Waiting for me when i returned from Northern Michigan last night was The Future History of America. Originally i'd wanted the CD The Future Soundtrack of America, and when i how to get it with the book with the CD inside, ordered it from McSweeney's. 100% of the profits from the book and CD go to progressive causes - Sierra Club, MoveOn, etc.. An impressive roster of writers and artists including T.C. Boyle, David Byrne, Stephen King, Flaming Lips, Kurt Vonnegut, Sleater-Kinney, Art Spiegelman, Tom Waits, Paul Auster, Chris Ware...you get the picture.
The CD is very nice; you can hear some tracks on my station later this week. i'm only about 20 pages into the book, but it's very compelling considering the dictionary format--kind of like The Devil's Dictionary. The authors imagine a dictionary in the second or third decade of this century as a springboard for political satire. The illustrations are exquisite. i think a lot of us are very apprehensive about the election--where we're going, if we'll get there, the grim years ahead even if Kerry wins--but this sweet little book with its tart little points feels great. A little piece of hope, or at least a document of how a great many Americans are feeling this sad and tense year.
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