The Twilight Zone was an innovative and influential television show that aired on CBS for five seasons, from October 1959 to June 1964. The show featured paranormal horror stories, and we still use the phrase “enter the Twilight Zone” to describe a surreal or disturbing experience like the ones encountered by the characters on the show. Rod Serling, the creator of the show and author of more than half of its episodes, released novelizations of some of the episodes he wrote in the anthologies Stories from the Twilight Zone (1960), More Stories from the Twilight Zone (1961) and New Stories from the Twilight Zone (1962). Read what BMCC Reads reviewer Joseph has to say about some of these stories, and then check out the stories yourself from the Internet Archive. — Editor
“Walking Distance”
“Walking Distance,” written by Rod Serling in 1959 for the television series The Twilight Zone and later published in the book titled Stories from the Twilight Zone, follows Martin Sloan, a successful advertising executive who, overwhelmed by the pressures of his modern life, seeks comfort in his childhood neighborhood of Homewood. While having his car repaired he walks through the familiar streets of his childhood and experiences a surreal journey back in time, confronting the happiness and sadness of his past. The writing is characterized by its emotional depth and lyrical quality. Rod Serling captures the feelings of longing for simpler times, using vivid imagery to evoke memories of carefree summers filled with fun times and laughter. The dialogue between Martin and his younger self as well as with his father are my favorite aspects of the story. The interactions highlight humans’ desire to reconnect with their roots and their loved ones. Overall “Walking Distance” stands out as one of Rod Serling’s greatest stories and serves as a timeless commentary on nostalgia and the passage of time. His ability to weave complex emotions and topics into a short story showcases his talent as a storyteller and cements his legacy as one of the greatest of all time.
“The Rip Van Winkle Caper”
“The Rip Van Winkle Caper,” written by Rod Serling in 1961 and later published in a book titled New Stories from the Twilight Zone tells the story of four experts in the art of crime: Mr. Farwell, a former professor and specialist in noxious gases; Mr. Brooks, specialist in weapons and firearms; Mr. De Cruz, specialist in all forms of demolition and destruction; and Mr. Erbie, a mechanical engineer. After stealing $1 million worth of gold bars from a cargo train heading to Los Angeles, the four thieves hide out in an inconspicuous cave in a mountain in Death Valley U.S.A. Mr. Farwell, the former professor, creates a device called “suspended animation chambers,” which can freeze someone in time for any period of time. His plan is for the men to sleep for 100 years so they can sell the gold bars without worrying about law enforcement. De Cruz, reluctant at first, eventually agrees to the plan. When they wake up 100 years later they find their plan hasn’t gone as smoothly as anticipated. The men quickly descend into madness fueled by their greed and mistrust for each other.
Rod Serling’s narrative in “The Rip Van Winkle Caper” is a cautionary tale about greed. The twist ending reveals despite their elaborate scheme and criminal knowledge, their pursuit of wealth leads to their downfall. The irony in the story is that while they sought to escape justice through time travel, they instead find their gold bars hold no worth. Rod Serling’s writing style remains engaging throughout the story and his use of dialogue captures each character’s qualities while also advancing the plot. I recommend “The Rip Van Winkle Caper” and the book it appears in, New Stories from the Twilight Zone, to any fan of Rod Serling or science fiction stories.
“A Stop at Willoughby”
“A Stop at Willoughby,” written by Rod Serling in 1960 and later published in the paperback More Stories from The Twilight Zone tells the story of Gart Wiliams, a forty-one-year-old advertising executive in New York who hates his job and life. After exploding in anger at his boss, Gart commutes home by train back to Connecticut like every other day. But this time when he rests his eyes, he dreams of a town named Willoughby, a peaceful nineteenth-century town where everyone smiles and waves hello upon arriving. Like most of Rod Serling’s stories, this one explores deep metaphoric subject matter, especially about life and death, and leaves it up to the reader to interpret it as they wish.
This story has always been a favorite of mine long before ever reading it. I first saw the television episode when I was ten or eleven on Thanksgiving when certain channels would air marathons of the show for the holiday. One of my favorite aspects of the written version of this story is how you can feel the intensity of Gart’s anxiety when he’s berated by his boss and later on his wife. The writing style strongly implies that Mr. Serling would write these stories for reading purposes before filming them for television. “A Stop at Willoughby” stands out to me as a timeless story because it can be read by anyone at anytime in history and still be completely relatable.
Get the book! Go to the Internet Archive for a digitized version of a 1986 edition of Stories from the Twilight Zone that includes all nineteen stories originally included Stories from the Twilight Zone, More Stories from the Twilight Zone, and New Stories from the Twilight Zone.
About the author Joseph is a BMCC student who enjoys reading historical fiction, science fiction, and biographies.
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