The Circle

The Circle is a Social Media company that has come to dominate the world. They have subsumed Facebook and other companies. It also does strict authentication ensuring that all users are real. The company coddles its employees even more than Facebook of today. They get comprehensive benefits and even have "dorms" on the "campus" where they can live.

The book centers around Mae Holland, a recent college grad who gets a job at The Circle. At first she struggles with the company. The work is straightforward. However, the "external demands" are challenging. She is expected to maintain an active online presence. Going to parties and social events is "optional", but really required so as not to hurt other people's feelings. 

Mae gradually overcomes her reluctance and dives headlong into the company. She starts documenting her social life in more detail. She also begins to appreciate the openness of tracking and cameras. The company starts encouraging politicians to be "open" and have their every action broadcast live. Those that don't do so are chased out of office. Privacy is considered "theft". Voting moves to the social media platform. The Circle can tell infinite facts about everyone.

The satire is moderately over the top. There is some growth, allowing you to become sympathetic with the characters. It does get over the top. Pretty soon it seems just a little too farcical to be "real". The book advocates for privacy, even though lack of privacy can reduce societal problems such as crime and racial profiling.

The Captain and the Glory

A ship allows anyone to become the Captain by the vote of everyone. To take this to the extreme, the ship votes the most incompetent and least qualified person to be captain. He shakes things up by getting rid of pretty much all others that are crew members and installing his daughter and personal friends in positions of responsibility. He listens to the "voice in the vent" and gets some crazy ideas. He always speaks his mind, throws people off the ship and disposes of any manuals or qualified people.

The book is an obvious satire of Trump. Alas, this obviousness is a little too strong. It is almost a point by point point narration of events of the Trump presidency. It also with strong mishaps. The satire would have been more strong if it differentiated and spent more time on the positive before going down to the great problems.

A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius

At first I thought this book was a work of fiction. It seemed to be just a little too off the wall premise. A college-age kid suddenly is taking care of his younger brother. They relocate from Illinois to Berkeley, California. They manage to get places to rent by paying cash with their inheritance. He comes across as a young adult with the mind of 14 year old. Sex and nudity seem to be primary external preoccupations. He is totally not ready to take care of his brother. He seems to prefer that he be a little servant. His brother is not quite in to that. 

Dave does manage to help raise the brother. His siblings make occasional appearances. (They are older, but did not have the ability to take care of the younger brother.) Towards the end, there is more focus on his dalliances with a literary magazine  (he naively bankrolls it and has dreams of success.) and attempts to be on the real world. His "Story" seems to change a little each time it is told. There appears to be some degree of fictionalization in the novel. But don't we all "remember" things different ways? The style is where the work shines. It is very "gen-X".