 | |
| Author | David Means |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Farrar, Straus and Giroux |
Published in English | April 19, 2016 |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover) |
| ISBN | 9780865479135 |
Hystopia is a 2016 novel by David Means. Literary critic Christian Lorentzen described the novel as "a counterfactual narrative by a Vietnam veteran, named Eugene Allen about his experience in a therapeutic, psychedelics-based trauma recovery program initiated by an unassassinated John F. Kennedy."[1]
In July 2016, it was longlisted for the 2016 Man Booker Prize.
Awards
- 2016 Man Booker Prize, longlistee.[2]
References
- ↑ "The Best Books of 2016 (So Far)". Vulture. 2016-06-29. Retrieved 2016-10-28.
- ↑ Alice (July 27, 2016). "Man Booker Prize announces 2016 longlist". Man Booker. Retrieved July 27, 2016.
Summary
Hystopia begins with the editor notes of Eugene Allen's manuscript, also titled 'Hystopia'; a mash-up of 'Historical,' and 'Dystopia.' The editors, publishers, and friends who received Allen's manuscript following his suicide note that while some historical facts are altered, Allen did not bend history; history, through the Vietnam War, bent him. The editor's note mentions 'Tripazoid,' a hallucinogenic drug that ramps up a process called 'Enfolding,' which can either help the Vietnam Vets or, as it seems is more common, worsen the trauma. Following the editor's notes, Allen's version of Hystopia begins.