A World by the Tale

"A World by the Tale" by Randall Garrett is a science fiction story where Professor John Hamish McLeod, a zoologist, journeys to the far-off planet Gelakin, becoming the first Earthling to travel outside the Solar System. Upon his return home, the Union Bureau of Investigation (U.B.I.) inquires about his experiences and a book he wrote about them, but it unexpectedly causes problems for Earth. Through McLeod's eyes, the story looks at the tricky relationships between Earth and other Galactic societies, especially because his book, "Interstellar Ark," is laughed at by alien readers. Wrestling with the fallout from his perceived failures, McLeod considers the consequences of trading with a more advanced civilization; he also examines their views on authorship and wealth, and the importance of Earth gaining interstellar credits. Trying to repair his reputation and understand his responsibilities to his planet and its people, McLeod discovers himself in a surprisingly powerful position that could define Earth's future in the galaxy. This book examines ideas of cultural misunderstanding, wealth differences, and the search for identity in a fast-changing universe.