

Arthur shrugged. Could be.

Maybe some eccentric millionaire is doing it.

Maybe.

Wouldn’t you like to know?

Arthur shook his head.

Why?

Because it’s immoral, he told her.

Norma slid beneath the covers. Well, I think it’s intriguing, she said.

Arthur turned off the lamp and leaned over to kiss her. Good night, he said.

Good night. She patted his back.

Norma closed her eyes. Fifty thousand dollars, she thought.

In the morning, as she left the apartment, Norma saw the card halves on the table. Impulsively, she dropped them into her purse. She locked the front door and joined Arthur in the elevator.

While she was on her coffee break, she took the card halves from her purse and held the torn edges together. Only Mr. Steward’s name and telephone number were printed on the card.

After lunch, she took the card halves from her purse again and Scotch-taped the edges together. Why am I doing this? she thought.

Just before five, she dialed the number.

Good afternoon, said Mr. Steward’s voice.

Norma almost hung up but restrained herself. She cleared her throat. This is Mrs. Lewis, she said.

Yes, Mrs. Lewis. Mr. Steward sounded pleased.

I’m curious.

That’s natural, Mr. Steward said.

Not that I believe a word of what you told us.

Oh, it’s quite authentic, Mr. Steward answered.

Well, whatever . . . Norma swallowed. When you said someone in the world would die, what did you mean?

Exactly that, he answered. It could be anyone. All we guarantee is that you don’t know them. And, of course, that you wouldn’t have to watch them die.

For fifty thousand dollars, Norma said.

That is correct.

She made a scoffing sound. That’s crazy.

Nonetheless, that is the proposition, Mr. Steward said. Would you like me to return the button unit?

Norma stiffened. Certainly not. She hung up angrily.

The package was lying by the front door; Norma saw it as she left the elevator. Well, of all the nerve, she thought. She glared at the carton as she unlocked the door. I just won’t take it in, she thought. She went inside and started dinner.

Later, she carried her drink to the front hall. Opening the door, she picked up the package and carried it into the kitchen, leaving it on the table.

She sat in the living room, sipping her drink and looking out the window. After awhile, she went back into the kitchen to turn the cutlets in the broiler. She put the package in a bottom cabinet. She’d throw it out in the morning.

Maybe some eccentric millionaire is playing games with people," she said.

Arthur looked up from his dinner. I don’t understand you.

What does that mean?

Let it go, he told her.

Norma ate in silence. Suddenly, she put her fork down. Suppose it’s a genuine offer, she said.

Arthur stared at her.

Suppose it’s a genuine offer.

All right, suppose it is! He looked incredulous. What would you like to do? Get the button back and push it? Murder someone?

Norma looked disgusted. Murder.

"How would you define it?"

"If you don’t even know the person?" Norma asked.

Arthur looked astounded. Are you saying what I think you are?

If it’s some old Chinese peasant ten thousand miles away? Some diseased native in the Congo?

How about some baby boy in Pennsylvania? Arthur countered. "Some beautiful little girl on the next

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