There does seem to be a conservative bent in terms of the government role in American life, the definition of freedom, and taking responsibility for oneself. The two views of humanity and society DO have some similarities and this book is a commentary on both through the adventures of the book's protagonist. So that's what the left and the right have in common!!!Īnyone who dislikes liberals or conservatives in this present climate should give this a listen with an open mind.

Thus it is necessarily about bitterness, rivalry, and selfishness - but also about surreal generosity, sacrifice, and transformative adaptation to changing circumstances. Only Florence's oddball teenage son, Willing, an economics autodidact, will save this formerly august American family from the streets. Her brother, Carter, fumes at caring for their demented stepmother now that an assisted living facility isn't affordable. An expat author, their aunt Nollie returns from abroad at 73 to a country that's unrecognizable. Recently affluent, Avery is petulant that she can't buy olive oil while her sister, Florence, absorbs strays into her cramped household.

Once the inheritance turns to ash, each family member must contend with disappointment but also - as the US economy spirals into dysfunction - the challenge of sheer survival. The Mandibles have been counting on a sizable fortune filtering down when their 97-year-old patriarch dies. What little remains for savers is rapidly eaten away by runaway inflation. With 'Deadbeat Nation' being unable to borrow, the government prints money to cover its bills. In retaliation the president declares that America will default on its loans. Overnight, on the international currency exchange, the 'almighty dollar' plummets in value, to be replaced by a new global currency: the 'bancor'. In 2029 the United States is engaged in a bloodless world war that will wipe out the savings of millions of American families. Down-to-earth and perfectly realistic in scale, this is not an over-the-top Blade Runner tale. With dry wit and psychological acuity, this near-future novel explores the aftershocks of an economically devastating US sovereign debt default on four generations of a once-prosperous American family.

The Mandibles by Lionel Shriver