a book

The Ministry for the Future: A Novel

Name: The Ministry for the Future: A Novel
Rating: 5 (14 reviews)
Author: Kim Stanley Robinson
ISBN: 9780316300148

Kim Stanley Robinson · 2020 · 576 pages

ONE OF BARACK OBAMA'S FAVORITE BOOKS OF THE YEAR "The best science-fiction nonfiction novel I've ever read." --Jonathan Lethem "If I could get policymakers, and citizens, everywhere to read just one book this year, it would be Kim Stanley Robinson's The Ministry for the Future." --Ezra Klein (Vox) The Ministry for the Future is a masterpiece of the imagination, using fictional eyewitness accounts to tell the story of how climate change will affect us all. Its setting is not a desolate, postapocalyptic world, but a future that is almost upon us. Chosen by Barack Obama as one of his favorite books of the year, this extraordinary novel from visionary science fiction writer Kim Stanley Robinson will change the way you think about the climate crisis. "One hopes that this book is read widely--that Robinson's audience, already large, grows by an order of magnitude. Because the point of his books is to fire the imagination."―New York Review of Books "If there's any book that hit me hard this year, it was Kim Stanley Robinson's The Ministry for the Future, a sweeping epic about climate change and humanity's efforts to try and turn the tide before it's too late." ―Polygon (Best of the Year) "Masterly." --New Yorker "[The Ministry for the Future] struck like a mallet hitting a gong, reverberating through the year ... it's terrifying, unrelenting, but ultimately hopeful. Robinson is the SF writer of my lifetime, and this stands as some of his best work. It's my book of the year." --Locus "Science-fiction visionary Kim Stanley Robinson makes the case for quantitative easing our way out of planetary doom." ―Bloomberg Green

recommended by 14 people

sourced from public statements

Barack Obama
“As 2020 comes to a close, I wanted to share my annual lists of favorites. I’ll start by sharing my favorite books this year. I hope you enjoy reading these as much as I did.”↗
Bill Gates
“"Multiple people told me to read The Ministry for the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson and I’m glad I listened – it’s terrific. Robinson presents a stimulating story on climate change, spanning decades and continents. It's packed with fascinating ideas: https://t.co/7N2z2hZtOz"”↗
Ezra Klein
“There's more to say about the book than I possibly can here, but it's key virtue is it takes our present more seriously than we do. and then it asks questions many are afraid to ask — about capitalism, about the morality of violence, about how we ignore what we already know.”↗
Biz Stone
“@igb What? I disagree. I stuck with it to the end and I found this book to be a wonderful exercise in optimism. A draft blueprint for how to address climate change. We need less dystopian nightmare sci fi and more of this.”↗
Cory Doctorow
“It's an uncomfortable read. It's a brilliant book. If it indeed turns out to be Stan's last novel (oh please don't let it be Stan's last novel), it will be a fitting capstone. But the subtext of this book is that we are past the point of no return. 36/”↗
Nicola Sturgeon
“Late to this novel, but enjoying it - if you’re convinced, as I am, about the urgency of tackling climate change but want hopeful solutions rather than despair, I’d recommend reading this”↗
Bill McKibben
“@ChelskiLittle @SophieLGilbert much as i love Ministry for the Future, this is my very favorite of his books. There's some Twain in there”↗
Genevieve Guenther
“40/n Buy this book for everyone you know.”↗
Brett Gurewitz
“Highly recommend this book because it's a great read that tackles some of the biggest issues facing all of us rn The Ministry for the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson via @goodreads”↗
Alan Eyre
“This is a great book.”↗
Michael E. Mann
“@KatjaBessonova @_david_ho_ @DrLimnology @dcullenward @DrKWilkinson @ayanaeliza @EricHolthaus Great book! My review for The @Guardian below. Catch our conversation in a few weeks (March 6) at the Tucson Festival of books:”↗
Ian Bremmer
“@SteveVerdus Fantastic book. Must read indeed.”↗
Azeem Azhar
Rowan Hooper