A review by moseslh
Looking Backward by Edward Bellamy

3.0

Despite its incredibly basic and formulaic plot, I found Looking Backward to be an interesting book that was worth my while. Looking Backward, a story of a man transported a century forward in time to a socialist utopia, is really not about the story or the characters, both of which were uninspired, but about Edward Bellamy's vision for the world of the future and critique of 19th century capitalism. While I have some points of disagreement as to the feasibility and desirability of Bellamy's utopia, some aspects were thought-provoking and many others have been implemented in the time since the story was written in 1887. Social security and more accessible higher education are but two of the many ways in which society has moved towards Bellamy's ideal. Bellamy also predicts several technological innovations, most notably radio and debit cards. If you're looking for a good story, read something else, but this is a great book for those interested in history or utopian theory.