
I am sitting at my desk and see a stack of books that I have read over the last few weeks. I realized I haven't taken the time to mention any of these here. One of these books is The Handmaid's Tale, by Margaret Atwood. Written in 1985, this book has been required reading in high schools and colleges since it was released. It is an eerie tale of women around the turn of the 21st century. A revolution has taken place. A backlash to the free spirit and sexual revolution of the previous decades has led to extreme sexual repression. Religion and a strict biblical interpretation of how to live prevails. Women have a duty to have children. That is their primary function. It is inferred that a nuclear disaster has taken place and that a large percentage of the population is sterile. Women who can bear children have an elevated place in society. They are assigned to "Commanders" or the ruling elite and known as "Handmaids". Sex is not for enjoyment and it is not a social activity. The book was written as a wake up call against groups like the Moral Majority. 20 years later, it doesn't appear that we had much to fear. I liked the resigned writing of the book. Humans can adapt to their situation. The protest is there in the writing. A somewhat dated and fear mongering book. Do read this one.
Enjoy!
Dennis
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