Stand on Zanzibar

by John Brunner

I don't really think this book belongs in the "Obscure" section, but I am amazed of the number of people who've never heard of it. It won the Hugo for Best Novel in 1969 and stands until this day as once of the best speculative fiction books ever written. If you haven't read it, read it immediately. Mr. Brunner is my generation's Jules Verne in his ability to both anticipate and describe the future of the third rock from the Sun. Stand on Zanzibar is his definitive work.

Terrorism runs rampant. A consultant charges huge fees for practicing common sense. An intelligent computer is overloaded by trying to answer the question of why humans laugh. A mild-mannered minor scientist is instantly turned into an assassin. The population is growing and borderlines are disappearing, mostly from economic pressures. Class divisions both are ignored and are more prevalent than ever. Weapons, tools, turns of phrase, etc. that are discussed in this nearly 30 year old book are now either commonplace or hitting the headlines almost daily. Advances in physics, chemistry, biology have both incredible advantages and horrifying uses. This is "Earth-to-be" and John Brunner knew it and wrote about it.

Ever read a fiction book and it hit so close to home that it made you a little uncomfortable? Remember that slightly squirmy feeling? Well, get ready to do the Twist in your chair! This one should scare the hell out of ya! This IS where we live and the predictions that haven't happened (yet) will keep you up nights. Its not all doom and gloom, but its rays of hope depend on such a fragile thread that it scared me silly. That fragile thread? Human decency and compassion.

This is one of my "must read" books. It is a classic and probably is even more relevant today than when it was written. See if you can't pick out some politicians you know that are in office right now form the characters in this book. See if the main characters aren't someone you know from work. It literally is that good at describing the place we all live. Read it!