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Title: Dumb Waiter

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Title: Dumb Waiter Title Record # 55981
Author: Walter M. Miller, Jr.
Date: 1952-04-00
Type: SHORTFICTION
Length: novelette
Language: English
Synopsis: In the wake of a future war, a man re-enters an automated city in an attempt to regain control over its computerized functions, whose continuing operations now interfere with the task of rebuilding technological society.
User Rating: 7.00 (2 votes) Your vote: Not cast VOTE
Current Tags: hard sf (1), cybernetics (1), science fiction (1) Add Tags

Other Titles

Variant Titles Translations
Year Title
1968 Dumb Waiter [as by Walter M. Miller]
Year Language Title
1957Translated by Sybren Polet
Dutch Dommeknecht
1959Translated by Gilberto Tofano
Italian Servocittà [as by Walter Miller, Jr.]
1970Translated by Bodo Baumann
German Die sterbende Stadt [as by Walter M. Miller]
1971Translated by Bruno Martin
French La cité sans âmes [as by Walter M. Miller]
1986Translated by Bodo Baumann
German Die sterbende Stadt
1989Translated by Delio Zinoni
Italian Servitore sciocco
1992Translated by an unknown hand
Romanian
Oraș în așteptare?Oras in asteptare

Publications

Displaying all variants and translations • Do not display translationsDo not display variants or translations

Title Date Author/Editor Publisher/Pub. Series ISBN/Catalog ID Price Pages Format Type Cover Artist Verif
Astounding Science Fiction, April 1952 1952-04-00 ed. John W. Campbell, Jr. Street & Smith Publications, Inc.  
$0.35?$: US dollar
172
digest?Digest-size magazine, including both standard digest size, at about 7" by 4.5", and also large digest, such as recent issues of Asimov's, which are about 8.25" by 5.125".
mag Hubert Rogers Checkmark
Astounding Science Fiction, September 1952 (UK) 1952-09-00 ed. John W. Campbell, Jr. Atlas Publishing and Distribution Co. Ltd  
1/-?Prior to decimilisation (1968-1971), UK books were priced in shillings, or shillings and pence, where 20 shillings equals one pound and 12 old pence equals one shilling. Shillings were indicated with a variety of suffixes, e.g. 3s, 3', 3", 3/ all mean 3 shillings. Any number after that is additional pence, usually 6 (half a shilling) but sometimes 3 or 9 (a quarter of a shilling or three-quarters of a shilling).
68
pulp?Magazine using the common pulp size: 6.5" by 9.5". For ISFDB purposes this may also be used as a designation for the quality of the paper. There are some untrimmed pulps that are as large as 8" by 11.75
mag Hubert Rogers Checkmark
Science-Fiction Thinking Machines: Robots, Androids, Computers 1954-05-00 ed. Groff Conklin Vanguard Press  
$3.50?$: US dollar
xiii+
367+
[3]
hc?Hardcover. Used for all hardbacks of any size.
anth Checkmark
Selections from Science-Fiction Thinking Machines 1955-08-00 ed. Groff Conklin Bantam Books 1352
$0.25?$: US dollar
183
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
anth Richard Powers Checkmark
De stenen bloedzuiger 1957-08-00 ed. Sybren Polet Bert Bakker (Ooievaar #60) 60   191
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
anth Checkmark
Le Meraviglie del possibile: Antologia della fantascienza 1959-11-10 ed. Carlo Fruttero, Sergio Solmi Einaudi  
Lit 3,000?Lit: Italian lira
xx+
554
hc?Hardcover. Used for all hardbacks of any size.
anth Checkmark
Selections from Science-Fiction Thinking Machines 1964-09-00 ed. Groff Conklin Bantam Pathfinder EP63
$0.45?$: US dollar
201
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
anth Richard Powers Checkmark
The View from the Stars 1965-00-00 Walter M. Miller, Jr. Gollancz (Gollancz SF Series (2))  
16/-?Prior to decimilisation (1968-1971), UK books were priced in shillings, or shillings and pence, where 20 shillings equals one pound and 12 old pence equals one shilling. Shillings were indicated with a variety of suffixes, e.g. 3s, 3', 3", 3/ all mean 3 shillings. Any number after that is additional pence, usually 6 (half a shilling) but sometimes 3 or 9 (a quarter of a shilling or three-quarters of a shilling).
192
hc?Hardcover. Used for all hardbacks of any size.
coll  
The View from the Stars 1965-01-00 Walter M. Miller, Jr. Ballantine Books U2212
$0.50?$: US dollar
192
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
coll Richard Powers Checkmark
The View from the Stars 1965-01-00 Walter M. Miller, Jr. Ballantine Books U2212
C$0.50?C$: Canadian dollar
192
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
coll Richard Powers Checkmark
Cities of Wonder 1966-00-00 ed. Damon Knight Doubleday  
C$4.95?C$: Canadian dollar
252
hc?Hardcover. Used for all hardbacks of any size.
anth  
Cities of Wonder 1966-02-00 ed. Damon Knight Doubleday  
$4.50?$: US dollar
[xii]+
252
hc?Hardcover. Used for all hardbacks of any size.
anth John Rombola Checkmark
Cities of Wonder 1967-04-00 ed. Damon Knight Macfadden-Bartell 75-183
$0.75?$: US dollar
251
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
anth Jack Faragasso Checkmark
Cities of Wonder 1967-04-00 ed. Damon Knight Macfadden-Bartell 75-183
C$0.75?C$: Canadian dollar
251
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
anth Jack Faragasso Checkmark
The View from the Stars 1968-00-00 Walter M. Miller Panther 23852
5/-?Prior to decimilisation (1968-1971), UK books were priced in shillings, or shillings and pence, where 20 shillings equals one pound and 12 old pence equals one shilling. Shillings were indicated with a variety of suffixes, e.g. 3s, 3', 3", 3/ all mean 3 shillings. Any number after that is additional pence, usually 6 (half a shilling) but sometimes 3 or 9 (a quarter of a shilling or three-quarters of a shilling).
223
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
coll Checkmark
Cities of Wonder 1968-05-00 ed. Damon Knight Dennis Dobson 0-234-77059-7
25/-?Prior to decimilisation (1968-1971), UK books were priced in shillings, or shillings and pence, where 20 shillings equals one pound and 12 old pence equals one shilling. Shillings were indicated with a variety of suffixes, e.g. 3s, 3', 3", 3/ all mean 3 shillings. Any number after that is additional pence, usually 6 (half a shilling) but sometimes 3 or 9 (a quarter of a shilling or three-quarters of a shilling).
xi+
252
hc?Hardcover. Used for all hardbacks of any size.
anth  
Cities of Wonder 1970-00-00 ed. Damon Knight Sphere 53058
6/-?Prior to decimilisation (1968-1971), UK books were priced in shillings, or shillings and pence, where 20 shillings equals one pound and 12 old pence equals one shilling. Shillings were indicated with a variety of suffixes, e.g. 3s, 3', 3", 3/ all mean 3 shillings. Any number after that is additional pence, usually 6 (half a shilling) but sometimes 3 or 9 (a quarter of a shilling or three-quarters of a shilling).
239
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
anth Checkmark
Science fiction classics 1970-00-00 ed. Sybren Polet Bruna (Zwarte beertjes #1335) 90-229-1335-X
ƒ2.75?ƒ: Dutch guilder
175
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
anth Dick Bruna Checkmark
Science-Fiction-Stories 5 1970-00-05 ed. Walter Spiegl Ullstein (Ullstein 2000 #5 (2804)) 3-548-02804-7
DM 2.80?DM: German (Deutsche) mark
155+
[1]
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
anth Paul Lehr Checkmark
Cities of Wonder 1971-10-00 ed. Damon Knight Macfadden-Bartell 95-166
$0.95?$: US dollar
251
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
anth Jack Faragasso Checkmark
Fiction, #214 1971-10-00 ed.
Alain Dorémieux?Alain Doremieux
OPTA  
F4.00?F: French frank
164
digest?Digest-size magazine, including both standard digest size, at about 7" by 4.5", and also large digest, such as recent issues of Asimov's, which are about 8.25" by 5.125".
mag Caza Checkmark
Science-Fiction-Stories 5 1972-00-00 ed. Walter Spiegl Ullstein (Ullstein 2000 #5 (2804)) 3-548-02804-7
DM 2.80?DM: German (Deutsche) mark
156
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
anth Paul Lehr Checkmark
The View from the Stars 1973-02-00 Walter M. Miller Panther 0-586-02385-2
£0.35?£: UK pound
223
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
coll Chris Foss Checkmark
Alpha 9 1978-10-00 ed. Robert Silverberg Berkley Books 0-425-03838-6
$1.75?$: US dollar
ix+
180
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
anth Vicente Segrelles Checkmark
The Science Fiction Stories of Walter M. Miller, Jr. 1978-12-00 Walter M. Miller, Jr. Gregg Press 0-8398-2496-3
$13.50?$: US dollar
xxv+
373
hc?Hardcover. Used for all hardbacks of any size.
coll Checkmark
The Best of Walter M. Miller, Jr. 1980-05-00 Walter M. Miller, Jr. Pocket Books 0-671-83304-9
$2.95?$: US dollar
vii+
472
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
coll Mara McAfee Checkmark
The Best of Walter M. Miller, Jr. 1980-10-00 Walter M. Miller, Jr. Pocket Books / SFBC 2065
$6.98?$: US dollar
469
hc?Hardcover. Used for all hardbacks of any size.
coll Larry Kresek Checkmark
Conditionally Human and Other Stories 1982-07-00 Walter M. Miller, Jr. Corgi 0-552-11991-1
£1.50?£: UK pound
228
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
coll Peter Jones Checkmark
Bedingt menschlich 1986-05-00 Walter M. Miller, Jr. Heyne (Heyne Science Fiction & Fantasy #4307) 3-453-31305-4
DM 9.80?DM: German (Deutsche) mark
575
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
coll Karel Thole Checkmark
Visioni dal futuro 1989-09-00 Walter M. Miller, Jr. Mondadori (Classici Urania #150) 150
Lit 5,000?Lit: Italian lira
208
pb?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.
coll Oscar Chichoni Checkmark
Quasar, 2/1992 1992-00-00 ed.
Mihai Bădescu?Mihai Badescu
,
Mihaela Muraru-Mândrea?Mihaela Muraru-Mandrea
PROCONSF  
Lei 50?Lei: Romanian leu
32
tp?Trade paperback. Any softcover book which is at least 7.25" (or 19 cm) tall, or at least 4.5" (11.5 cm) wide/deep.
mag Nicolae Nicolaev  
The Best of Walter M. Miller, Jr. 2000-07-00 Walter M. Miller, Jr. Gollancz (SF Collectors' Editions) 0-575-07119-2
£9.99?£: UK pound
472
tp?Trade paperback. Any softcover book which is at least 7.25" (or 19 cm) tall, or at least 4.5" (11.5 cm) wide/deep.
coll Checkmark
Dark Benediction 2007-04-00 Walter M. Miller, Jr. Gollancz / Orion (Millennium / Gollancz SF Masterworks #69) 978-0-575-07977-9
£7.99?£: UK pound
472
tp?Trade paperback. Any softcover book which is at least 7.25" (or 19 cm) tall, or at least 4.5" (11.5 cm) wide/deep.
coll Dominic Harman Checkmark
Dark Benediction 2013-05-23 Walter M. Miller, Jr. Gollancz / Orion (Millennium / Gollancz SF Masterworks) 978-1-4732-0065-4
£4.99?£: UK pound
 
ebook?Used for all electronic formats, including but not limited to EPUB, eReader, HTML, iBook, Mobipocket, and PDF.
coll Dominic Harman  
Dark Benediction 2015-00-00 Walter M. Miller, Jr. Gateway / Orion (Gollancz SF Masterworks (II)) 978-1-4732-0065-4
£4.99?£: UK pound
 
ebook?Used for all electronic formats, including but not limited to EPUB, eReader, HTML, iBook, Mobipocket, and PDF.
coll Dominic Harman Checkmark
Dark Benediction 2015-08-13 Walter M. Miller, Jr. Gollancz / Orion (Gollancz SF Masterworks (II)) 978-1-4732-1194-0
£9.99?£: UK pound
xv+
472
tp?Trade paperback. Any softcover book which is at least 7.25" (or 19 cm) tall, or at least 4.5" (11.5 cm) wide/deep.
coll Dominic Harman  
Dark Benediction date unknown Walter M. Miller, Jr. Gollancz / Orion (Millennium / Gollancz SF Masterworks #69) 978-0-575-07977-9
£8.99?£: UK pound
472
tp?Trade paperback. Any softcover book which is at least 7.25" (or 19 cm) tall, or at least 4.5" (11.5 cm) wide/deep.
coll Dominic Harman Checkmark
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