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Title: The Mere Future

Author: Sarah Schulman

Narrator: Sarah Schulman

Format: Unabridged

Length: 5 hrs and 9 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-24-14

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 8 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

For a nation that elected Barack Obama as president, here is the first novel of the new era: The Mere Future, by award-winning novelist, activist, and playwright Sarah Schulman, set in a utopian (or is it dystopic?) future vision of New York City. The city has morphed into what appears to be an idealized version of itself, the result of what the new mayor calls "The Big Change", in which rent is cheap, homelessness is a thing of the past, and the only job left is marketing. Advertising no longer appears in public but in the privacy of one's home; chain stores and homogenous culture disappear, and a rugged individualism triumphs. Despite the utopian surface, however, there is a disturbing malaise that infects the population; some openly question how the mayor is paying for such measures, which take place at the expense of anyone feeling anything close to art or emotion, culminating in murder and a resulting trial that transfixes the city. Will justice be served under the new Lifestyle-Appropriate Trial and Sentencing System? Sparkling with witty and provocative social commentary, The Mere Future is a startling vision of the world to come that blows literary conventions out of the water. This is Sarah Schulman's 12th novel; her previous books include Empathy, Rat Bohemia, and The Child (all available from Arsenal Pulp Press). Her awards include a Guggenheim Fellowship and two American Library Association Book awards. She is a professor of English at City University of New York (College of Staten Island).

Members Reviews:

a real vision of the future

Sarah Schulman of course is a prophetess of our times, and this funny vision of the future is also haunting. Learn some lessons from this book.

A Clever Gem: Read this book!

"The Mere Future" is a fascinating book that has achieved the brevity and flow of a novella without sacrificing any complexity or realism. It has always been an impossible endeavor for a blurb to avoid giving short shrift to such a masterful creation, so be advised, it's about more than just a dystopic society. The richness of the book stems from Sarah Schulman's innate cleverness and talent at transforming the mundane into effortless imagery and engaging dialogue. You'll need a sharp eye and urbanized sense of humor to fully grasp the witticisms that Schulman appears to spin with the ease of a weaver at her loom on autopilot.

This is the first of Schulman's art that I have enjoyed and it will not be the last. Her writing mesmerized me; as I investigated the author I was left bewildered at how such an incredible writer, perceptive citizen and thinker could exist in relative obscurity (except for a seemingly intense and loyal niche following). Let's face it: most people wear Banal as a perfume and much of what is produced and consumed in American art is trivial, mediocre and entirely inconsequential. Schulman's book did more than entertain, forecast and ruminate - her denouement wasn't entirely tragic, as her writing serves to reinvigorate the literary scene for posterity.

Unabashedly, 5 stars! (This is the first review I have ever bothered to plink out, for a restaurant, product, or tome.)

Continuing to Push the Envelope

Sarah Schulman's new novel, The Mere Future, continues to push the literary envelope, while keeping plenty of the wit and energy that characterizes all of her work.