Preview

Access a growing selection of included Audible Originals, audiobooks, and podcasts.
You will get an email reminder before your trial ends.
Audible Plus auto-renews for $7.95/mo after 30 days. Upgrade or cancel anytime.

The Only Harmless Great Thing

By: Brooke Bolander
Narrated by: Courtney Patterson
Try for $0.00

$7.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $9.45

Buy for $9.45

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

Winner of the Nebula Award for Best Novelette

Finalist for the Hugo, Locus, Shirley Jackson, and Sturgeon Awards

The Only Harmless Great Thing is a heart-wrenching alternative history by Brooke Bolander that imagines an intersection between the Radium Girls and noble, sentient elephants.

In the early years of the 20th century, a group of female factory workers in Newark, New Jersey, slowly died of radiation poisoning. Around the same time, an Indian elephant was deliberately put to death by electricity in Coney Island.

These are the facts.

Now these two tragedies are intertwined in a dark alternate history of rage, radioactivity, and injustice crying out to be righted. Prepare yourself for a wrenching journey that crosses eras, chronicling histories of cruelty both grand and petty in search of meaning and justice.

©2018 Brooke Bolander (P)2019 Tantor
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

What listeners say about The Only Harmless Great Thing

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    8
  • 4 Stars
    6
  • 3 Stars
    3
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    10
  • 4 Stars
    3
  • 3 Stars
    2
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    5
  • 4 Stars
    5
  • 3 Stars
    4
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

A fantastic story about man trying to play God

There is so much meaning packed in this little short story, this is a must read for anyone who has the time to read it. A graphic look into the bestial nature in all living things, portraying man as an selfish and ignorant godhead while the animals of the book are the beings with great insight and humanity. Full of sharp criticism of man’s egocentric ideals, and how they cause downfalls for anyone, human or beast, in the name of progress. Witty, critical, and beautiful, I cannot wait for more from Brooke Bolander.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Unique and poignant

An unusual story of human ignorance, that combines a few atrocities into one creative narrative.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!