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The Internet Time Travel Database

Anthony Boucher

writer

Snulbug

by Anthony Boucher
In need of $10,000 to open a medical clinic, Bill Hitchens calls forth Snulbug, a one-inch high demon who likes the warmth in Bill’s pipe, and orders the demon to retrieve tomorrow’s newspaper and bring it back to today.
Then as soon as I release you from that pentacle, you’re to bring me tomorrow’s newspaper.
“Snulbug” by Anthony Boucher, in Unknown Worlds, December 1941.

The Ghost of Me

by Anthony Boucher
After Dr. John Adams is murdered, his ghost accidentally begins haunting some time before the murder occurred.
I’ve simply come back into time at the wrong point.
“The Ghost of Me” by Anthony Boucher, in Unknown, June 1942.

The Barrier

by Anthony Boucher
A man, apparently dazed from running into a temporal snag, appears in a radio factory, whereupon (before returning to his own time) he makes a radio that’s actually a Twonky which gets shipped to a Mr. Kerry Westerfield, who is initially quite confounded and amazed at all it can do.

Because of the opening, I’m convinced that this Twonky is from the future. The “temporal snag” that brought him there feels like an unexpected time rift to me, although the route back to the future is an intentional journey via an unexplained method.

— Michael Main
“Great Snell!” he gasped. “So that was it! I ran into a temporal snag!”
“The Barrier” by Anthony Boucher, Astounding Science-Fiction, September 1942.

Elsewhen

by Anthony Boucher
Private detective Fergus O’Breen investigates Harrison Patrigde, inventor and ne’er-do-well, who accidentally invents a short-range time machine, causing him to envision how the world (and the lovely Faith Preston) will admire him if only he can get enough money to build a bigger version (perhaps via a murder with the time machine providing an alibi).
Time can pass quickly when you are absorbed in your work, but not so quickly as all that. Mr. Partridge looked at his pocket watch. It said nine thirty-one. Suddely, in the space of seconds, the best chronometer available had gained forty-two minutes.
“Elsewhen” by Anthony Boucher, Astounding, January 1943.

Sanctuary

by Anthony Boucher
Mr. Holding, an American poet in Vichy France before the U.S. came into the war, visits an American scientist who is trying to stay neutral as he builds his time machine.
I am, sir, a citizen of the world of science.
“Sanctuary” by Anthony Boucher, Astounding, June 1943.

The Pink Caterpillar

by Anthony Boucher
After Norm Harker tells of a magic man who can bring you back a single item from the future (for the right price), Anthony Boucher’s detective Fergus O’Breen tops the story with the tale of how he figured out why a dead American living in Mexico liked to call himself a doctor.
At least that’s the firm belief everywhere on the island: a tualala can go forward in time and bring you back any single item you specify, for a price. We used to spend the night watches speculating on what would be the one best thing to order.
“The Pink Caterpillar” by Anthony Boucher, in Adventure, February 1945.

Mr. Lupescu

by Anthony Boucher
Time travel makes a cameo appearance in this story in which young Bobby tells his Uncle Alan about his godfather, Mr. Lupescu, who has a great big red nose, red gloves, red eyes, and little red wings that twitch.
But one of Mr. Lupescu’s friends, now, was captain of a ship, only it went in time, and Mr. Lupescu took trips with him and came back and told you all about what was happening this very minute five hundred years ago.
“Mr. Lupescu” by Anthony Boucher, in Weird Tales, September 1945.

The Chronokinesis of Jonathan Hull

by Anthony Boucher
Private Eye Fergus O’Breen is back for his third and final encounter with time travel, this time with a time traveler who shows up dead in his room one day and is alive and walking in a stilted manner the next. In the process of explaining himself, the traveler also displays knowledge of Boucher’s traveler in “Barrier” and also of Breen’s other time travel encounters.
And now, I realize, Mr. O’Breen, why I was inclined to trust you the moment I saw yoiur card. It was through a fortunately preserved letter of your sister’s, which found its way into our archives, that we knew of the early fiasco of Harrison Partridge and your part therein. We knew, too, of the researches of Dr. Derringer, and how he gave up in despair after his time traveler failed to return, having encountered who knows what unimaginable future barrier.
“The Chronokinesis of Jonathan Hull” by Anthony Boucher, Astounding, June 1946.

Transfer Point

by Anthony Boucher
Vyrko, the Last Man on Earth, is confined to a shelter with the beautiful but unalluring scientist’s daughter Lavra, until he starts reading a stash of old pulp magazines with stories that exactly describe himself and Lavra.
Good old endless-cycle gimmick. Lot of fun to kick around but Bob Heinlein did it once and for all in ‘By His Bootstraps.’ Damnedest tour de force I ever read; there just aren’t any switcheroos left after that.
“Transfer Point” by Anthony Boucher, in Galaxy, November 1950.

The Other Inauguration

by Anthony Boucher
Usually, when I start a story, I already know whether it has time travel in the plot, but occasionally I’m surprised when the temporal antics arise, as in this story of Peter Lanroyd’s attempt to change the outcome of a presidential election that’s stolen by an ideologue. (No, no—not the year 2000. This is a fictional tale.)

I first read this one on an overnight ice-climbing trek not far from the ITTDB Citadel, hosted by fellow indexer Tim.

To any man even remotely interested in politics, let alone one as involved as I am, every 1st Tue of every 4th Nov must seem like one of the crucial if-points of history.
“The Other Inauguration” by Anthony Boucher, Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, March 1953.

A Shape in Time

by Anthony Boucher
Time-traveling, Marriage-prevention specialist Agent L-3H has her first failure while trying to intervene in the 1880 marriage of Edwin Sullivan to Angelina Gilbert.
Temporal Agent L-3H is always delectable in any shape; that’s why the Bureau employs her on marriage-prevention assignments.
“A Shape in Time” by Anthony Boucher, in The Future Is Now, edited by William F. Nolan (Sherbourne Press, 1970).

Rappaccini’s Other Daughter

by Anthony Boucher
You know of Nathanial Hawthorne’s tale of “Rappaccini’s Daughter,” but do you know of the second, equally beautiful, daughter who had a significant effect on all time travelers?
And that is why our time machines are not permitted to travel back farther than the middle of the twentieth century.
“Rappaccini’s Other Daughter” by Anthony Boucher, in The Compleat Boucher (NESFA Press, January 1999).
as of 1:24 a.m. MDT, 6 May 2024
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