The Shrinking Man

by Richard Matheson · 1956

The Shrinking Man follows Scott Carey, a husband and father who, after being exposed to a radioactive cloud and ingesting insecticide, begins to shrink inch‑by‑inch at a rate of about a seventh of an inch per day. As his body diminishes, his ordinary life collapses into a survival nightmare: his wife Lou and daughter become giants, everyday objects become lethal obstacles, and a basement spider turns into a terrifying predator. The novel blends science‑fiction horror with existential dread, exploring the psychological strain on Scott’s marriage, his loss of identity, and the desperate fight to stay alive as he becomes smaller than a mouse.