Epilogue: United Nations - 2019

[KindaSkolarly]

In his epilogue Clarke writes about a couple of events he attended at the United Nations building in New York City. At one he gave a speech and waxed poetic about our great cooperative future: "The long-heralded Global Village is almost upon us, but it will last for only a flickering moment in the history of mankind. Before we even realize that it has come, it will be superseded--by the Global Family." Sounds kind of Pollyanna-ish, IMO. I have to wonder if Clarke merely forgot about the Global Family's crazy uncles (crony capitalists, Muslim headchoppers, ChiCom thugs), or if he knew about the heavy hand of future oppression and was just another globalist bullshitter trying to lull us with flowery words and visions.

FINAL THOUGHTS: When this book was published in 1986 I was focused on other sci-fi writers. I'd read Clarke, Asimov, Bradbury, Heinlein and that bunch in my youth, but in '86 I was following people like Greg Bear, David Brin and William Gibson. I remember I especially liked Greg Bear's novel Blood Music, and Brin's Startide Rising and The Postman. Those I recommend, this book I don't.

Last day of the month, finished within the allotted time, the end.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_Music_(novel)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Startide_Rising
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Postman

Lay this to rest with some appropriate music.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkOiKy6sXfM
That Solti sure knew his beans.

[LanDroid]

Excellent job KS!
I'm still far behind, will try to post more in the next few days.