Looking Backward »

Stimulating, thought-provoking utopian fantasy about a young man who's put into a hypnotic trance in the late 19th century and awakens in the year 2000 to find crime, war, and want nonexistent.

Booknews

First published in 1888, Bellamy's utopian novel concerns a 19th century Bostonian who awakes from a sleep to find himself in the year 2000 in a world of near-perfect cooperation and prosperity. Historian Daniel Borus adds a 28-page introduction, a chronology of Bellamy's life, a selected bibliography, and questions to consider when reading the novel. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)