A Book a Day: Jennifer Government

 Every day I'm posting a picture of a book I like. Today's pick is inspired by the two and a half hours I just spent in a series of phone call holds while trying to determine if my prescription medications are in a batch being recalled because of carcinogenic impurities. (Good news, they weren't!) First published back in 2003, this novel takes place in a near-future capitalist dystopia that is more or less now-adjacent. The idea is each person is defined by their job such that their surname is reflective of their employment, almost everything is privatized, the US and Russia have some shady government linkages and everyone picks on the EU for being too "socialist" even though they aren't really. Welfare has been abolished, guns are nonregulated, and most people are simply not inclined to do much when kids get shot, but they sure are interested when the new limited Nikes are released. Honestly this book might make for better rereading than 1984 these days.