The Ministry for the Future

Eek. Rarely in my life has a book fired me up so completely. I spent the last few weeks OBSESSED with this book, and have already made changes to my lifestyle. My family is pretty sick of it, HA.

I need a book club about this, but - even more desperately - I need an undergrad semester-long course with full syllabus and citations PLEASE about everything in this book. This + Charles C. Mann and I just want to shout from the rooftops. I will shout from Goodreads instead!!

The book
OK, so this is a beefy, near future sci-fi book about climate change. It basically outlines the rest of the 21st century, ultimately landing on an “optopian” (optimal realistic outcome - as distinct from “utopian”/idealized outcome) 2100. The book is a novel in the most old-man-KSR way (more on KSR below): namely, chapters vary a LOT in style. Exposition is very light. There is a LOT of talk of geological things - as well as technocratic things like economics and government and political action. Characters are fairly thinly-drawn; we spend the most time with Mary Murphy, a diplomat and head of the new UN agency nicknamed “Ministry for the Future”, and Frank May, an American aid worker who almost died in a heat wave. There is occasional eco-terrorism, lots of meetings with central bankers, and ultimately, airships and solar-sailed sailboats.

On the book's effects on me
And OH MY GOD, THOSE SOLAR-SAILED BOATS!!!!

OK, so this book got me - as I said - SUPER fired up. I was about ready to throw my plane tickets in the incinerator, and put solar panels on my entire house and family, and start composting the cat. I was (and am) OBSESSED. [My family did not appreciate.] It helps that my area is undergoing an enormous heat wave at the moment, with heat indexes at 110+ and the local government texting me every day to warn me not to die. It also helps that my gas guzzling, Earth-killing, non-EV vehicle is at the repair shop, so I have been e-biking like a utopian everywhere.

But, srsly, here is my list of behavioral changes (thanks, KSR):
- Downloaded various apps to calculate my carbon footprint (I like Earth Hero right now). Eye-popping numbers.
- Shrieked at the plastic in my home. Bought laundry powder in a cardboard box, for the love of God.
- Threw out my cursed compost bin from 2022 (plz don't ask), picked up a new one. RE-STARTED COMPOSTING.
- Signed up to my local climate action group. ✊
- Re-started my CSA.
- Went to the farmer's market.
- DID NOT buy a bunch of crap I was planning to buy. Oh my LORD, the consumption addiction!
- Made long lists of plans about divesting my personal retirement funds from fossil fuels, investing in green funds, and how to avoid online shopping ALWAYS.
- Researched and had lots of emotional drama about community solar and green bonds and buying carbon offsets. Hand-wringing here. Plz let me know your thoughts.
- Discovered some really great readings at Yale Climate Connections, Grist, and MIT Climate.

On KSR
I do so love KSR. Ever since Ursula Le Guin died (RIP, bless), he is my top living sf author. I have now read 6 of his books, and 2 as did-not-finished, and I enjoyed seeing many of his usual habits and tactics and intelligence in this one. He also has, thankfully, minimized two of his bad habits - the cranky/unlikable/”if you're not angry you're not paying attention” strong female protagonist, and his cranky infodumps. I mean, they're still THERE. Some of those short “I am an electron!” chapters were cringey (not the electron one, actually, I liked that one, but some of the others). But Mary Murphy is blessedly pleasant.

I enjoyed seeing the similarities to The Years of Rice and Salt (ugh, one of my top faves