A Place so Foreign

"A Place So Foreign" by Cory Doctorow is a set of science fiction stories from the early 21st century that looks at time travel, different cultures meeting, and how technology changes our lives. The first story is about James, whose dad, an ambassador, vanishes while visiting 1975. This leads James and his mom back to their old home in Utah in 1898. There, James has to figure out how to grow up and how to deal with his father's past. The story starts with James thinking about his father's disappearance and remembering a world that mixes the past with a future full of strange inventions and social rules. In the interesting setting of two different time periods, James deals with who he is and his relationships, especially after going back to his community. His friendships and interactions with adults show deeper ideas about loss, missing the past, and the difficulty of bringing together different worlds. The story prepares the reader for a close look at culture and growing up, drawing them into Doctorow's unique world.