Review: Science Fiction Short Story: "Death of a Spaceman" by Walter M. Miller, Jr.

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Old Donegal was dying, not violently in space, but quietly at home after a long career rocketing between earth and the moon. He knew it. The cancer was feeding at his spine. It had taken his legs first. Now it was working slowly on the rest of him. His wife Martha didn’t talk about it, though, but preferred to talk about things they would do when he got better. The closest she would come to talking about it is asking him to call for the priest. The well-heeled next door neighbors are having a party to celebrate their son’s acceptance into the space academy, something old Donegal assumes his grandson Ken will one day achieve. The neighbors made their money in Orbital Engineering and Construction Company, the builders of the moon-shuttle ships that made the run from the satellite station to Luna and back. Old Donegal doesn’t mind their noise and music so much, but he wants them to stop in time for him to hear the moon launch one last time. This is a remarkably well-written story with appeal beyond science fiction enthusiasts. It’s about a man saying good-bye to his life. He may wish he’d done a couple of things differently, such as talking more to his wife and their adult daughter, but overall, he’s satisfied with his life. He’s ready to go. I can heartily this story recommend to anyone. Author Walter M. Miller, Jr. served as a radioman and tail gunner during World War II. He took part in about fifty bombing missions. According to some fellow writers, he was traumatized by the experience. Following the success of the one novel published during his lifetime, A Canticle for Leibowitz, he published no new material, though several compilations of old material came out. He committed suicide in 1997 following the death of his wife. This story is available from Project Gutenberg and as an audiobook from Librivox: _____ Title: “Death of a Spaceman” Author: Walter M. Miller, Jr. (1923-1996) First published: Amazing Stories March 1954 Source: ISFDB