World Made by Hand: A Novel
by James Howard Kunstler
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Book Reviews of World Made by Hand: A Novel
Book Review: Intriguing Concept, Imperfect Execution
Summary: 3 Stars
I'd been quite excited to read this book. I'd heard of it via multiple sources: NPR, and BoingBoing, among others. I'm very intrigued by novels that engage with an unknown future, particularly one that is threatening, disappointing, dangerous, or all of the above.
Kunstler's entry to the dystopian future society genre is subtle and artistic. It doesn't throw monstrous machines or impersonal tech-driven communities at the reader; in contrast, it posits a simple question: what would happen to a small town, and within that small town, a decent man, if the world he knew were to crumble beneath him? Not suddenly, as with an atomic explosion (at least, not in his location) or cataclysmic seismic event, but slowly, with the gradual disappearance of electricity due to oil depletion, and the insidious violence of an epidemic disease?
Kunstler's vision of this future is somber, thought-provoking, and scarily recognizable. It is also, most profoundly, a picture of what could happen to a society that thoroughly loses hope, and how it can begin to rebuild despite itself. We see many archetypal ideas of human nature return: the master and slave; the submissive wife; the violently independent "strong man" criminal; the spiritual leader. But we also see the decent man, trying his best to fight for a better future; the compassionate doctor, wracked with guilt at his comparatively ineffective medical treatments; the enduring woman, who finds a source of strength to carry on after her husband is killed.
Ultimately, this was a difficult book to read; it certainly wasn't a "feel-good" book, but I think it offers an important picture into one potential future. Several complaints: I felt that the spiritual (cult?) leader had a character shift late in the book that was incompatible with his previous characterization. An extremely violent scene that I think was somewhat unnecessary (although this could be debated) makes me unable to recommend this for younger readers. Finally, I found the disappearance of women from the public arena to be improbable; while I can understand a reverting to traditional family structures in a time of emergency or great chaos, I don't believe that this would be universally true.
I would give this 3/5. Solid story, current message, troubling themes, it gets you thinking. But it's certainly not the best entry to this genre. I'm intrigued enough, however, to pick up some of Kunstler's non-fiction.
Book Review: The Long Emergency - Come To Life
Summary: 5 Stars
In Kunstlers' previous book, "The Long Emergency," he lays out why the world, the U.S. in particular, is terribly positioned to deal with problems created by the declining availability of cheap oil. According to Kunstler, it will create shortages of all things necessary for a 21st century existence: food, clothing, shelter, transportation. Even the accruements we take for granted - computers, cell phones, fast food restaurants and fresh strawberries in January - gone.
The catalyst used to create this bleak scenario in "World Made By Hand" is simultaneous nuclear explosions in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. The population is further decimated by a series of influenza epidemics, leaving the survivors to cope within small, localized communities.
Our protagonist, living in rural New York State, seems loosely based on Kunstler himself. Robert Earle is a former software executive, now a carpenter, musician and reluctant leader in his small town. His entire family dead, he is forced to deal with pirates, bandits, militant religious cults, biker gangs (sans motorcycles), land barons, and even a fundamentalist Christian nymphomaniac. There's a nod to Stephen Kings' "The Stand," involving a creepy old lady with para-normal abilities.
Some of the interaction between the various groups seems a little forced, but I think the author was just trying to show the variety of ways groups of people might cope during a "Long Emergency."
Kunstler goes to great lengths describing how survivors might produce food, obtain water, clothe and shelter themselves. Trade and transportation are depicted, along with medical care and mental illness. Some social norms change but others, namely love, friendship, loyalty and appreciation of beauty and music, remain the same.
And this is where the novel excels. Kunstler does a remarkable job creating a place we can imagine, one that makes us wonder what skills and abilities we possess that might be useful in such a world. Are we strong, smart and most importantly, resilient enough?
If "End Of The World As We Know It" scenarios intrigue you, you'll enjoy "World Made By Hand." I'd also recommend "Earth Abides," by George Stewart.
Book Review: Good but not great
Summary: 3 Stars
I picked up World Made by Hand because I saw it mentioned somewhere (can't remember where, sorry) and it sounded interesting. I was vaguely aware that it involves some social commentary but I didn't want to get involved in it too much and risk learning so much that I spoiled the book for myself. The main reason it grabbed my interest is because it's post-apocalyptic/speculative fiction.
In a former life Robert Earle was a software developer. Then one summer life changed. Bombs hit L.A. and Washington D.C., the electricity only comes on sporadically. Oil, gas and other supplies are unavailable. Epidemic illness sweeps the country, millions die and the population is drastically reduced. Trade and news from overseas becomes non-existent. It's difficult to find out what's going on in the next town, never mind the next state. The weather has also gone gone wacky either from environmental causes or from the bombs. No one is sure which.
Throw in a strange religious sect and a group of thugs who choose to live in a trailer park outside of town rather than work cooperatively with the townspeople and you have an interesting story.
I didn't think that this book was heavy-handed. I noticed a lot of common sense stuff like:
1. Oil is a finite resource.
2. If bombs went off near large metropolis, people living nearby would be devastated
3. It's a good idea to have the skills necessary to take care of your family. Gardening, baking, canning.
4. Epidemics can still happen even in this modern age of medicine.
I liked this book okay. Not as much as I thought I would but I still enjoyed reading it. There was a really weird section involving the religious sect that left me scratching my head. I just didn't understand what was going on. Still, there are some interesting thoughts on how different segments of society might react to a lack of judicial system, limited supplies, etc. that are worth pondering.
Think The Road by Cormac McCarthy only lighter and with a little of the Little House on the Prairie pioneering spirit thrown in and you have an idea of who would enjoy this book.
Book Review: A wasted opportunity
Summary: 2 Stars
:-( I have to say this was a big dissapointment. Many of the other reviews here at this lower end of the scale have hit the nail on the head, so I will not repeat too many points.
At no point did I find myself immersed in the story. It just feels very shallow and, towards the end, laughable. Let me say I am a huge fan of Kunstler's various non-fiction musings and columns. He always strikes me as spot on and is enormously entertaining. This, however, is anything but.
For the growing numbers of us who have heard and understood the peak-oil message and are grappling with the enormity of it's implications, this has to feel like a huge wasted opportunity.
IMHO, there is a real need for a quality, dramatic fictional story based in fact that will help to crystalise comprehension and raise awareness. I thought this would be it but it really is anything but.
There were a few moments in the book where I thought 'wow. it's the little things I havent even considered.' As an example - using old fashioned wooden wheels on trailers and the like, because we have no way of manufacturing the complex adhesives need for puncture repair. It's the accumulation of a million little things like that that are going to floor us, IMHO. But, these moments are few and far between.
It just doesnt feel remotely like there are enough remnants from the current era... example... apparently a massive chunk of the population was wiped out by a flu... and this is recent enough that people described as 'young' can remember 'the old days' ... yet, despite the short time that has evidently passed, people are using chunks of old tyres tied onto their feet as shoes. Why the hell isn't there a stockpile of dead people's shoes to choose from? They should be walking around in Nikes. Far more realistic. There is, in fact, so little remnant of 'the old days' that it might as well be a period piece. If it was supposed to be 300 years after the event, then maybe this would feel accurate.
In short, this story largely fails to be believable as set within a couple of decades of the start of 'the long emergency'.
Book Review: Unfortunately.
Summary: 2 Stars
I was actually looking very much forward to this one, having read the premise and some positive reviews. I'll have to go back and look at those reviews and see if any women wrote them. I'd be surprised, if so. Yes, this book sees a near distant future where the oil has dried up, some bombs have gone off here and there, there's no power and the infrastructure has collapsed. What's unfortunate is the lack of imagination on the part of the author, who has apparently never met a genuinely strong female in his life. All the female characters in this book are pathetic. His best friend's wife, who the main character is sleeping with, is on the verge of being unhinged. The woman he later takes in gives up during a fire in her home and doesn't even try to fight for the life of herself and her child. Other female characters are dimly lit feminine ideals, except for the absolutely absurd out of left field gigantic woman in the cult compound being fed cupcakes by handmaidens. And suddenly women are wearing dresses again? If you were in survival mode, a dress is the LAST thing you'd want to wear, believe me. Literally, he makes everything sound like the 1800s sprung anew with brief references to car lots and CVS pharmacy and other modern landmarks to point out just how CRAZY it all is, cause we're right back where we started from! Don't get me wrong. It would take frighteningly little to push our "civilization" back to pre-industrial mode. But to assume that just about everything, including social constructs, would completely revert... Ugh, sorry, I'm ranting. I was just really disappointed. I should definitely say that I gave it two stars instead of zero stars because I read it all the way to the end and did not throw it at the wall or in the trash. It has some interesting passages here and there and I certainly was curious to see what was going to happen, though the story just really didn't have the ring of truth for me and I had to push myself to finish it. Go read "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy if you want to read a really great (albeit grim and truly disturbing) example of post apocalyptic fiction.