Help. I read an intriguing science-fiction short story years ago and can’t remember the title or author.
Earth has been built up so much that the world is one giant city. Mile upon mile upon mile of city block represent the only reality Earth’s inhabitants know. Sometimes entire patches of city fall into ruin and these areas are walled up and sealed off.
A young man hears rumors that open space may exist on the very outskirts of this worldwide “city.” He makes plans to locate these wild spaces and hops on the subway. After days of riding the subway to its farthest reaches, the young man finds himself back at the origin of his journey.
There’s much more to the story, but that’s the basic premise.
Anyone?
Sounds somehwat close to the SNEAKER PLATEAU mentioned in one of the Hitchhiker’s guide to the Galaxy books.
Regardless, I’d be very interested in reading this sci-fi story. Hope someone out there knows it 
Sounds to me like E.M. Forster’s “The Machine Stops” (1909).
…except in THAT story, the extensive city lies underground, and the young man CLIMBS into the open air. He doesn’t take a subway.
I’m absolutely positive that the story involves:
a) riding a subway/train
b) city blocks falling into ruin and being walled up
c) the young man never reaching the end of the city
d) and that it’s a short story, not a novel.
I’m not all that sure, but I’d imagine that the story was from the '70s, though I could be wrong. 1909 strikes me as way too early.
I’d really like to read this one again! crosses fingers
I believe you’re referring to “The Concentration City” (also published as “Build-Up”) by J.G. Ballard. It was originally published in 1957. You can find it in his collection “The Best Short Stories of J.G. Ballard.”
The name and author of the story have already been given, but let me note that the synopsis given isn’t very accurate. This can’t be set on Earth. It’s set in some sort of imaginary pocket-universe, since in this universe there’s nothing at all outside the City, and if you travel far enough on the subway you return to your start. It has to be a curved universe with a small diameter. (Most Ballard stories weren’t about accurate scientific predictions of the future. They were about interesting concepts that make for clever stories. It’s sort of like Kafka. Who cares if it makes any sense for a man to turn into a bug?)