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Why Visit America
Equal parts speculative and satirical, the stories in Why Visit America form an exegesis of our current political predicament, while offering an eloquent plea for connection and hope.
The citizens of Plainfield, Texas, have had it with the broke-down United States. So they vote to secede, rename themselves America in memory of their former country, and happily set themselves up to receive tourists from their closest neighbor: America. Couldn't happen? Well, it might, and so it goes in the thirteen stories in Matthew Baker's brilliantly illuminating, incisive, and heartbreaking collection Why Visit America.
The book opens with a seemingly traditional story in which the speculative element is extremely minimal--the narrator has a job that doesn't actually exist--a story that wouldn't seem much out of place in a collection of literary realism. From there the stories get progressively stranger: a young man breaks the news to his family that he is going to transition--from an analog body to a digital existence. A young woman abducts a child--her own--from a government-run childcare facility. A man returns home after committing a great crime, his sentence being that his memory--his entire life--is wiped clean.
As the book moves from universe to universe, the stories cross between different American genres: from bildungsroman to rom com, western to dystopian, including fantasy, horror, erotica, and a noir detective mystery. Read together, these parallel-universe stories create a composite portrait of the true nature of the United States and a Through the Looking-Glass reflection of who we are as a country.
The citizens of Plainfield, Texas, have had it with the broke-down United States. So they vote to secede, rename themselves America in memory of their former country, and happily set themselves up to receive tourists from their closest neighbor: America. Couldn't happen? Well, it might, and so it goes in the thirteen stories in Matthew Baker's brilliantly illuminating, incisive, and heartbreaking collection Why Visit America.
The book opens with a seemingly traditional story in which the speculative element is extremely minimal--the narrator has a job that doesn't actually exist--a story that wouldn't seem much out of place in a collection of literary realism. From there the stories get progressively stranger: a young man breaks the news to his family that he is going to transition--from an analog body to a digital existence. A young woman abducts a child--her own--from a government-run childcare facility. A man returns home after committing a great crime, his sentence being that his memory--his entire life--is wiped clean.
As the book moves from universe to universe, the stories cross between different American genres: from bildungsroman to rom com, western to dystopian, including fantasy, horror, erotica, and a noir detective mystery. Read together, these parallel-universe stories create a composite portrait of the true nature of the United States and a Through the Looking-Glass reflection of who we are as a country.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published August 4, 2020
About the author
Matthew Baker
56 books129 followersNamed one of Variety's "10 Storytellers To Watch," Matthew Baker is the author of the story collections Why Visit America and Hybrid Creatures and the children's novel Key Of X, originally published as If You Find This. Digital experiments include the temporal fiction "Ephemeral," the interlinked novel Untold, the randomized novel Verses, and the intentionally posthumous Afterthought. Born in the Great Lakes region of the United States, the author currently lives in Iceland.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 195 reviews
July 25, 2020
Huge ambition here. Surreal, interesting voice, interesting high concept writing though at times, I think there is more focus on concept than narrative.
September 22, 2020
Like if Black Mirror was a book about America. I realize this analogy isn't a good one. Forgive me.
March 31, 2024
Short story collections can be tricky, it’s rare that all stories are to your liking so judgement on a collection’s merits usually boils down to the balance of those that capture your interest versus those that don’t. Unfortunately, of the fourteen stories here, only two really worked for me.
There is a mix of what I would describe as apocalyptic tales, some that might fit the loose description ascribed to science fiction and others that attempt to be wryly amusing (note: all of the latter missed the mark for me). Each seems to pick on a moral issue, current in American society, and explores it in a novel way. The writing is clever, there’s no doubt about that, and yet most of the stories failed to engage me, and a few had me skipping on to the next tale well before the end. A couple that did initially prick my interest ended suddenly – unresolved, like a joke without its punchline.
It’s a pity, as the topics themselves were often interesting: a society that decides suicide at age seventy is the answer to preserve resources for others; the ability to transition from your own body to an online only presence; a world in which men have largely been eradicated due to their predilection for violence and abuse; universal childcare being introduced to avoid the pitfalls of poor or abusive parenting. But the execution often made me feel depressed or I felt that the story lapsed into something less captivating than the subject matter would suggest.
The two stories I enjoyed most concerned:
1. The ability to ‘wash’ the memory of a convicted criminal for a period decided by the court (e.g. for the past year or the whole of the person’s life). Basic life skills only would be retained in respect of the most severe sentences.
2. The prize for winning a lottery being the opportunity (for a sizable fee) to spend the night with the master of sex, a mysterious woman with untold skills.
In summary, an uneven collection is the norm but not one that provides only fifteen per cent satisfaction. It’s a two star rating from me, I’m afraid.
There is a mix of what I would describe as apocalyptic tales, some that might fit the loose description ascribed to science fiction and others that attempt to be wryly amusing (note: all of the latter missed the mark for me). Each seems to pick on a moral issue, current in American society, and explores it in a novel way. The writing is clever, there’s no doubt about that, and yet most of the stories failed to engage me, and a few had me skipping on to the next tale well before the end. A couple that did initially prick my interest ended suddenly – unresolved, like a joke without its punchline.
It’s a pity, as the topics themselves were often interesting: a society that decides suicide at age seventy is the answer to preserve resources for others; the ability to transition from your own body to an online only presence; a world in which men have largely been eradicated due to their predilection for violence and abuse; universal childcare being introduced to avoid the pitfalls of poor or abusive parenting. But the execution often made me feel depressed or I felt that the story lapsed into something less captivating than the subject matter would suggest.
The two stories I enjoyed most concerned:
1. The ability to ‘wash’ the memory of a convicted criminal for a period decided by the court (e.g. for the past year or the whole of the person’s life). Basic life skills only would be retained in respect of the most severe sentences.
2. The prize for winning a lottery being the opportunity (for a sizable fee) to spend the night with the master of sex, a mysterious woman with untold skills.
In summary, an uneven collection is the norm but not one that provides only fifteen per cent satisfaction. It’s a two star rating from me, I’m afraid.
April 15, 2022
Ależ to było dobre! Nierówne, jak wszystkie zbiory opowiadań, ale jednak niezmiennie ciekawe, surrealistyczne, szalone. Black Mirror vibes na temat ludzkiej natury, stanu świata, zwłaszcza sytuacji w USA.
April 16, 2022
To co wybija się na pierwszy plan w tych opowiadaniach to pomysłowość autora. Baker w każdym opowiadaniu bierze sobie za temat wyobrażoną/możliwą przyszłość Stanów Zjednoczonych i odwraca wybrany motyw przewodni na wszystkie możliwe strony, zaskakując czytelników i czytelniczki zaskakującymi podejściami do takich zagadnień, jak kapitalizm, przestępczość, rodzicielstwo/macierzyństwo, wojna. Nie tylko bawi się pomysłami, ale także przebiera w tematach. Jest więc opowiadanie kryminalne, erotyczne, pastisz, sci-fi… Czasami może brakuje mu literackiego rozmachu, ale Baker swoim świeżym i zaskakującym spojrzeniem nadrabia wyobraźnią i skutecznie zmusza do przewracania kartek. A ta pomysłowość, przewrotność została świetnie oddana w języku polskim. Naprawdę równy zbiór opowiadań, także dlatego, że wśród czytelników z tego co widzę, nie ma zgody co do jednego najlepszego. Każdy znajdzie tu coś dla siebie :)
July 23, 2020
Well written but these stories were too bizarre and offbeat for me in terms of subject matter and themes. Perhaps satirical stories are not for me!
Thank you Netgalley and Bloomsbury Publishing Plc (UK & ANZ) for the advance copy, which was provided in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you Netgalley and Bloomsbury Publishing Plc (UK & ANZ) for the advance copy, which was provided in exchange for an honest review.
December 18, 2019
these stories balance on the sharp, smart edge where play meets savagery--and they plumb wise depths, full of longing. i think about this collection all the time.
May 27, 2022
Genialna! Jak nie przepadam za krótką formą, tak tymi opowiadaniami jestem zachwycona. To będzie jedna z najlepszych książek, jakie przeczytam w tym roku!
August 11, 2020
thanks to netgalley and the publishers for a free copy in return for an open and honest review
this novel was interesting and modern satire of America was in parts a bit leftfield and weird but the writing was good but won't be to most peoples taste though.
this novel was interesting and modern satire of America was in parts a bit leftfield and weird but the writing was good but won't be to most peoples taste though.
May 4, 2022
Omamo
May 24, 2023
Zawsze ciężko mi ocenić zbiór opowiadań, ale tym razem oceniłam sobie każde opowiadanie z osobna, a potem wyliczyłam średnią 😁
Największe wrażenie zrobiły na mnie dwa opowiadania: "Najwyzszy wymiar kary" oraz "Zagubione dusze".
Natomiast najmniej przypadły mi do gustu tytułowe "Odwiedź nas w Ameryce" oraz "W trasie".
Ogólnie opowiadania bardzo pomysłowe, dające do myślenia, poruszające wiele różnych kwestii, z dozą satyry, moralnie niejednoznaczne.
Książka obowiązkowa dla fanów serialu "Black Mirror" 🙃
Największe wrażenie zrobiły na mnie dwa opowiadania: "Najwyzszy wymiar kary" oraz "Zagubione dusze".
Natomiast najmniej przypadły mi do gustu tytułowe "Odwiedź nas w Ameryce" oraz "W trasie".
Ogólnie opowiadania bardzo pomysłowe, dające do myślenia, poruszające wiele różnych kwestii, z dozą satyry, moralnie niejednoznaczne.
Książka obowiązkowa dla fanów serialu "Black Mirror" 🙃
August 15, 2020
Why Visit America is one of the most refined and ambitious collections of shorts I've read in a long time. Baker has an incredibly unique voice, and despite each story running little over 20 or so pages, he manages to create terrifying yet believable characters and scenarios that stick with you long after you finish reading.
Conceptually, Why Visit America falls in line with the likes of Brooker's Black Mirror, all told with the sharp penmanship found in some of Vonnegut's shorts. It's high concept satire, offering a look into a bleak version of the US that often feels closer to reality than fiction.
In short, Why Visit America is one of the most impressive pieces of fiction I've ever read.
Conceptually, Why Visit America falls in line with the likes of Brooker's Black Mirror, all told with the sharp penmanship found in some of Vonnegut's shorts. It's high concept satire, offering a look into a bleak version of the US that often feels closer to reality than fiction.
In short, Why Visit America is one of the most impressive pieces of fiction I've ever read.
November 18, 2020
This is an extraordinary collection of short stories, all of which examine the American experience using layers of allegory. Many of the metaphors may be interpreted in several ways, re: late-stage capitalism, non-binary gender acceptance, ethnocentrism, decriminalization of sex work, exploitation of all kinds, the me-too movement, environmentalism, bullying, etc. The stories gain in momentum and power, and some are more affecting than we might want to admit.
July 28, 2020
Why Visit America is a collection of 13 stunning short stories – all of which give an unsettling and strange vision of the future of America from a very unique point of view.
As you are reading, there are parts of the stories that seem very normal. Then all of a sudden something happens which catches you completely off guard, you realise what the story is really about and it becomes clear that this is not your standard tale of people living the American Dream.
As a big crime thriller fan, I usually like quite dark books so even though I enjoyed each story, there were three which really stood out for me; Rites, Lost Souls and To Be Read Backward. I have to say that the way To Be Read Backward was written was so complex that I think I would need to read it several times to fully understand the meaning of it all. However, the scenes depicting 9/11 actually gave me chills and were a stand out moment in the book.
I loved everything about Why Visit America, it was a fantastic collection of stories, and I can’t recommend it enough.
As you are reading, there are parts of the stories that seem very normal. Then all of a sudden something happens which catches you completely off guard, you realise what the story is really about and it becomes clear that this is not your standard tale of people living the American Dream.
As a big crime thriller fan, I usually like quite dark books so even though I enjoyed each story, there were three which really stood out for me; Rites, Lost Souls and To Be Read Backward. I have to say that the way To Be Read Backward was written was so complex that I think I would need to read it several times to fully understand the meaning of it all. However, the scenes depicting 9/11 actually gave me chills and were a stand out moment in the book.
I loved everything about Why Visit America, it was a fantastic collection of stories, and I can’t recommend it enough.
August 5, 2020
Well, probably not a book I would normally have picked up, so thank you once again to Pigeonhole for giving me the chance to read a book totally out of my comfort zone!
It was definitely an interesting read, with some thought provoking concepts. Although, there were some stories that I definitely liked more than others.
My favourite was the 'Why Visit America' one. I loved the characters in there!
I loved Matthew's creativity and his ability to describe visuals, really allowing you to picture the scenes.
My only gripe was the long lists that came up in some of the stories. They just seemed endless and seemed to drag on and on. The paragraphs sometimes seemed super long, which really frustrated me.
Thank you to Pigeonhole and Matthew Baker for the chance to read this book.
It was definitely an interesting read, with some thought provoking concepts. Although, there were some stories that I definitely liked more than others.
My favourite was the 'Why Visit America' one. I loved the characters in there!
I loved Matthew's creativity and his ability to describe visuals, really allowing you to picture the scenes.
My only gripe was the long lists that came up in some of the stories. They just seemed endless and seemed to drag on and on. The paragraphs sometimes seemed super long, which really frustrated me.
Thank you to Pigeonhole and Matthew Baker for the chance to read this book.
March 19, 2020
So grateful to have the chance to read this book, particularly now, in coronavirus self-isolation, when I could use a pick-me-up. I can’t wait for others to get the chance to read these stories. Hilarious, poignant, graceful, and ambitious, these stories were an absolute delight. “Testimony of Your Majesty” and “The Sponsor” were my favorites of those I hadn’t yet read in literary magazines. This collection has me proud to be an American, whatever the heck that means.
April 21, 2022
Sono entusiasta di questa raccolta di racconti. L’unico leitmotif tra le varie vicende è la rottura di paradigma sociale, già traballante nella nostra contingente attualità, e la relativa compensazione, cioè l’autore scardina un nodo della realtà e ipotizza le conseguenze di questo nuovo assetto sulle persone e sulle relazioni; tuttavia, l’elemento che viene sovvertito è sempre singolo, all’interno di una società, per così dire, normale e uno stile di vita ordinario e quotidiano, quindi i mondi, costruiti di volta in volta, rimangono verosimili, si riesce a percepire un collegamento e, forse, anche un’immedesimazione. E, nonostante gli eventi che occorrono siano ai limiti della distopia o già di fantascienza, l’umanità è incredibilmente palpabile, il nucleo centrale della narrazione è sempre il processo umano.
Ogni ribaltamento porta ad un disagio calcolato ma la visione d’insieme è ottimistica: anche di fronte al realizzarsi delle nostre attuali peggiori previsioni, vediamo come delle persone concrete siano riuscite ad affrontarle e a trovare un nuovo sistema, non limitandosi ad un assestamento, ma per vivere al meglio. Che sollievo!!
Nessun dettaglio è lasciato al caso, nemmeno la minore delle metafore, Baker ha scelto con cura ogni vocabolo, tutte le espressioni sono mirate e questa attenzione rende ciascun racconto circolare: non sono l’arco narrativo è più che completo, ma ogni aspetto risulta coerente e sensato. Anche le singole storie, pur essendo senza legame tra loro di alcun genere, “stanno bene” assieme, la raccolta è organica e non ci sono bruschi salti o passaggi che stridono.
Plauso anche per la sperimentazione: l’autore introduce quasi sempre un espediente strutturale particolare (vari punti di vista e narratori, tipologie di scrittura con ritmi differenti, gioca anche con le voci che crea: il linguista del primo racconto parla per lemmi, la creazione di un nuovo Stato viene proposta sotto forma di guida turistica), che permette al lettore di non annoiarsi, pur non perdendo mai un solido equilibrio. Inoltre, c’è molta attenzione per l’inclusività dei personaggi ed un linguaggio corretto; anche nella costante critica sociale, non viene mai a mancare uno sguardo affettuoso. Collocando le sue storie attraverso un tour per gli Stati Uniti, senza risparmiarsi, a tratti, una pungente satira, Baker crea un inno d’amore per il suo Paese, con tutte le sue imperfezioni.
Unico difetto (ma qui è questione di gusti): elenchi ad esemplificazione eccessivamente lunghi e troppa paratassi.
Ogni ribaltamento porta ad un disagio calcolato ma la visione d’insieme è ottimistica: anche di fronte al realizzarsi delle nostre attuali peggiori previsioni, vediamo come delle persone concrete siano riuscite ad affrontarle e a trovare un nuovo sistema, non limitandosi ad un assestamento, ma per vivere al meglio. Che sollievo!!
Nessun dettaglio è lasciato al caso, nemmeno la minore delle metafore, Baker ha scelto con cura ogni vocabolo, tutte le espressioni sono mirate e questa attenzione rende ciascun racconto circolare: non sono l’arco narrativo è più che completo, ma ogni aspetto risulta coerente e sensato. Anche le singole storie, pur essendo senza legame tra loro di alcun genere, “stanno bene” assieme, la raccolta è organica e non ci sono bruschi salti o passaggi che stridono.
Plauso anche per la sperimentazione: l’autore introduce quasi sempre un espediente strutturale particolare (vari punti di vista e narratori, tipologie di scrittura con ritmi differenti, gioca anche con le voci che crea: il linguista del primo racconto parla per lemmi, la creazione di un nuovo Stato viene proposta sotto forma di guida turistica), che permette al lettore di non annoiarsi, pur non perdendo mai un solido equilibrio. Inoltre, c’è molta attenzione per l’inclusività dei personaggi ed un linguaggio corretto; anche nella costante critica sociale, non viene mai a mancare uno sguardo affettuoso. Collocando le sue storie attraverso un tour per gli Stati Uniti, senza risparmiarsi, a tratti, una pungente satira, Baker crea un inno d’amore per il suo Paese, con tutte le sue imperfezioni.
Unico difetto (ma qui è questione di gusti): elenchi ad esemplificazione eccessivamente lunghi e troppa paratassi.
October 5, 2020
I have mixed feelings about this collection of short stories, only because I LOVED about half or two-thirds of them, and I really did not like the rest. But I'm going with four stars because wow, the ones that I loved were some of the most intriguing, inventive premises I've ever had the pleasure of reading - millions of miles of theory packed into one concise story. These are Black Mirror-esque, but saying that almost takes away from the true creativity of these stories and tries to fit them into a label that we're just all familiar with.
All of the stories feature some sort of new world, in which technology has intervened to solve a social ill and make our society a healthier, better functioning place. Each story takes a look at one person or family who is affected by these solutions, for better or for worse. In our world, prisons are terrible solutions - they do not rehabilitate criminals, nor do they result in lower rates of recidivism. In the world of "Life Sentence," memory wiping is a common practice - regular people can get it done to erase an embarrassing moment at a party, but it's mandatory for criminals. Whatever their prison sentence would have been in our world, that's the duration of time that's wiped from their past memory. The protagonist in the story has done something bad that he isn't allowed to know, and in lieu of a life sentence in prison, his whole life of memories is wiped away, including his childhood, his marriage, and memories of his kids. He gets sent back to his family a completely new person, and they have to deal with the husband and father they hardly know anymore.
In "Rites," it's become common practice for elderly people over the age of 70 choose when and how they want to die, and turn it into a final "rite," gathering their friends and family and leaving the world with dignity. This saves our society a lot of money in healthcare costs, and it eliminates the cruel institutions of nursing homes and senior living facilities. It's seen as a wonderful thing, a celebration of life and the respectful, graceful way to go. But in the story, Great-Uncle Orson refuses to have his rites. His family thinks it's incredibly selfish, how he insists on dying naturally. Society shuns him. He's living on stolen time.
In "The Transition," the main character hates, hates, hates living in his physical body. Now, there's a procedure in which he can upload his entire consciousness to the cloud, interact with family and friends, and shed the burden of a body. His family doesn't approve, saying "I reject the notion that somebody can be born that way," and "If you're born in a body, then you belong in a body, and that's that."
Some of these stories are already being adapted for film/TV, and I could easily see a Black Mirror anthology creating the elaborate worlds with that paradoxical questions and ethical dilemmas that each world raises. If you like near-future dystopia, surreal premises, and thought experiments you'll love this. And if you loved this, I highly recommend you check out Universal Love, which is another short story collection with a similar vibe. Thank you to Henry Holt for the ARC!
All of the stories feature some sort of new world, in which technology has intervened to solve a social ill and make our society a healthier, better functioning place. Each story takes a look at one person or family who is affected by these solutions, for better or for worse. In our world, prisons are terrible solutions - they do not rehabilitate criminals, nor do they result in lower rates of recidivism. In the world of "Life Sentence," memory wiping is a common practice - regular people can get it done to erase an embarrassing moment at a party, but it's mandatory for criminals. Whatever their prison sentence would have been in our world, that's the duration of time that's wiped from their past memory. The protagonist in the story has done something bad that he isn't allowed to know, and in lieu of a life sentence in prison, his whole life of memories is wiped away, including his childhood, his marriage, and memories of his kids. He gets sent back to his family a completely new person, and they have to deal with the husband and father they hardly know anymore.
In "Rites," it's become common practice for elderly people over the age of 70 choose when and how they want to die, and turn it into a final "rite," gathering their friends and family and leaving the world with dignity. This saves our society a lot of money in healthcare costs, and it eliminates the cruel institutions of nursing homes and senior living facilities. It's seen as a wonderful thing, a celebration of life and the respectful, graceful way to go. But in the story, Great-Uncle Orson refuses to have his rites. His family thinks it's incredibly selfish, how he insists on dying naturally. Society shuns him. He's living on stolen time.
In "The Transition," the main character hates, hates, hates living in his physical body. Now, there's a procedure in which he can upload his entire consciousness to the cloud, interact with family and friends, and shed the burden of a body. His family doesn't approve, saying "I reject the notion that somebody can be born that way," and "If you're born in a body, then you belong in a body, and that's that."
Some of these stories are already being adapted for film/TV, and I could easily see a Black Mirror anthology creating the elaborate worlds with that paradoxical questions and ethical dilemmas that each world raises. If you like near-future dystopia, surreal premises, and thought experiments you'll love this. And if you loved this, I highly recommend you check out Universal Love, which is another short story collection with a similar vibe. Thank you to Henry Holt for the ARC!
August 13, 2020
Interesting stories which become increasingly formulaic as the book goes on, as each story very obviously takes a current political or social crisis and switches it in more-or-less transparent ways. I enjoyed the first few stories but got bored as soon as my eye caught the patterns, both the repetitive story structures and the writers’ unchanging voice.
October 30, 2020
Strange but sublime. There were a lot of really fascinating ideas contained in these stories.
The writer has a distinctive voice (let’s just say he really REALLY likes lists) and perspective. I just hope this isn’t the last we hear from him.
The writer has a distinctive voice (let’s just say he really REALLY likes lists) and perspective. I just hope this isn’t the last we hear from him.
October 7, 2022
A történetek alapötlete érdekes, akad köztük olyan világ, ahol csak maréknyi férfi marad életben, egy jellegzetes, déli, texasi kisváros elszakad Amerikától, van, ahol elveszik a gyerekeket a szülőktől, máshol az idősek követnek el rituális öngyilkosságot, hogy ne legyenek a családjuk és a társadalom terhére, megint máshol a gyerekek lélek nélkül születnek, és akad, ahol valódi istennővé válik egy prostituált, akiért jól megkomponált marketinggel férfiak százezrei epekednek.
Az írások erős társadalomkritikát fogalmaznak meg, mégis oly módon, hogy nehéz eldönteni, maga a szerző milyen nézeteket vall. Egyetért a mélydélen jellemző konzervatív neolibertarianizmussal, a szabad fegyvertartással? Az államot tartja a legnagyobb veszélynek a magántulajdon felett? Vagy inkább a kapitalita, városi nézeteket vallja? Az biztos, hogy kritikát fogalmaz meg minden irányba, és történeteiben csak annyira csavarja ki a valóságot, hogy egészen groteszkké, mégis simán elképzelhetővé válik az általa felvázolt világ.
Novellái azonban ezzel együtt is kevés valódi egyediséget tartalmaznak, a társadalmi sci-fi keretein belül nem sok újat alkotott, néhány megkapó szövegrészleten túl. A történetek általában érdekesen indulnak, de nagyon túlírtak, túl hosszúak, és hamar érdektelenségbe fulladnak egy-két kivétellel. Mindazonáltal ha Matthew Baker tud és mer játszani a műfaji sajátosságokkal, érdemes lesz figyelni rá. Sokszor jobban ütnek a fél-egyoldalas, tömör történetek, nem kell mindent telepakolni sem szereplőkkel, sem gondolatokkal, amelyek egy idő után szócsépléssé válnak.
Az írások erős társadalomkritikát fogalmaznak meg, mégis oly módon, hogy nehéz eldönteni, maga a szerző milyen nézeteket vall. Egyetért a mélydélen jellemző konzervatív neolibertarianizmussal, a szabad fegyvertartással? Az államot tartja a legnagyobb veszélynek a magántulajdon felett? Vagy inkább a kapitalita, városi nézeteket vallja? Az biztos, hogy kritikát fogalmaz meg minden irányba, és történeteiben csak annyira csavarja ki a valóságot, hogy egészen groteszkké, mégis simán elképzelhetővé válik az általa felvázolt világ.
Novellái azonban ezzel együtt is kevés valódi egyediséget tartalmaznak, a társadalmi sci-fi keretein belül nem sok újat alkotott, néhány megkapó szövegrészleten túl. A történetek általában érdekesen indulnak, de nagyon túlírtak, túl hosszúak, és hamar érdektelenségbe fulladnak egy-két kivétellel. Mindazonáltal ha Matthew Baker tud és mer játszani a műfaji sajátosságokkal, érdemes lesz figyelni rá. Sokszor jobban ütnek a fél-egyoldalas, tömör történetek, nem kell mindent telepakolni sem szereplőkkel, sem gondolatokkal, amelyek egy idő után szócsépléssé válnak.
August 17, 2020
I enjoyed this short story collection. The stories were both very funny and poignant.
I first came across Baker in Lightspeed Magazine where their story, "Life Sentence" was published. After reading it, I was hooked.
Baker masterfully unpacks sociological scenarios with a rigor similar to Ted Chiang's work (which I also love). Most stories center around family issues, which I feel is often neglected in speculative fiction. This collection has a lot to say, and it usually comes from a perspective that I didn't anticipate.
Overall, this collection is great and I highly recommend it.
I first came across Baker in Lightspeed Magazine where their story, "Life Sentence" was published. After reading it, I was hooked.
Baker masterfully unpacks sociological scenarios with a rigor similar to Ted Chiang's work (which I also love). Most stories center around family issues, which I feel is often neglected in speculative fiction. This collection has a lot to say, and it usually comes from a perspective that I didn't anticipate.
Overall, this collection is great and I highly recommend it.
December 4, 2020
As usual with a story collection I found this a bit of a mixed bag. All take a premise of an alternative to a current situation in contemporary America to shed light on that situation. For instance what if immigrants were literally aliens? Or the sex industry was a totally acceptable career choice and had its own media celebrities? Or women ran the world?
The title story was my favourite, about a small town seceding from the USA to set up a separate country called America
The final story was clever but the premise had already been explored by Martin Amis in Times Arrow
The title story was my favourite, about a small town seceding from the USA to set up a separate country called America
The final story was clever but the premise had already been explored by Martin Amis in Times Arrow
August 19, 2020
Fun! A few that I didn’t like as much, but overall very enjoyable! He has elements of Palahniuk in his writing, sometimes humour like Pratchett, but totally in the vein of the American short story greats (Carver, Cheever, Yates) just set in an alternate reality.
November 15, 2020
Every time I finished a story, I was like, "THAT WAS SO FREAKING GOOD" and then I would start the next and be amazed that the new one was better.
June 11, 2022
odbija rzeczywistość w krzywym zwierciadle, dezorientuje i skłania do refleksji; jedna z lepszych książek, jakie udało mi się ostatnio przeczytać
September 11, 2020
“Why Visit America” by Matthew Baker casted a spell over me because of its hypnotic cover, and I really was in the mood for short stories again, especially if they are located somewhere in the sci-fi / dystopian genre. But these labels would only limit this volume of stories to that--it is so much more: A study of our life as we live it today, our ideas, dreams and desires. The desire for more sustainability and a life without a footprint of any kind is reflected just as much as thoughts on the subject of consiousness uploads, pandemics or immigrants. The author doesn't always illuminate the side that we might have expected. For example, the chapter “Testimony of your Majesty” tells how a society that strictly adheres to minimalism and minimal waste is shown from the perspective of a rich person. In this world the perfect ratio of possessions to person is 100: 1, and our protagonist is well over 4,000 items. Her family regularly celebrates shopping trips during which they buy tons of unneccessary stuff. The girl, on the other hand, is bullied and excluded at school for her new clothing and fancy things. But she cannot tear herself away from consumption. It is extremely exciting to watch her internal struggle, as she is almost forced to shop by her immediate surroundings, but in the end she goes through a vicious circle of throwing away stuff to achieve the ratio and buying more to fill the hole inside her as she more and more slips into depression. I also recognized myself a little in their behavior, because the pressure from capitalism to buy more stuff is there, but the counter-movement of sustainability and zero waste is also very present.
The other short stories are no less eye-opening. There is the story of Mason, who confesses to his family 'I don't belong in a body' and that he wants to make the transition--that is, he wants to upload his consciousness to the internet. As readers, we not only follow Mason's innermost thoughts, because the focus shifts and we experience how his family takes on this bad news and deals with it.
In “Lost Souls”, 'empty' babies are born all over the world--babies without a soul, whose bodily functions are there, but who die after a few minutes of being alive. In this story, Baker deals with what we are willing to give for our beliefs. The people within this story give everything. They kill each other and also slaughter animals en masse to provide more 'available' souls for the babies. But the epidemic continues to spread and leaves people doing desperate things. In a birthing center there are comatose or simply very old people in the same room as the expecting mothers, and as soon as labor begins, the plug is pulled for one of the old people, the doors are getting closed so that the soul cannot help but be in to find the baby. Creepy.
I could really tell eveing-filling tales about almost every one of the 13 short stories, but I don't want to take away your reading pleasure. The author raises so many different topics that may still seem strange at the beginning of the respective short story, but soon start to get uncomfortably realistic during the course of the story. Like the story of minimalism, for example. The topic of the environment and its compatibility with the human species comes up several times, which I also find important and also eye-opening.
So, before I continue to just paraphrase the content, a few words about the narrative style: Matthew Baker manages to turn seemingly mundane topics or ideas into truly remarkable concepts. Almost every story was very emotional for me and burned itself into my memory with exciting ideas and innovative thoughts. Even if the almost 370 pages somehow dragged on and I needed a month to read (with some parallel reads, of course), this time was well invested and thanks to the brilliant last story “Why Visit America” ended with an amazingly good feeling.
Conclusion: A great collection of short stories! I had some stories lingering in my thoughts long after reading them and the ideas from the last story are still swirling around in my head.
The other short stories are no less eye-opening. There is the story of Mason, who confesses to his family 'I don't belong in a body' and that he wants to make the transition--that is, he wants to upload his consciousness to the internet. As readers, we not only follow Mason's innermost thoughts, because the focus shifts and we experience how his family takes on this bad news and deals with it.
In “Lost Souls”, 'empty' babies are born all over the world--babies without a soul, whose bodily functions are there, but who die after a few minutes of being alive. In this story, Baker deals with what we are willing to give for our beliefs. The people within this story give everything. They kill each other and also slaughter animals en masse to provide more 'available' souls for the babies. But the epidemic continues to spread and leaves people doing desperate things. In a birthing center there are comatose or simply very old people in the same room as the expecting mothers, and as soon as labor begins, the plug is pulled for one of the old people, the doors are getting closed so that the soul cannot help but be in to find the baby. Creepy.
I could really tell eveing-filling tales about almost every one of the 13 short stories, but I don't want to take away your reading pleasure. The author raises so many different topics that may still seem strange at the beginning of the respective short story, but soon start to get uncomfortably realistic during the course of the story. Like the story of minimalism, for example. The topic of the environment and its compatibility with the human species comes up several times, which I also find important and also eye-opening.
So, before I continue to just paraphrase the content, a few words about the narrative style: Matthew Baker manages to turn seemingly mundane topics or ideas into truly remarkable concepts. Almost every story was very emotional for me and burned itself into my memory with exciting ideas and innovative thoughts. Even if the almost 370 pages somehow dragged on and I needed a month to read (with some parallel reads, of course), this time was well invested and thanks to the brilliant last story “Why Visit America” ended with an amazingly good feeling.
Conclusion: A great collection of short stories! I had some stories lingering in my thoughts long after reading them and the ideas from the last story are still swirling around in my head.
July 31, 2020
This book is possibly something that I would normally read however it is a stunning collection of short stories - dystopian in tone. There is not one weak story in this collection - however reactions and interpretations to them will be very much up to individual readers. I absolutely adored it as a commentary on our current world - and its predictions of would could possibly be...
August 14, 2020
I really loved this book. It is a book that really makes you think about the world we live in and what we are becoming. Matt Baker is a very talented and intelligent writer. He weaves stories set in the not too distant future, with a narrative that is unique and breaks some of the conventions we are used to, by the use of long sentences, long paragraphs and lists. It works well, and feels like a natural voice, as if it is someone we may know talking to us. The stories are often disturbing, they are not always told with the point of view we would expect of a protagonist, which I quite like, but sometimes leaves you wanting to know more about someone who is pivotal to the plot.,eg. The story of 'The Master' in the Tour.
The story that I found most haunting and disturbing was The Lost Souls.
Many thanks to Pigeonhole and Matt Baker for the read. I am sure we are going to see a lot more of Matt Baker in 'our' not too distant future.
The story that I found most haunting and disturbing was The Lost Souls.
Many thanks to Pigeonhole and Matt Baker for the read. I am sure we are going to see a lot more of Matt Baker in 'our' not too distant future.
August 2, 2020
What can I say about this collection of short stories other than the fact that it has shot up to be one of my favourite books of this year. Generally I’m not a fan of short stories, preferring to get caught up a novel that fully immerses you, however this has changed my mind completely!
Matthew Baker is an incredible storyteller. Strong themes such as the plight of immigration, over- population, consumerism and sponsorship are only some of what he’s hinting at in these stories. However they are all told within a great narrative that you get lost in.
There are thirteen stories in this collection to coincide with the 13 stripes on the American flag, a nation that has its problems but no more so than any other country and that is the appeal of this book. It’s a must read for everyone, everywhere, especially if you like a book that you can chat to friends about. A little bizarre but very relatable to our society, this is a great read for all and everyone.
Highly, highly, highly recommend.
5⭐️ from me 🇺🇸
Matthew Baker is an incredible storyteller. Strong themes such as the plight of immigration, over- population, consumerism and sponsorship are only some of what he’s hinting at in these stories. However they are all told within a great narrative that you get lost in.
There are thirteen stories in this collection to coincide with the 13 stripes on the American flag, a nation that has its problems but no more so than any other country and that is the appeal of this book. It’s a must read for everyone, everywhere, especially if you like a book that you can chat to friends about. A little bizarre but very relatable to our society, this is a great read for all and everyone.
Highly, highly, highly recommend.
5⭐️ from me 🇺🇸
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