The Cli-Sci genre of fiction (Sci-Fi about the climate future) has got me thinking about my own visions of the long-term climate future. Am reading Ministry for the Future (2021) By Kim Stanley Robinson. If anyone wants to join me in discussing this book, that would be fun. It has got me imagining how my own views compare with Robinson.
The novel, which spans 70 years into the future, begins with a catastrophic heat wave in 2025 that kills 22 million people in and around Delhi, India. This catastrophe sets off a chain reaction that puts India in the center of climate action. The Ministry for the Future is a UN group tasked with solving the climate crisis. The main characters are the head of the Ministry for the Future and an American who is the sole survivor of the India heatwave.
My husband gave me this book and I didn't want to read it until I realized it's actually an optimistic vision of how the human race narrowly escapes biosphere collapse. If you've read it or decide to read it, let's talk about it. And any other cli-fi.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/11/books/kim-stanley-robinson-sci-fi.html
Forgot to tag a few people on this topic, just in case you are interested: @chromosomexy @raincloud @lovendures @bluebelle Iridium @billy mike @lenor @lynnventura @deetoo @cc21 @jampa @Maggie @teriz @tonyaW
@jeanne-mayell I ordered my copy. It will be here on Friday. I'm very excited to start reading it. I'm curious if Robinson's purpose for writing it is to craft a blueprint for the UN to follow, so we can prevent a catastrophe from happening...
@jeanne-mayell I’m intrigued and will order the book. I look forward to the discussion here and am happy to know it’s a creative, positive story overall. Thank you for a wonderful meditation tonight, too.
@jeanne-mayell Just ordered it. Apparently Barack Obama loved it. Can't wait to read it and discuss with our community. Thanks Jeanne!
One thing that hooked me early in the book is the rise of terrorism against climate offenders. I don't want to spoil anything, so I'll hold off on details, but after the India heatwave, Indian terrorists rise up to avenge these deaths and force the world's hand. They make quick work of the commercial airline industry, billionaires, weapons manufacturers, and the powerful who have prevented real climate action. It's not something I've seen in my future visions, since good guys usually don't do terrorism. But it is in the book, and once people start dying en masse, I have always felt that a certain group of humanity aren't going to take it lying down.
Book ordered and ready to “book club” with you all! Maybe this could be the first of many!
@jeanne-mayell "Ministry of the Future" ordered! Love the idea of a book club! PS sorry I missed the Circle of Light last night... been so exhausted lately. Am making a commitment to joining you again starting next week. Tah.
@jeanne-mayell I ordered the book from Ebay. Can't wait to read it, it sounds like a thriller!
@jeanne-mayell Thanks for this! I actually jumped online and bought it via Kindle last night and started reading. Really intriguing! I can't wait to continue.