"New Apples in the Garden" by Kris Neville is a science fiction story written in the early 1960s. The narrative focuses on Eddie Hibbs, an underground supervisor at a utility company, illustrating the complexities and challenges of modern technology and the human element interacting with it. The book deals with the inevitable issues arising from technological progress and human fragility against the backdrop of societal challenges. The storyline follows Eddie as he navigates a series of professional crises at work, including the aftermath of a tragic accident involving one of his crew members, Ramon Lopez. As Eddie deals with rising pressures from budget cuts, operational failures, and personal dilemmas, he also reflects on the broader implications of technological dependence and societal complexity. Conversations with his family reveal their anxieties about the changing world, underscoring a tension between human existence and the relentless drive toward modernization. The story paints a vivid picture of how personal and professional lives are intertwined with the unpredictable nature of progress, ultimately highlighting the fragility of human lives amidst an increasingly complex society. (This is an automatically generated summary.)