Will I love Feed?

I’m troubled by the way young people today seem to live their lives glued to smartphone and computer screens.

M. T. Anderson gives us a hint of what this might lead to in Feed. It’s one of the scariest books I've read in many years. The six teenagers partying in this novel live in a world of constant distractions. Fashions may change by the hour.

A powerful future version of Virtual Reality allows them to experience novelty and excitement at any time without special equipment—and without pausing for reflection.

And that’s how they live, closed off from life in… show more.

Let’s lead with Feed, the book that is likely my single greatest influence. Every time I re-read it I’m blown away by its density and creativity. This postcyberpunk satire is a masterclass in naturalistic neologisms – right from the jump, readers are hit with an absolute avalanche of invented slang and tech talk that all makes perfect sense from context. It’s also a scalpel-sharp exploration of class, consumerism, and Late Capitalism. It’s also a tear-jerking tragedy with messy, incredibly human characters.