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The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Bought this yesterday, finished it last night. Was drawn to it because of the interest by my 24 year old son. IMO, one of the most wildly effective political books aimed at modern youth ever. And, this is great, fantastic news for Ayn Rand fans. It's crystal clear depiction of heroic individuals in the face of an oppressive to... (See the whole review)

(Added by Fred Bartlett on 3/17, 11:34am)

Discuss this Book (56 messages)

Saturday, March 17, 2012 - 11:42am

One more sign of the current spin: this trilogy is widely being dismissed by the critics as 'for teenagers.'

But everywhere you look, older folks are reading -- and resonating-- with this book, and its anti-totalitarian message.

The left leaning cultural elites in this nation will do everything they can to bury this story.

It's not working.

The movie comes out in a few weeks.

The Nov 2012 election is over.

Saturday, March 17, 2012 - 1:11pm

"Add this to another chapter of, "Liberals Ruin Everything." "

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Hollywood/2012/03/15/Hunger%20Games%20Occupy%20Sutherland

Saturday, March 17, 2012 - 2:16pm

My 15 year old son is doing a book report on this book, he loves it.

Saturday, March 17, 2012 - 3:23pm

I've ordered it, Fred. I watched Now, Voyager on your recommendation and enjoyed it a lot.

The trailer. Over 8 million hits.

(Edited by Sam Erica on 3/17, 9:02pm)

Saturday, March 17, 2012 - 3:31pm

When I was in high school, I vaguely remember hearing about this book. But I dismissed it as "just another teenager book" along the lines of Twilight and Harry Potter. Considering this article, my prejudice didn't serve me well (it hardly ever does).

If the left found this book unsavory, well, that's reason enough for me to read it. I will have to check this book out.

Let the spin begin!

One reviewer condescendingly writes "It's a terrible book, a blight on literature. Furthermore, it completely misrepresents the actions of an all powerful state. Don't waste your time on this teenage swill."

Another one adds "A book fit for a teenage mind. I'll leave it at that."

But there will be those who enjoy the book and a few of its ideas, but omit the parts they find disagreeable. *insert Parade Magazine's quote*

There will be others who pervert the book's ideas.

This reviewer has as she wrote "This book illustrates the dangers of a Capitalistic society. Therefore, we need to imbue the government with absolute authority to prevent such dangers."

Ok, that one was a little farfetched, but there is likely a few quotes out there with that content, if not the form.

Saturday, March 17, 2012 - 7:41pm

I just heard about this novel and movie (the trailer looks awesome.) I happened to be looking at the sales ads in my newspaper this morning, and hipster retailer "Hot Topic" is all over this trend, selling copies of the "Mockingjay" pin, and other items inspired by the story. Another Objectivist friend (Richard Gleaves) is listening to the books on tape, and just loves them.

Thanks for this excellent review, Fred.

Sunday, March 18, 2012 - 10:22am

Sam:

Re; 'Now, Voyager' -- I'm really glad you enjoyed it. I never really understood the mega-stardom of Bette Davis until I saw her performance in this early forties 'weepy' movie. I always associated Bette Davis with the older Bette Davis movies; kind of harsh, Whatever Happened to Baby Jane. But in this film, shot in her prime, I couldn't take my eyes off of her metamorphosis/performance.

The back-story, of her taking on this kind of a story at the peak of her career as a Hollywood megastar, is also remarkable. I also love the back-story of Paul Henried ad-libbing the double cigarette lighting; it became iconic. (If that story isn't true, that he ad-libbed it, then it should be true!)

She had a unique talent. She wasn't the most objectively or classically beautiful star of her (or any)era, and yet, as someone else once observed, she more or less dared you not to find her attractive. She succeeded wildly, via talent plus will.

regards,
Fred

Sunday, March 18, 2012 - 10:52am

Kyle:

I, too have up until now totally missed the significance of this book, until I saw my 24 year old son reading it, and asked him about it. It has exactly been portrayed as a book which has slip-streamed behind the popularity of the Harry Potter and Twilight series.

In a limited sense that is true enough, but neither of those books were as overtly political as Hunger Games, and as far as the politics of those who today yet advocate for an ever stronger, more centralized government running everything, the wrong politics.

180 weeks on the NYTimes best seller's list, and ... not because it has been getting huge attention by the mainstream media, who would just as soon wish to see it fade away.

We've all been deflected from noticing...for a while. And still...180 weeks on the best sellers list.

I think the movie may also succeed wildly in popular culture where AS Part 1 the movie did not, precisely because I don't think they saw this one coming in time. AS was iconic, Ayn Rand is a lightning rod, they were tubing it from the day it was announced, and yet, they can't use the same rote tactics to bury this brand new author.

Still, notice the same transparent attempts at early dismissal of the book/movie. It is serving as a very useful kind of litmus, broadly applied.

To make matters worse for the left, the pace of the writing is a dead sprint. It is a very well written book, and one that is easily read in a single day. Its anti-totalitarian message is clear, concise, and effective.

And, it appears, widely popular.

The most amazing aspect of the author's accomplishment is, she paints this political context as the can't miss it backdrop to not only a classic teenage love triangle story, but a story in general that resonates with youth-- making a life in a world of sometime dysfunctional adults who all seem to have their own uses for youth, especially, other's youth. The story is an anthem to 'this life of yours is yours, not theirs.'

It is the latest totally effective anthem in the war of the We vs. the I, the tribe uber alles vs. the individual.

The last time a book made me this optimistic about the future was 1969, when I was 14 and my sister threw a worn copy of AS at me and said 'read it.'

When a story with this theme is this popular with young Americans, there is once again great reason for hope for our future.

regards,
Fred

Sunday, March 18, 2012 - 11:52am

Fred,

180 weeks!

I've seen so little of this book in the medias, both internet and television. I recall seeing a commercial for the movie a little while back, but I didn't think much of it. I'm surprised I haven't seen more of it on the web given that I'm fond of web surfing.

It is evident that this book is popular among the youth, but for what reason?

The love-triangle? Its well-written prose? Its basis in a totalitarian society?

A further question is "do the teenagers 'get it'". Are they drawing parallels between the events in the book and America's current culture and politics? Many people look at books as an escape from reality and, consequently, regard books as having little to do with reality (especially fictitious novels).

What I'm getting at is, are these young people able to identify the fundamental principles of totalitarianism and compare them to the principles underlying the emerging centralized planning agency (formerly known as the "land of the free")?

Sunday, March 18, 2012 - 1:05pm

For fiction, the first thing to look at is the sense of life that is portrayed. Whether one is reading for escape or inspiration that is the level that generates popularity. The content will be second to that. A love triangle, a political struggle, drama or adventure... they are all cast with some sense of life.

The fact that it is the young who buying the book makes me suspect (I haven't read it yet) that it most likely portrays a benevolent universe, or at least one that is open to heroic efforts, and that it engenders hope - that problems are solvable, that happiness is possible.

As to whether or not some significant portion of the those reading it identify the totalitariansim and relate it to today's politics.... I don't have much of guess. Because I'm so fond of ideas and see the world from that perspective, I often mistakenly project my perspective onto others. But at the least, a good story line, cast with a heroic sense of life, in a universe open to reason, puts everyone who was energized by it one step closer to a powerfully integrated grasp of the horrors of totalitarianism on an abstract level.

Sunday, March 18, 2012 - 1:29pm

As far as fantasy/fiction I reallly enjoyed the Sword of Truth series.

Sunday, March 18, 2012 - 1:51pm

If you get Parade Magazine with your newspaper today (Sunday) you'll see that Hunger Games is on the front page. This is HUGE coverage.

Sam

Monday, March 19, 2012 - 8:15am

Sam:

Yes, but check the summary of the 'big issues' in the Parade article. I quoted the Parade article in my review.

The Parade author has spun the main themes by neglecting the crucial fact that the determiner of 'haves and haves nots' is largely access/proximity to 'The Capitol' -- the centralized dominant government.

This isn't a subtle theme in the trilogy by far -- it is the very reason for 'The Hunger Games.' Their very reason for being is to demonstrate to the people in the districts how thoroughly dominated they are by The Capitol.

And, as if it wasn't made explicit enough in the first book, the very first page of the second book includes the following line, spelled out in can't miss it terms:

"But the Victory Tour makes that[forgetting the Games] impossible. Strategically placed almost halfway between the annual Games, it is the Capitol's way of keeping the horror fresh and immediate. Not only are we in the districts forced to remember the iron grip of the Capitol's power each year, we are forced to celebrate it."

Even the heroine's role in the context of the story is as a pawn of power, a symbol of domination. The story is one of their rebelling against this domination as heroic individuals literally fighting for their lives in the context of an oppressive state.

If a teenager reads these stories and somehow misses this central theme, then that is a remarkable circumstance. Yes, it is also a love triangle, but so was the movie 'Titanic', and the Parade author just forgot to mention the sinking of the boat.

The omission is glaring; the spin is in.

regards,
Fred

Monday, March 19, 2012 - 8:36am

Kyle:

I think the answer to your question is a resounding 'yes.' The theme is not subtle in the least. As I said above, the theme is about as subtle as the boat sinking in the movie 'Titanic.'

It is such an amazingly easy read; the first book is readily devoured in a day. I bought the trilogy on Kindle. I, too, had the reaction of most; once started, I couldn't put it down. The writing and pace and storytelling is that good.

If this is a book 'just for teens,' then I am just a teen.

I can't recommend it enough.

The story paints a convincing picture of the terminus of massively centralized government models, of concentrated power. Through exposition, which doesn't dwell but is effective, we learn the context of these '74th Annual Hunger Games.' Almost 3/4 of a century earlier, a second civil war/revolution in America fails and the central government asserted its vice like grip on the nation, by subduing the revolution using a 'toxic weapon' on one of the 13 economic zone/districts, which was still 'smoldering' from the effect of the weapon and uninhabitable. The Games were a condition of the 'Treaty of Treason' -- required spectacle, tribute, designed to keep a subdued populace forever in fealty to the domination of the central authority. A form of psychological control.

Most are born to serve the state, while a minority in power with close proximity to 'The Capitol' live in unbounded luxury provided by others living in hard-scrabble rough times. Chinese 'state capitalism' gleefully embraced by the 'winners' of the second civil war in America, enforced at the point of the states guns and hovercrafts and 'toxic weapons.'

The '74th' is significant-- almost four generations have struggled under this model, it has been long accepted...except by this tiny core of youth in this story, which is what makes the story so appealing to teenagers, I believe.

This is -very effective- political storytelling, aimed at precisely the right audience with exactly the right message; some of the best I've ever seen.

Is this where we want to go? Even, move towards a little bit, no matter what the latest really good cause?

(Gulp: I hope I don't kill its appeal for anyone by being an old fart who believes it to be great political storytelling!)

regards,
Fred

Monday, March 19, 2012 - 8:50am

Steve:

It is more like hope in the face of crushing domination/poverty as the state norm, and it is perhaps that theme which resonates with today's youth.

The theme is, hope created out of self-action and opportunity, in the face of an oppressive, domineering state that is all about the power.

Are there age-old parallels between that and the relationship of kids to their parents? Maybe-- but that illustrates the political point, in that, adults do not require nor appreciate self-appointed parent/emperor wannabees from afar.

The context is, that oppressive, domineering state, but the theme is certainly hopeful and heroic and even revolutionary in a new sense, a revolt against concentrated centralized state power of the few over the many.

I haven't read the second and third book in the trilogy yet, just started the second.

regards,
Fred
(Edited by Fred Bartlett on 3/19, 8:51am)

Monday, March 19, 2012 - 9:20am

Sam:

My school board president/56 year old wife is reading this now -- in fact, just about finished. She, too, read the Parade article, and was perplexed at their summary.

As well, I recommended to her that she not watch that (excellent) trailer until she had read the book, or at least, 90% of the book. Its not that there are necessarily 'spoilers' in it, which there are, but it does such an effective job of presenting the plotline that it could impact the pleasure of reading the book for the first time. Not overwhelmingly so, but certainly in some key aspects, such as the outcome of the Lottery. However, those key aspects occur so early on in the story that having a headsup on them really doesn't substantially impact the entire story. My wife tells me she thought the outcome of the lottery was a certainty, based on the build up, and so, the element of 'surprise' is not a major factor in taking in this event. As well, I had read a synopsis earlier, and was not bored at all in the actually telling of the events in the book. It moves very quickly.

When I saw my son reading this, and he told me the movie was coming out soon, my first reaction was to simply wait for the movie, but he recommended I read the book before seeing the movie, and I'm glad I did. It is such an easy read that this is not an issue of time at all, and I found it very effective writing, with an excellent pace.

And when I finally did watch the trailer, I was really pleasantly surprised at how well the movie makers seem to have captured the book; this is no hatchet job, it is an homage, and the fact that the author also wrote the original screenplay and was also intimately involved in the subsequent and final rewrites all but insures that.

As well, the trailer itself does an excellent job as a 'Cliff Notes' ramp up to the storyline.

I so totally forgive the author for stealing 'The Lottery' as the opening, because she takes over where 'The Lottery' left off, and provides an entire world and history behind the event to explain it.

We here are way late to this festival; there is an entire underground industry dedicated to the minute analysis and discussion of the phenomena that is 'The Hunger Games,' largely web based, and until very recently, with the can't avoid it any longer appearance of what appears to be a blockbuster movie arriving to a long anticipated crowd of teenage followers(the right commercial market for a commercial release), largely ignored by the mainstream media.

The ashes in their mouth are so bitter they can be tasted at a distance. They can't ignore it, they can't dismiss it, and they can't make it go away.

They can at most spin it, and look ridiculous when they do.

If there is an illustration of 'can't win' then that is the left's reaction to this cultural tsunami.

Is that hyperbole? They hope.

regards,
Fred

Monday, March 19, 2012 - 9:14pm

I am going to take my son to see the movie this weekend.
Can anyone recommend to me some other fiction/fantasy books that they really enjoyed that a 15 year old young lad might enjoy? He is reading Atlas Shrugged after school and I was wanting to spice up my library a bit for him. (Julian Janes Origins of Consciousness is a tad dry for him at this point in time lol)

Tuesday, March 20, 2012 - 4:34am

Well, I enjoyed all of Ayn Rand's fiction novels so if you only have Atlas Shrugged I would recommend getting the others as well.

If he likes sci-fi warfare I could suggest the Horus Heresy novels, they're fun to read through but the books assume you know a little about the warhammer 40k universe beforehand (but not too much). Though there is plenty to disagree with philosophically.

Tuesday, March 20, 2012 - 5:31am

I'm not familiar with the book or the movie, but this controversy reminds me of the one that has swirled about 1984, which socialists and conservatives alike have claimed as their own.

Has anyone noted the similiarity between Hunger Games (to judge from second-hand accounts) and the story of Theseus and the Minotaur? Every seven years Athens was forced to send a selection of its prettiest young men and women to to Crete be fed to the Minotaur, until Theseus finally outsmarted the creature.

Tuesday, March 20, 2012 - 6:31am

Jules:

Sci-fi: Neal Stephenson, Terry Goodkind, some Heinlein.
Action/Mistery: Lee Child

Ender's Game and Ender's Shadow are fun. The rest of his series explore family and world/alien war/genocide, and completely change the characters making them super family oriented.