Book Nook


Life has been no less hectic than usual lately but I managed to whittle out enough time to enjoy this delightful book, Cory Doctorow's "Little Brother".

The story follows the life of an unusually bright high school student, Marcus Yarrow, down the literal rabbit-hole of legal madness as Homeland Security turns his hometown of San Francisco into a virtual gulag following a terrorist attack. Every citizen is now considered a suspect and the fine line between protection and oppression is shattered.

Early on in the story Marcus is mistaken for one of the terrorists and it's his ensuing battle with the NSA and the new politics of fear that makes the story crackle with tension and excitement. This is almost not a fictional tale as it illustrates what the seemingly limitless powers of the PATRIOT Act have done to our basic freedoms, and how terrifying the results can be when its adminstrators can operate outside the laws.

Mr. Doctorow's story neatly points out that we are not surrounded by enemies. We are, instead, governed by evil men who endlessly seek to use our own fears and doubts against us, frightening us into relinquishing our freedom for a promised safety that was never truly in question.

It's rare that a book can frighten as it enlightens. This tale is a must-read for anyone who still believes that this country is more than just the sum of its military might.

=mike=