Reviewed by: BigAl
Genre: Literary Fiction
Approximate word count: 15-20,000 words
Availability
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Author:
Information
about the author, L.N. “Bert” Smith is skimpy other than he has two other books
available, Sunrise Over Disney (which
appears to share some aspects of this book) and The Evolution of Human Intellect which, hard as it may to believe,
also does as “the material is presented in the form of two amusement park
attractions.”
Description:
"The
world of tomorrow exists today, but only for those who can spot the true
experts."
“And never
before in human history has it been so crucial to spot these experts sooner rather
than later. ... You see, ‘progress’ is accelerating---our technological advance
is rocketing toward a flashpoint of alarming and breathtaking change. People
need to recognize what is happening and take action before it's too late. ...
But can they? A legion of false experts stand in their way.”
Appraisal:
I’m not
sure what to make of this book starting with the most basic (what genre is it)
and continuing on to the actual content.
The author calls it literary fiction, but it could just as easily be
called science fiction, speculative fiction, maybe even fantasy, although it
doesn’t fit what a reader would expect to find in any of those all that well
either. I think there is even a case to be made for calling it non-fiction (not
100% of every non-fiction book is literally true, right?)
The premise
is that the author has “redesigned” Tomorrowland at one of the Disney
properties with rides, shows, and other attractions that show or teach us about
where the world is headed, at least in the opinion of various experts or the
author’s interpretation of them. At various points a “ride” covers different
topics in science, technology, and politics.
The goal,
as I’ve interpreted it, is to provide an easy introduction or exposure to ideas
and concepts that most people need to understand better, and whet their
appetite. Maybe even inspire them to investigate more, prepare for the changes,
and possibly take action to encourage a change in course. The goal is laudable,
but the execution didn’t work for me. The plot device of the redesigned
Tomorrowland felt forced much of the time and too often got in the way of
understanding the point the author seemed to be trying to make.
Using
fiction to provoke thought and possibly inspire people to reconsider the
direction the world is heading as part of a story is nothing new and if done
well can have a positive effect. (Orwell’s 1984
is one obvious example.) But in The
Redesign of Tomorrowland, there isn’t really much of a story. Ultimately,
what fiction was here only served to obscure the facts, while doing little to
make the learning more palatable.
Format/Typo Issues:
No
significant issues.
Rating: *** Three Stars
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