Staring blankly into space while riding on a train or waiting in line is a familiar feeling. But in many parts of France, and now in San Francisco, it’s possible to keep your mind occupied with a free short story, accessible with the simple touch of a button.
The “Distributeur d’Histoires Courtes” (Short Story Vending Machine) was invented by publishing startup Short Edition, and can now be found in around 32 locations. By pushing one of three buttons you can choose the length of your story—one, three, or five minutes—which will be automatically printed out from the dispenser like a receipt.
Nearby
Sites
| Name | Since | Distance | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco: The Heart of Downtown en | 1km | site_izi | |||
| ‘The Allegory of California’ | 2020 | 0.6km | site_ao | ||
| Emperor Norton Plaque | 2019 | 1.1km | site_ao | ||
| Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Company | 2019 | 0.2km | site_ao | ||
| San Francisco Elk’s Lodge #3 | 2019 | 1km | site_ao | ||
| Heineman Building | 2019 | 0.7km | site_ao | ||
| Poet’s Corner | 2019 | 0.8km | site_ao | ||
| California Historical Society Headquarters | 2019 | 1.1km | site_ao | ||
| The Mutilated Octopuses of California’s Admission Day Monument | 2017 | 0.9km | site_ao | ||
| Phelan Building | 2016 | 1.1km | site_ao | ||
| AIDS Interfaith Memorial Chapel | 2017 | 0.9km | site_ao | ||
| San Francisco’s Odd ‘Banker’s Heart’ Monument | 2017 | 0.5km | site_ao | ||
| The Whimsical Detail of Ruth Asawa’s San Francisco Fountain | 2017 | 0.9km | site_ao | ||
| Holiday Inn Chinatown (today: Hilton Hotel) | 1968 | 0.2km | site_brutalism |
About the source: Atlas Obscura
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