16 March 2009

And now for something completely different...

There was an article in the Guardian this weekend on Ayn Rand and how sales of Atlas Shrugged have jumped since the economic downturn. Take a gander at the article:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2009/mar/14/books-news-ayn-rand-sawday

This article got me thinking about how many dyslit novels I have read, which is a disturbing number. Earhart has read even more, so between the two of us we are rapidly approaching the lunatic fringe.

Dyslit? Qu'est-ce que c'est?

Dystopian Literature is a genre of books which are set in a future which is so dysfunctional as to be the antithesis of a utopian future. Also known as cacotopian literature, it is not to be confused with anti-utopian literature, which opposes a perfect society.

If this all seems a little too much like hard work, think of it this way. These would be the books Tyler Durden reads. And who doesn't want a little piece of that?

The genre covers such comforting gems as nineteen eighty-four, Fahrenheit 451 and Brave New World. Most of the time they are SUPER depressing, creepy and upsetting.

Earhart and I LOVE them.

Thus, I go on to announce a new regular post... monthly we will have a featured dystopian novel. We hope that this will not only generate a greater interest in the genre, but will also contribute a few more passionate (yet SEDENTARY) anarchists to society.

This month will be Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro, which I will post shortly.
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