Speaking Volumes

Today is the 90^th anniversary of the 19^th Amendment.  The 19^th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution prohibits each state and the federal government from denying any citizen the right to vote based on that citizen’s sex.  In other words, ratified on August 18, 1920, this amendment gave women the right to vote.
 
In 1918, the legislation failed and it’s ultimate pass was neither easy nor won by great margin.   I’m struck by this sometimes.
 
I used to read dystopian fiction.  I like it.  It makes me think and when I started reading this genre, it made me hopeful.  I could look at these alternate worlds and no matter how bad I felt about what I was seeing in “RL” (real life in geek speak),  the stories were worse. 
 
You may note the past tense.  “Used to read,”  I don’t so much any more, because now it bothers me.  This is difficult. Some of the best books I’ve read, bother me.  Most recently, I read Suzanne Collin’s Hunger Games and Catching Fire.  I am now among the many anxiously awaiting the third and final book of the trilogy.  I think these books are fabulous!   At the same time, they are two of the most frightening books I’ve ever read. 
 
These days I am thinking it’s good to be reminded of historical  anniversaries, both good and bad.  And while I still am bothered by dystopian fiction, I think its good to read, at least every now and then. 
 
Though I warn you, I found these tales scary!  If you’d like to sample some dystopian fiction, come check out one of these novels!   I'd love to hear your opinion.


     Brave New World / Aldous Huxley


    Hunger Games / Suzanne Collins


   The Handmaid's Tale / Margaret Atwood


    Thinner Than Thou / Kit Reed