Welcome to Litsy!

Imagine an America where no one is more intelligent than anyone else. So everyone can be a doctor, go to university, build a plane. Actually, being smart is a disadvantage. This is the premise of Shriver‘s novel and it‘s a super interesting concept. Her books are often hit or miss for me but this is a hit. The idea is so ridiculous and yet it seems somehow possible in this crazy world.

📸 Lille, France

This was my first Lionel Shriver, although I did enjoy the film adaptation of We Need to Talk About Kevin. The premise and concept of this book is very original and intriguing. In what is obviously a critique by Shriver of ‘woke-culture‘, she envisions a world where ‘perceived‘ intelligence is seen as the last great civil rights battle and divider of people, the last great fight to reach equality. (Continued in comments 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻)

Even now that I've finished this and enjoyed it, I'm not entirely sure how to read it. It's cleverly written and goes into some depth about navigating relationships during times of extremism. There's also a fatalism to this alternate history, a sense that with culture becoming increasingly polarized into extreme viewpoints, certain outcomes are inevitable. Extreme positions of any kind give opportunists and narcissists a platform to thrive.

Low-key readathon: Activated!

Only trouble is, the cat is so cozy, I'm about to fall asleep myself. 😴

#JumpStartSummer @TheSpineView

I've got a busy weekend of music (both professional and talented student musicians) and stagehanding (if that's a word), but I'm hoping to sneak in some reading each day. I'm working on some Percival Everett for #authoramonth, Solito for book club, and the tagged just for fun, although I'm leaving open the possibility of just mood reading. #jumpstartsummer @TheSpineView

I expected to enjoy this book, but I actually found myself having to force myself to pick it up and continue. It all felt a bit too preachy. Shriver is, as far as I‘m aware, a hugely respected writer, so I‘m not sure if she‘s just not my thing or if this is not her usual standard. I think I need to read We Need to Talk About Kevin.

Book 34/60 Page 11.033/18,000 #Read2025 @DieAReader

My 10 favorite books of 2024. Number 6.

#2024Top10

To describe this novel, I'll use a word that is banned in this fictional setting, and that word is "brilliant." In a culture that becomes more stupid by the day--and one that is based less and less on merit--this is the perfect novel for the times that we are living in.

Readers who enjoyed this novel might also enjoy "How I Became Stupid" by Martin Page. #2024Book19

...ever acknowledged even to herself that she'd asked for it. I wasn't trying to make myself happy. I was trying to make the certain someone unhappy.

😆

This reminds me of my coworkers.

Moreover, social hysterias do not stand still. If they are not yet losing steam, they are getting worse. And this one was getting worse. Radical movements keep ratcheting up their demands, because nothing enervates a cause more than success. Crusaders resent having their cause stolen out from under them by the fulfillment of their quest; reaching the promised land leaves seekers bereft. There's little to do in a utopian oasis but sip coconut water

In the not too distant future society seeks to have gone mad.
Mental party is the new "norm" in society.
Using certain words is taboo and outright banned, stupid, idiot, dumb are all cuss words and a hate crime.
Hence to create unity and equality we have vastly under qualified people doing top jobs.
Pearson bucks the trend and dares to speak out against the system and thereby shatters a long term friendship with Emory.