Abbr.

"Abbr." by Frank Riley is a science fiction novel written in the mid-20th century. The story follows Walther Von Koenigsburg, a wealthy colonist from the Andromeda galaxy, as he embarks on a long-anticipated journey to Earth, the mythical homeland of his ancestors. Upon his arrival, he finds a world vastly changed by a culture of extreme brevity and superficiality, where the richness of art and literature has been severely condensed, leading him to question the value of his dream of immersing himself in Earth's culture. The opening of the novel introduces Walther as he travels on an earth shuttle, filled with excitement and nostalgia for the cultural treasures he hopes to experience on Earth. However, his enthusiasm starts to fade as he encounters a language barrier and the peculiarities of the new culture, especially after witnessing the condensed versions of art and literature. As Walther navigates the disheartening reality of a society that prioritizes fast-paced entertainment over depth, he becomes determined to rescue the original works of art and literature from being lost forever, setting the stage for a larger conflict between cultural preservation and societal progress. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Frank Riley (1915–1996) was the pseudonym of Frank Ryhlick, an American science fiction author best known for co-writing the novel They'd Rather Be Right, which won a Hugo Award for Best Novel during 1955. He was a syndicated travel columnist and editor for the Los Angeles Times, and editor of the Los Angeles Magazine. He also wrote advertisements for See's Candies, screenplays, short fiction such as the "Father Anton Dymek" mysteries and was a host of a radio program in the Los Angeles area.