City

About “City”

Clifford D. Simak's 1952 fix-up novel, City, is a science fiction work that combines earlier stories into a single narrative. Set in a future where technological progress promises to erase the problems of the present, the novel explores a world where cities and pollution are replaced by idealized suburban life. However, the story quickly moves beyond this early optimism, presenting a sweeping account of the next 10,000 years through the experiences of a family and an immortal robot named Jenkins. The novel includes themes common to 1940s science fiction, such as robots, genetic engineering, space travel, and telepathy. It is framed as a series of legends told by intelligent dogs who have taken over after humanity's disappearance. The story ends with Jenkins as the last guardian, preventing the dogs from repeating human mistakes.