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The Book (The Book)

by M. Clifford (Goodreads Author)

3.77 of 5 stars 3.77 · rating details · 141 ratings · 67 reviews

It begins, “Don’t read The Book.” All information, past and present, is controlled by The Book, a handheld digital reading device that exists in a paperless, sustainable, dystopian future that looks shockingly similar to our own. Among the multitude of Book lovers, we find Holden Clifford, a simple sprinkler fitter who is content with his small life. Through his favorite s...more

Paperback, 278 pages

Published March 18th 2010 by Independents (first published March 9th 2010)

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May 14, 2010 Lisa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Four simple words begin the narrative of M. Clifford's The Book: "Don't Read The Book".

What bibliophile can resist a challenge such as that? With a slight smirk I eagerly defied those words and plunged onward into the world of Holden Clifford - an intriguing dystopia in which environmental laws have banned paper and all literature and news media are conveniently conveyed to audiences via digital hand-held devices, portable and personal, each one called The Book. Holden, like his Salinger namesak...more

8 likes · like · see review

Feb 07, 2011 Stacey rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ebook, dystopia, all-time-favorites

Reading is good, and ebooks are good for readers. They're smaller, cheaper, conserve natural resources. They're accessible to all. Ereaders make it easier on the eyes and hands. Bad eyesight? Use text-to-speech and other audio devices. Or instantly make any book a large-print version. Ride the bus? Now you have a whole library in your pocket. It's wonderful!

I do believe that, wholeheartedly, and have embraced digital reading, along with millions of other avid readers. I love the digital communit...more

7 likes · like · see review

Jun 26, 2010 Grace rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, cultural-studies, make-these-books-best-sellers-group, read-in-2010

M. Clifford's thought provoking and original novel, "The Book", will one day rest comfortably next to books like Orwell's "1984", Huxley's "Brave New World", and Rand's "Atlas Shrugged" as one of the books that challenges the status quo and the way we see the world.

"The Book" is set in a futuristic United States of America in which the use of paper is banned in an effort to save the environment. The mantra 'reduce, reuse, recycle' takes on a whole new meaning in the future when all paper is gath...more

3 likes · like · see review

Oct 25, 2011 Kathy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: dystopian, read-in-2011

I loved this book! This story is set in our future where there is only one ereader and it is called The Book. The Book is controlled by the U.S. Government. Everyone, believe it or not, is encouraged to read. The Book is even given away for free. Years before actual paperbound books are deemed illegal and banned. This is due to environmental reasons. However, an average guy, Holden Clifford, accidently comes across a single page of his favorite story, CATCHER IN THE RYE, and realizes that he's n...more

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Feb 14, 2011 Brad rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: dystopia fans

Shelves: first-reads, in-the-shower, doing-the-dishes

I am a much bigger cynic than M. Clifford. He believes that change is possible, much like his protagonist, Holden. He believes that his imaginary dystopia is avoidable. I don’t.

I believe that his dystopia is already upon us and growing stronger every day. I believe there is no way to overthrow it or change its direction. I believe we’re fucked. But like I said, I am a cynic.

M. Clifford isn’t. His book, The Book is about a “near future” dystopia where the state sponsored media and the powers tha...more

12 likes · like · see review

Sep 06, 2010 Candy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The first line is "Don't read the book." to which I replied, mentally, "Um, I bought it, I'm reading it, gosh darn it!". From there, the first chapter or so was rough going. The author could have used a rewrite or a bit of a reedit on it, it felt choppy and not at all like the rest of the text. I pushed through reading this and I'm glad I did, I usually would have given up. It got better after he got past the initial set up of the book. Hmmm... perhaps he'll rewrite it for Kindle and swear it wa...more

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Jun 25, 2010 Al rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle, read-post-kindle-2010

"The Book" is set in the future where all reading is done on an electronic reading device - not unlike the Kindle I used to read it myself. Others have compared it to Orwell's "1984" and Bradbury's "Farenheit 451" (which figures into the plot). The comparisons are both obvious and apt because these two classics share some of the same themes of government control, censorship, and the importance of the written world.

Clifford's twists add the impact of today's technology like that e-reader mentione...more

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Dec 16, 2011 Think rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-reads

The Book was extremely thought provoking. This was one of my favorite sections of the book from page 88. It is a conversation that takes place between Winston and Holden.

"Have you ever read a book like this before? From a bound stack of printed paper?"
"No, I haven't."
"Well, enjoy it. The experience is a unique one."

This rings so true to me. I don’t think I could ever enjoy a digital book as much a bound book of pages that I can physically flip through.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. Alt...more

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Oct 15, 2010 Liz rated it 4 of 5 stars

UPDATE:
I read this 2 months ago & still think about it often. That's really saying something for this book! I am more & more wary of e-books now, & whenever I think about getting one, this book comes to mind, & I shudder.

ORIGINAL REVIEW:
This was a very interesting look into what our future could be like with environmentalism - reduce, reuse, recycle - taken to the extreme. Although this is a fictitious dystopian novel, the outcome of a paper-free world was depicted in a very pla...more

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May 01, 2013 Erica rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book was really good and felt similar to 1984, which I also enjoyed. I was hooked since the first sentence of this book told me not to read it. I read it on an electronic reading device, no less. I wonder how much of my copy of The Book was edited. How much did I not get to read, how much was I denied access to? What was kept from me?

So as it is, the book was an interesting concept and was executed very well. I liked that it was based on current technology, but didn't take away from the bea...more

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Apr 05, 2011 Becca rated it 1 of 5 stars

The idea behind this book is really interesting. That's about it.

The book falls apart in a number of areas. I don't want to knock the book simply because it is self published but there is a reason that agents and publishing houses weren't interested. It has numerous plot holes. In fact, the majority of it doesn't make sense when you really think about it. I get that Holden is upset when he finds out that the copies of the books he reads aren't the originals but if you grew up with and loved a ce...more The idea behind this book is really interesting. That's about it.

The book falls apart in a number of areas. I don't want to knock the book simply because it is self published but there is a reason that agents and publishing houses weren't interested. It has numerous plot holes. In fact, the majority of it doesn't make sense when you really think about it. I get that Holden is upset when he finds out that the copies of the books he reads aren't the originals but if you grew up with and loved a certain book your entire life and you all of a sudden discovered that there was a different version out there you're probably not going to completely forsake the version that you grew up with and loved all your life in one second. It wasn't simply in this manner that character's reactions were completely out of proportion to what was happening. Characters were over-reacting all over the place.

The dialog was laughable. At one point, late in the novel, I began to read it out loud in my cheesy melodrama voice because it was just that bad. The author has the characters adding the word "man" at the end of their sentences at completely inappropriate times, such as when they are giving what are supposed to be inspiring and dramatic speeches. He will also sometimes replace the word "you" with "ya" in totally unnecessary ways.

For one whole chapter M. Clifford decides to go all artsy on his readers. This chapter is mostly made up of the word "recycle" although he sometimes throws in "reduce" and "reuse". It's a failure as a chapter. It probably should have been cut out of the book completely. An editor would have cut it.

An editor also would have cut all the unnecessary descriptions. At one point there are four different adjectives used to describe one irrelevant thing. Speaking of irrelevant things, did you know that the rain can sometimes be irrelevant? Neither did I, but M. Clifford at one point has a character step out into the "irrelevant rain".

There are times in this book when the author tries to be especially poignant. They stick out like a sore thumb in an already tedious manuscript. I guess M. Clifford never heard any variation of the saying "kill your darlings".

Clifford has also apparently never heard the correct definition of irony. Twice in this novel he describes something as ironic when it is almost the exact opposite of ironic. For example, it is not ironic that a character named Holden would consider "Catcher in the Rye" is favorite book. That is not irony. If you think it is, you should go to a dictionary and look up irony so that you stop using the word incorrectly.

Of course, there are the plot holes. The characters in this novel seem completely incapable of logic, the main character being the worst offender. I don't want to spoil it in case you decide to read this book. I will point out that the author seems to think that it makes sense that the futuristic environmental movement would push hard to completely outlaw paper for the sake of the planet but would be perfectly fine with everyone owning about three different versions of an e-reader that is made out of non-renewable resources. I don't understand how everyone would be okay with the idea that strip mining for the metals used to create the computer chips is perfectly fine but chopping down a few trees is not. Also, if there was a "great recycling" but paper is illegal then what was all the paper recycled into? It doesn't make any sense.

I guess I shouldn't expect it to make sense. The solution that Holden comes up with near the end of the novel to "rescue" books doesn't make any sense either because it involves the destruction of a lot of books. I thought he wanted to get people to read the original versions again but then he goes about trying to destroy some of these original versions in order to save the "important" books. That's still censorship but I guess the author doesn't understand something as simple as the topic he wrote an entire novel about.

I suggest that you not waste your time with this book. There are better things out there to read. If you want to read about censorship and dystopic futures read Fahrenheit 451 or 1984. This is simply a book that desperately wants to be those books but fails miserably.

The very first lines of this book are "Don't read The Book" and I think the author is onto something there. You have better things to do with your time.(less)

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Jun 24, 2010 Ami Blackwelder rated it 5 of 5 stars

Clifford meet George Orwell..., June 17, 2010
By ami reader (fl) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Book (Kindle Edition)
Clifford's novel The Book reminds me of George Orwell's futuristic tone of 'big brother is watching you'. It is a fiction that sets up a time in the future when paper and books are no longer utilized -ever. The dependency on the electronic forms of reading and gathering information have become so intense, that the government uses it to perpetuate its own truths and m...more

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Apr 20, 2010 Lori rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-reviewers-copy, fiction, fricken-awesome, indie-awesomeness

Don't read The Book.

Let me begin by saying that I don't mean This Book. You should definitely read This Book!

I mean The Book, the one that M.Clifford tells his story about. The Book that replaced all other books. The Book that is governed, updated, and edited by The Publishing House. The Book that is full of lies.

Imagine a world eerily like the one Bradbury introduced to us in Fahrenheit 451. A world where owning a copy of a paper book is illegal. A world where books are recycled - burned, destr...more

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Feb 15, 2013 Lushr rated it 3 of 5 stars

it wants to make the impact of Fahrenheit 451. it has a lot of potential and a lot of great ideas. but ironically it does feel like The Editors of he book have gotten to his story and chopped and changed it. it doesn't feel like the classic well-rounded piece of work it wants to be. examples are the confrontation between Holden and Martin Trust. Winston's unerring faith in Holden. and Marion's fairly shallow and useless existence. one can only suspend disbelief so far.

I wouldn't be so harsh but...more

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Mar 24, 2010 M. Clifford added it · (Review from the author)

Shelves: books-i-wrote

Amazon.com Reviews:
#1 - Very well written. It is an interesting and novel satire around Kindle and other e-books taking over our lives. This excerpt contains a pending romance, confrontation with Freethinkers, and a hint of Big Brother operating through the e-book – which is really a very up-to-date slim computer.

#2 - This is beautifully written, it has a fast moving intriguing plot and well developed characters. The language is descriptive and pulls you into the story. It contains wonderfully u...more

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Sep 06, 2010 Beth Anne rated it 4 of 5 stars

is it wrong that i read this on my nook?

either way, i really enjoyed this book. more so than i expected to, actually. the story of a not so distant future where the printed book is not only obsolete, but illegal is a scary thought. especially when you add to the mix the government censorship of unnecessary passages in all published electronic versions of books, used to manipulate and control society as they read.

holden is a perfect hero (in fact, all the characters are well developed). the langu...more

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Aug 26, 2010 David rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I have to say that I enjoyed this book more than I have any book I've read in the last couple of years. I couldn't put it down!

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May 04, 2013 Greg Baughman rated it 3 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book. The story and the idea behind it are interesting. It is written in a way that breaks the fourth wall and makes the work even more engaging. In fact, the idea behind The Book is good enough that it overcomes the shortcomings. And there are short comings.

At times, there are curious events or reactions by the characters that are a bit odd and nonsensical. There are plot gaps in places, and the acclaim that other characters have for the hero is disproportionate to anythin...more

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Mar 24, 2012 Beverly rated it 3 of 5 stars

I love to read on my Kindle, but also love the feel and smell of real paper books. In The Book, all paper books are banned and it is against the law to be caught with one. People read on The Book which is similar to the Kindle. When I first started reading this book, I thought I would really like it. It was about my favorite topic-books-and it was holding my attention. Then, in about the middle, it got so boring, I quit reading it. I decided I only had so much time alloted to reading, so why rea...more

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Oct 12, 2010 Jenny rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: on-my-kindle

While I did enjoy reading "The Book", it disturbed me to no end. Perhaps that was the point. Or perhaps the writer's seriousness to this "cause" is all tongue-in-cheek. Regardless, it was a creepy book that, while a great read, is probably not one I'll re-read again any time soon. Suspenseful books of this sort (exactly what classification is this anyway?) are not typically my cup of tea.

In the 90's everyone saw "Schindler's List" because it was one of those political history-type movies you jus...more

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Aug 30, 2010 Alice Yeh rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: hide-and-read-reviews

Let me preface this by saying that there are very few books out there that deserve such a high rating, and it was sheer luck that I happened to stumble across this one in my search for a self-published author with a book under $3. Having read the electronic version, now, I'm considering paying the full price for the print.

While a bit slow in the beginning, the story quickly picks up and launches the reader into a world where government-issued ereaders have driven paperbacks into obscurity as ill...more Let me preface this by saying that there are very few books out there that deserve such a high rating, and it was sheer luck that I happened to stumble across this one in my search for a self-published author with a book under $3. Having read the electronic version, now, I'm considering paying the full price for the print.

While a bit slow in the beginning, the story quickly picks up and launches the reader into a world where government-issued ereaders have driven paperbacks into obscurity as illegal examples of a profligate society. Sounds good for conservationism, doesn't it? Wrong. The ebooks have been censored, with words - and oftentimes, characters - deleted from the manuscripts. Even the Bible was altered. This Orwellian novel is an example of conspiracy theory that is chillingly believable. The concept may sound outlandish, but it appeals to our love of the written word and the importance of the truth, while admonishing our gravitation towards electronic gadgets and willingness to disregard the intangible worth of something easily mass-produced. It was good in theory, but corrupted in its execution.

The characters were easy to invest in emotionally, and while some, such as Marion, were not as developed as they could have been, it still manages to work in a piece that is essentially plot-driven. The dialogue is believable, as is the basic sequence of events. The sole chink in the armor of credulity is that the Ex Libris movement was able to remain undetected for so long. I was always waiting for the other shoe to drop, but it never came - at least, not in the way that I had anticipated.

Now, there are a few instances where words are misused: "all together" in a case where "altogether" really is appropriate, or "vigilante" for "vigilant". (Yes, I am fully aware that this is being nitpicky.) The way in which the first chapter was written also made it hard to get into the story, but the writer seems to settle into a comfortable rhythm as you move out of the preface and into the beginning of Holden Clifford's tale. Don't let the first two pages turn you off - the rest of it is well worth reading. (less)

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Apr 15, 2011 Andrea rated it 3 of 5 stars

I began this book knowing that it would be much like Farenheit 451. Holden Clifford, the protaganist, lives in a world where paper is outlawed (the planet is being saved through recycling) and everyone reads The Book, which is something like a Kindle/iPad. Holden comes to realize that the government, who controls The Book, is also censoring it. The traditional dystopian checklist storyline follows. The similarities to Farenheit were purposeful(Holden is a sprinkler fitter, there are books being...more

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May 17, 2013 Robert Cherny rated it 5 of 5 stars

A Review of “The Book” by M. Clifford Available from Amazon

This book covers much of the same territory as Orwell's 1984, but where that was a product of a different era, this is a product of today. What we have come to consider the blessings of technology may in fact be a curse. When history can be "edited" as easily as it can today, whose version are we to trust? When political leaders and their captive news services swear to the lies they tell, the warning in this book is very real indeed.

Rea...more

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Dec 26, 2011 Michael Scott rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: compsci-tech, fiction, sci-fi, thought

In M. Clifford's dystopian novel The Book a future American society lives, in the name of environment protection and under the motto "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle", under the totalitarian rule of The Publishing House. Books have been collected and recycled, and replaced with an e-reading device whose content is changed at the whim of the totalitarian regime. This is another take on the topic (and story) of Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451; here and there, books are taken off the people's shelves, the society...more In M. Clifford's dystopian novel The Book a future American society lives, in the name of environment protection and under the motto "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle", under the totalitarian rule of The Publishing House. Books have been collected and recycled, and replaced with an e-reading device whose content is changed at the whim of the totalitarian regime. This is another take on the topic (and story) of Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451; here and there, books are taken off the people's shelves, the society lives in a distorted utopia, the main character is an gullible common worker who accidentally stumbles upon a real book and starts reading, and victory means defeating a totalitarian regime. Both books can be seen as critique to censorship (although in 2007 Bradbury mentioned that his book was (also?) a critique against the replacement of book reading by TV watching.)

The story is overall good. In short, The Book tells of Chicagoan Holden Clifford et al. in their fight against The Publishing House lead by Martin Trust. As an ingenious mechanism for acceding to power, the Publishing House has been enforcing the use of e-readers as the sole mean to read books and receive news; slowly, they have begun to alter digital books, sometimes a paragraph, sometimes an entire book or even an entire author being removed. Ultimately, people like Martin Trust hope to alter every document in The (all-encompassing) Library, including the constitution. Through twists and turns, Holden learns that everyone's digital reading devices (The Book) is not 'truthful' and leads a reconquista. The ambiguous ending plays well to the topic and story.

M. Clifford alternates great with uninspired writing and even scenes. In one wonderful paragraph, the author depicts the room of everyday's bibliophile:

There were books on his bedside table; books on his sleek, black Voido rocking chair; books on his dresser and leaning against his lamp; books displayed proudly beside framed photographs and on shelves beside random items that no man would normally romanticize.

Clifford, M. (2010-03-10). The Book (pp. 78-79). Independents. Kindle Edition.

Among the less fortunate writing elements, M. Clifford is no match for Haruki Murakami in describing the thought process of his characters; unlike Murakami's heroes, Clifford's decide quickly, doubt thinly, and cower gladly. The story is filled with molodrama and cliches, from the Gethsemane moment when Holden wants to return to his model citizen life, to the acceptance of his drifter condition a while later, to the way Holden blames the system for the fate of his daughter, etc. Why would the head of The Publishing House want to even meet Holden, besides providing a movie-like series of man-to-man fight scenes and a very American view on the importance of the hero in everyone's eyes, is beyond this reader's imagination. The possible love story is disappointing; Marion turns out to be a simpleton and a housewife-wannabe, rather than the savvy yet spunky bar owner. I also found adding many sketchy characters mid-book, while providing cannon fodder in the fight against the Publishing House, rather inappropriate.

There are numerous (other) moments of disbelief. Most importantly, the author does not seem to know enough about technology; although a digital revolution has enabled tracking devices and massive content distribution all over the world, and The Publishing House's intelligence is able to detect unusual reading patterns and suspicious searches, they cannot trace Holden in his run towards Winston's house, completely miss the 18-minute stop that enables him to compare real books with their digital edition, forget to track Marion, etc. In short, it looks like The Book depicts a society with less technological prowess than Orwell's when preparing 1984 (Bradbury's approach is by design technology-scarce.)

Overall, a good book with many interesting elements and a transcending love for the printed book, but with severe flaws, and more melodrama than dystopian novel. Your choice.
(less)

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Dec 30, 2011 Leila rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, dystopia, sciencefiction

“Don’t read The Book”

These words open the Novel by M. Clifford. The novel is a view of a futuristic United States of America where the social pressure towards greener lifestyle combined with the technological advances in e-readers has formed a society that has no paper. All novels, text books, documents, and even historical documents are all electronic. The people in this future are so tied to their e-readers that they sharpen their nails to use on the reader.

To ensure that everybody has equal

...more

“Don’t read The Book”

To ensure that everybody has equal access to e-readers, in the name of “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle”, the government an e-reader and eventually takes control of the medium and the media. The government develops and e-reader, “The Book”, that is given away when you turn in 50 paper books. Eventually leading to a government monopoly.

“… during a vital junction in the history of the world, when the selfish ways of our forefathers were recognized and recycling was evolving into a powerful tool for allowing mother earth to thrive. Laws were being passed and using paper for recreational means was frowned upon, to say the least."

"Within eight years... eight years... there was only one way you could read without receiving a dirty look from someone else. Through The Book. Within twelve years, you couldn't read from a paper copy without breaking the law and receiving an exorbitant find of eight hundred dollars. A year later it was jail time. A year after that, the only way anyone could read, was through The Book. It happened that fast. The Great Recycling had removed so many of our freedoms forever."

M. Clifford does a surprisingly good job of drawing you in to see how easily this could really happen. Not only through government control of the media but publishing companies, authors, and content holders. It raises questions about the concept of content ownership that are just beginning to be raised today. I can easily envision a future where authors just change the electronic copies of their work rather than issuing a new print. With one update, everybody’s copies would be changed. Does the author own that content or do you?

There are a few interesting tid-bits to pay attention to when reading The Book. The first is that the Author bears the same surname as the main character of the book. This is interesting because the first chapter is written by the author of the first paper book during the time of e-reader domination. This isn’t really made clear until the end of the book but I think that knowing it adds to the experience. The second interesting thing is that the author introduces you to the idea that, unless you are reading a paper copy, your book is compromised.

If you are reading these words from a source other than a bound stack of printed paper, the following pages have been compromised. Including the sentences above, there are a total of 97,777 words in this story. You need to brand this number to your mind. If you reach the end of this book and the number is incorrect, the following pages have been compromised. Remember a single word can change the world. You must always keep track of the word count so it won’t happen again."

I started to wonder as I read The Book if I would find the paper version different than the kindle version that I purchased. Could it be changed over time?

The author cleverly puts these questions into your mind. I love any book that keeps me thinking about it days and weeks after I’ve finished reading it, and ultimately compels me to read it again.

(less)

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Jul 26, 2011 Pamela Barrett rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle

There are no more books being printed, using paper is outlawed, paper is wasteful in this dystopian novel. Every book was to be recycled, the only way to read a story is on The Book; an E-reader that is controlled by the conglomerate Publishing House. That wasn’t a problem for an everyday guy like Holden Clifford, he liked the stories he read on The Book. In fact he couldn’t wait to get home and clean-up from his job as a pipe fitter, ready to relax and escape into the many novels they offered....more

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Jan 16, 2011 Ari rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle-books-i-own, kindle-lendable-books, read-in-2011

Three stars for I liked it... I'm having a hard time processing it and it's still on my mind so I may need to bump it up to four once I finish wrapping my brain around the story.

The concept is very creepy - in the future, every one reads from an ereader titled The Book and physical copies of books, for the most part, no longer exist - they were recycled to preserve the earth. However, this means that there are people in control of the books that are actually on The Book and they can have been ed...more

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Mar 13, 2011 William Chinda rated it 1 of 5 stars

While it has the lofty pretentions (and near constant references) of great dystopian novels like 1984 or Fahrenheit 451, The Book ultimately falls flat. For starters, the premise of the story is ridiculous: in this future society, all paper books have been destroyed in the "Great Recycling" and replaced with e-readers that the government controls and feeds content to. This radically pro-environmentalist society is somehow founded on the belief that paper (a renewable resource that is easily recy...more While it has the lofty pretentions (and near constant references) of great dystopian novels like 1984 or Fahrenheit 451, The Book ultimately falls flat. For starters, the premise of the story is ridiculous: in this future society, all paper books have been destroyed in the "Great Recycling" and replaced with e-readers that the government controls and feeds content to. This radically pro-environmentalist society is somehow founded on the belief that paper (a renewable resource that is easily recycled) is more dangerous to the environment than e-readers (made from all manner of non-renewable metals that are extremely damaging to the environment to extract, not to mention the environmental cost of the electricity needed to power them). Really? This highly implausible future seems to be fueled by the author's own anti-environmental ideology, something that I honestly wouldn't have a problem with had it been handled with a little more energy and conviction (think Robert A. Heinlein). The two main protagonists bond over the fact that they don't care about the environment - but why? This seems like a fairly key element to understanding their motivation for rebelling against their society, but it's just glossed over.

The feeling of "glossing over" is a by-product of the author's writing style. The author spends an inordinate amount of time describing things rather than showing them to the reader. Almost nothing we learn about the protagonist (Holden) comes through his actions or his interactions with other characters - all of his background comes in dull expository dumps. We learn, for instance, that Holden grows in confidence as he moves along in his journey, ultimately becoming the leader of his little group. But rather than show us this growth to interpret for ourselves, the author just tells us this and moves along.

As for the plot itself, it's not nearly as terrible. Holden learns of the shenanigans of the Book and the how the government uses it to observe and control its population. He rebels, finds allies, and gets punished by said government. With such uninteresting characters, it's hard to really care at all what happens to them, but the various twists and turns at least provided some engagement in this dull book.

My biggest problem, however, is that The Book espouses the simpleminded idea that the trustworthiness of a work is determined by its medium of delivery - simply because a printed work is less easily changed, it cannot be controlled or manipulated. I'm guessing the author has never walked into a paper bookstore and seen a "revised and updated" edition, because paper can be changed as well! If anything, technology in publishing (from the printing press to the PC) has nearly always been a source of democratization.

Whether you prefer a printed book or a digital one is ultimately an issue of personal preference, not an issue of validity.(less)

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Nov 15, 2010 Megan Palasik rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle, dystopia

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I have been reading a few dystopia books lately (Brave New World, The Giver Series, Lord of the Flies) and liked this one a bit more because it was more recently written and therefore is a bit more believable than the others. Also, I read this on my Kindle, which made it even more *frightening*.

This book takes the idea of e-book readers to a new extreme in that EVERYONE owns one (simply called, the Book) and it is the only way to read anything. There has been a ma...more I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I have been reading a few dystopia books lately (Brave New World, The Giver Series, Lord of the Flies) and liked this one a bit more because it was more recently written and therefore is a bit more believable than the others. Also, I read this on my Kindle, which made it even more *frightening*.

This book takes the idea of e-book readers to a new extreme in that EVERYONE owns one (simply called, the Book) and it is the only way to read anything. There has been a mass recycling in the world and paper is no longer available for any reason. However, since all written word is digital, no one will know when/if words/stories are changed and/or deleted. The government in this story has taken the liberty of *protecting* its citizens from anything that may go against the cause/belief system of that time and changing stories on the Book to suit that thought but not tell anyone. Since there are no longer hard-paper copies, no one can prove that things have been changed, if they even notice. Everyone just believes that their government would do nothing to hurt them, so they don't question any updates to the Book.

Well, one man discovers some changes (from reading some old paper book pages that have been used to wallpaper his favorite bar, appropirately named the Library) and wants to find out why this has happened. The story then unfolds with the danger and trouble he gets in and the friends he meets along the way who also have realized the changes and do not like the government secretly censoring them.

This story opens the readers eyes to the technology we have around us and what could happen if we are not careful. I have read other mixed reviews of this book about things that are lacking or undeveloped characters. I found a couple of typos in the book that were a bit distracting. However, the overall message of the book is there, even if some of the characters were not fully fleshed out and some things were not fully explained to make the story more believable. If you want all parts and characters fully explained, read something by Stephen King or someone equally as wordy who almost explains things to a fault. M. Clifford did an excellent job with the Book and got me thinking about the future.

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Sep 10, 2010 Brandy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: science-fiction, dystopian

I actually really enjoyed this book. I signed up to win a free copy but didn't win. Yesterday when I checked my goodreads site, I had a message in my inbox. It was from the author telling me he was sorry I didn't win but gave me a coupon code for purchasing the book or a link to a site I could download a digital copy for a low price.

I am not one to just jump into purchasing a book until I know that it is clean, so I checked out the digital version. It allowed you to read the first half of the b...more I actually really enjoyed this book. I signed up to win a free copy but didn't win. Yesterday when I checked my goodreads site, I had a message in my inbox. It was from the author telling me he was sorry I didn't win but gave me a coupon code for purchasing the book or a link to a site I could download a digital copy for a low price.

I am not one to just jump into purchasing a book until I know that it is clean, so I checked out the digital version. It allowed you to read the first half of the book free. Well, by then I was hooked and I instantly purchased the book so I could finish!

The thing that I found ironic or maybe even a little eerie is that I was reading a digital copy of the book and the whole story is about how government controls the people by censoring books once they are all digital. In fact I was reading the web version of the book because I don't own a digital book reader and there were parts that seemed a little choppy (probably because of the web version) and it kept tripping me up thinking that the author was doing it on purpose. (I am sure he wasn't really though)

Anyway, as for my review, I felt like this was a very good book. The story was great. However, I wish it was a little fleshier. The book was only around 300 pages. (digital pages, not much text on each screen) I really wanted more. Not necessarily more story or a longer plot line, but just flesh out the parts already there.

At times it felt a little creepy that it was so real. The dystopian society that the author portrays is not too far off from where we are now. At times it felt slightly political, but honestly I have such strong feelings about reading books, actual books that I can feel in my hand and turn pages and become one with, that this book really resonated with me.

I was happy with the way it ended. The character Moses was slightly confusing, he was portrayed as someone we should know, but I couldn't for the life of me figure out who he was supposed to be. Maybe I was just reading too late and my brain missed something. I plan on going back and seeing if I can figure it out.

At the very end of the book, after the story is over, the author does plead a little with the readers to make sure we are involved with what is going on in society and to take a stand to not let things get to the point they are in the book. He even provides a form letter you can send to your senator (or someone political like that, again it was late) asking them to put laws into place so that digital books can not be altered from the original. I think it is a good idea, but for some reason, the plea sounded a little soapbox-ish to me.

All in all, this was a good book. I will probably end up buying the actual paperback. I think I will also recommend this to my book club. This would be a great book club discussion book.(less)

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Print vs. eBook	1	5	Jan 18, 2012 07:30pm
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About M. Clifford

M. Clifford is an independent author of literary and mainstream fiction. He was born in 1978 in a suburb of Chicago and grew up in a forest-encroached neighborhood called Northwoods, where the embers of his imagination were kindled during his solitary treks through the lonely wilderness.

He wrote his first book on his mother's rickety green typewriter at the prudent age of eight and three-quarters....more

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Propaganda from the desk of: Martin Trust - Director of Historic Homeland Preservation and Restoration

The Opera Ghost (The Time Chronicles of Emily Porterfield, #2)

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