Lungfish (novelette)

Brunner, John. "Lungfish." Science Fantasy December 1957. Collected Entry to Elsewhen. New York City: DAW, 1972. For reprints, translations, and reviews, see Internet Speculative Fiction Database at link.[1]

Generation starship story (see "Universe" entry for others), mentioned by Paul T. Beattie in his review of The Generation Starship in Science Fiction: A Critical History, 1934-2001 (p. 31).

Discussed by a fan reviewer on the website SCIENCE FICTION AND OTHER SUSPECT RUMINATIONS: Reviews of Vintage Science Fiction (1950s to mid-1980s).[2] After explaining the metaphor of the lungfish, the RUMINATIONS review notes, that "Brunner posits a similar, highly compressed, evolutionary vista (evolution via psychological rather than biological processes) with humankind. A generation ship, designed for two generations, sets off for an alien planet. As Trip’s End approaches, the population includes 2,149 people where only 250 are from the original crew. Brunner includes lots of small details about life and the mechanics of survival (bacterial cultures, hydroponics, etc.) that add a sheen of 'manufactured realism' to the story."

See for the generation-starship motif of humans contained for more or less long periods within a (necessarily) highly-mechanized environment (or other technological equivalents of mechanization).

RDE, finishing, 25Ap21