A True Story

A True Story is a satirical novel written by the ancient Greek writer Lucian of Samosata in the 2nd century AD. The book is a parody of the travel and adventure stories popular at the time and tells the story of a shipwrecked sailor who embarks on a series of fantastical adventures. The narrator of the story also named Lucian begins by stating that the events he is about to describe are all true although they may be hard to believe. He then proceeds to recount his own experiences as a sailor including his ships encounter with a giant whirlpool that transports them to the moon. On the moon the narrator encounters a bizarre society of beings who are at war with the inhabitants of the sun. He also witnesses a variety of strange and comical phenomena such as trees that grow bread and birds that rain down snow. The story continues with the narrators travels to other planets and encounters with a variety of fantastic creatures including a race of people with donkeys ears and a tribe of women warriors who mate with gorillas. Throughout the book Lucian pokes fun at the conventions of the travel and adventure genres as well as the credulity of his readers. The narrator frequently acknowledges the absurdity of his own story and at times seems to be mocking his own gullibility.