"The Mandibles: A Family, 2029-2047" by Lionel Shriver
https://www.amazon.com/MANDIBLES-FAMILY-2029-47_PB-171-POCHE/dp/000756077X/
A standalone, no prequel, no sequel, book about a financial apocalypse
in the USA starting in 2029.ÿ I read the well printed and well bound 400 page trade paperback published by Harper Perennial in 2017.ÿ BTW, this
book is labeled as dystopian fiction by Amazon and others.ÿ I doubt that there will be any future prequels or sequels for the book as the author
does not seem to go that way.
The book covers four generations of a family in the near future.ÿ The
family consists of about twenty people of whom I mostly did not like due
to their overall craziness and attitudes about life.ÿ If there was
anyone who came close, it was Florence Mandible who even as a single
mother managed to buy a house in East Flatbush, NYC on a low income
salary.ÿ But even she makes a lot of bad decisions that lead to a tough life.ÿ And I mostly liked Enola Mandible who was a successful author
living in Europe but evacuated back to the USA due to supposed discrimination in Paris.ÿ Plus I liked Jarred Mandible who managed to
get his patriarch grandfather to give him the money to buy a small farm
in upper state New York.
The conditions leading up to the beginning of the financial apocalypse
in the USA in 2029 had their roots in Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, basically the Great Society federal and state programs.ÿ And
in the continual wars and police actions started or participating in by
the USA from WWI onward.ÿ One might exempt WWII from that list as WWII
was supposedly actually good for the economics of the country but I have
not researched that accepted fact for truthfulness.
In 2029, the rest of the world changes from using the USA Dollar as the world reserve currency to the new Bancor, a basket of world currencies.
The USA Treasury Bills, of which there are $40 trillion outstanding, immediately double their interest rates in the next sale.ÿ The USA
President and Congress pass legislation that holding Bancors is illegal
for any USA citizen.ÿ Under further financial pressure, the USA
repudiates the entire $40 trillion debt and starts seizing all the gold across the country from both citizens and businesses.ÿ Even gold wedding rings are seized as China has demanded that their tbills be redeemed immediately with non USA Dollars.
The patriarch of the Mandible family is a 97 year man with a fortune inherited from his grandparents who owned a steel mill. The patriarch
has his fortune invested in gold stocks, stocks of gold bullion in
central repositories, tbills, and the stock market.ÿ With the crash of
the stock market, seizure of gold, and repudiation of all tbills, he is wiped out and he and his Alzheimer afflicted second wife move in with
his son and his wife.ÿ And then the entire family ends up moving in with Florence in her tiny three bedroom house.ÿ But that quickly goes away
also as the remaining family members are soon homeless and living in a
park.
The author freely acknowledges that in choosing paths for the family and
the nation, she always chose the bad results path.ÿ She thinks that her
book takes an optimistic view of the coming financial apocalypse which I find amazing.
One thing that just blew me away.ÿ By 2042, the government required all workers to have a chip embedded at the base of their skull that reported
all income and expenditures instantly.ÿ The chip reported all data to
the government computers using satellites which was immediately taxed
using government based checking accounts.ÿ No private banks allowed.
Starlink anyone ?
My rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Amazon rating: 4.2 out of 5 stars (4,704 ratings)
Lynn
On 6/17/2026 11:32 PM, Lynn McGuire wrote:
"The Mandibles: A Family, 2029-2047" by Lionel Shriver
https://www.amazon.com/MANDIBLES-FAMILY-2029-47_PB-171-POCHE/
dp/000756077X/
A standalone, no prequel, no sequel, book about a financial apocalypse
in the USA starting in 2029.ÿ I read the well printed and well bound
400 page trade paperback published by Harper Perennial in 2017.ÿ BTW,
this book is labeled as dystopian fiction by Amazon and others.ÿ I
doubt that there will be any future prequels or sequels for the book
as the author does not seem to go that way.
The book covers four generations of a family in the near future.ÿ The
family consists of about twenty people of whom I mostly did not like
due to their overall craziness and attitudes about life.ÿ If there was
anyone who came close, it was Florence Mandible who even as a single
mother managed to buy a house in East Flatbush, NYC on a low income
salary.ÿ But even she makes a lot of bad decisions that lead to a
tough life.ÿ And I mostly liked Enola Mandible who was a successful
author living in Europe but evacuated back to the USA due to supposed
discrimination in Paris.ÿ Plus I liked Jarred Mandible who managed to
get his patriarch grandfather to give him the money to buy a small
farm in upper state New York.
The conditions leading up to the beginning of the financial apocalypse
in the USA in 2029 had their roots in Social Security, Medicare, and
Medicaid, basically the Great Society federal and state programs.ÿ And
in the continual wars and police actions started or participating in
by the USA from WWI onward.ÿ One might exempt WWII from that list as
WWII was supposedly actually good for the economics of the country but
I have not researched that accepted fact for truthfulness.
In 2029, the rest of the world changes from using the USA Dollar as
the world reserve currency to the new Bancor, a basket of world
currencies. The USA Treasury Bills, of which there are $40 trillion
outstanding, immediately double their interest rates in the next
sale.ÿ The USA President and Congress pass legislation that holding
Bancors is illegal for any USA citizen.ÿ Under further financial
pressure, the USA repudiates the entire $40 trillion debt and starts
seizing all the gold across the country from both citizens and
businesses.ÿ Even gold wedding rings are seized as China has demanded
that their tbills be redeemed immediately with non USA Dollars.
The patriarch of the Mandible family is a 97 year man with a fortune
inherited from his grandparents who owned a steel mill. The patriarch
has his fortune invested in gold stocks, stocks of gold bullion in
central repositories, tbills, and the stock market.ÿ With the crash of
the stock market, seizure of gold, and repudiation of all tbills, he
is wiped out and he and his Alzheimer afflicted second wife move in
with his son and his wife.ÿ And then the entire family ends up moving
in with Florence in her tiny three bedroom house.ÿ But that quickly
goes away also as the remaining family members are soon homeless and
living in a park.
The author freely acknowledges that in choosing paths for the family
and the nation, she always chose the bad results path.ÿ She thinks
that her book takes an optimistic view of the coming financial
apocalypse which I find amazing.
One thing that just blew me away.ÿ By 2042, the government required
all workers to have a chip embedded at the base of their skull that
reported all income and expenditures instantly.ÿ The chip reported all
data to the government computers using satellites which was
immediately taxed using government based checking accounts.ÿ No
private banks allowed.
Starlink anyone ?
My rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Amazon rating: 4.2 out of 5 stars (4,704 ratings)
Lynn
I forgot to mention that this was a reread of a book that I bought from Amazon in 2021.
Lynn
On 6/17/2026 11:32 PM, Lynn McGuire wrote:https://www.amazon.com/MANDIBLES-FAMILY-2029-47_PB-171-POCHE/dp/000756077
"The Mandibles: A Family, 2029-2047" by Lionel Shriver
A standalone, no prequel, no sequel, book about a financial apocalypse
400in the USA starting in 2029.? I read the well printed and well bound
thispage trade paperback published by Harper Perennial in 2017.? BTW,
thatbook is labeled as dystopian fiction by Amazon and others.? I doubt
authorthere will be any future prequels or sequels for the book as the
Thedoes not seem to go that way.
The book covers four generations of a family in the near future.?
duefamily consists of about twenty people of whom I mostly did not like
toughto their overall craziness and attitudes about life.? If there was
anyone who came close, it was Florence Mandible who even as a single
mother managed to buy a house in East Flatbush, NYC on a low income
salary.? But even she makes a lot of bad decisions that lead to a
life.? And I mostly liked Enola Mandible who was a successful author
toliving in Europe but evacuated back to the USA due to supposed
discrimination in Paris.? Plus I liked Jarred Mandible who managed
farmget his patriarch grandfather to give him the money to buy a small
in upper state New York.
The conditions leading up to the beginning of the financial apocalypse
Andin the USA in 2029 had their roots in Social Security, Medicare, and
Medicaid, basically the Great Society federal and state programs.?
byin the continual wars and police actions started or participating in
WWIIthe USA from WWI onward.? One might exempt WWII from that list as
havewas supposedly actually good for the economics of the country but I
thenot researched that accepted fact for truthfulness.
In 2029, the rest of the world changes from using the USA Dollar as
currencies.world reserve currency to the new Bancor, a basket of world
illegalThe USA Treasury Bills, of which there are $40 trillion outstanding,
immediately double their interest rates in the next sale.? The USA
President and Congress pass legislation that holding Bancors is
goldfor any USA citizen.? Under further financial pressure, the USA
repudiates the entire $40 trillion debt and starts seizing all the
weddingacross the country from both citizens and businesses.? Even gold
ofrings are seized as China has demanded that their tbills be redeemed
immediately with non USA Dollars.
The patriarch of the Mandible family is a 97 year man with a fortune
inherited from his grandparents who owned a steel mill. The patriarch
has his fortune invested in gold stocks, stocks of gold bullion in
central repositories, tbills, and the stock market.? With the crash
isthe stock market, seizure of gold, and repudiation of all tbills, he
withwiped out and he and his Alzheimer afflicted second wife move in with
his son and his wife.? And then the entire family ends up moving in
awayFlorence in her tiny three bedroom house.? But that quickly goes
also as the remaining family members are soon homeless and living in a
andpark.
The author freely acknowledges that in choosing paths for the family
herthe nation, she always chose the bad results path.? She thinks that
Ibook takes an optimistic view of the coming financial apocalypse which
allfind amazing.
One thing that just blew me away.? By 2042, the government required
reportedworkers to have a chip embedded at the base of their skull that
toall income and expenditures instantly.? The chip reported all data
the government computers using satellites which was immediately taxed
using government based checking accounts.? No private banks allowed.
Starlink anyone ?
My rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Amazon rating: 4.2 out of 5 stars (4,704 ratings)
Lynn
I forgot to mention that this was a reread of a book that I bought from >Amazon in 2021.
On 6/17/26 21:36, Lynn McGuire wrote:
On 6/17/2026 11:32 PM, Lynn McGuire wrote:
fromI forgot to mention that this was a reread of a book that I bought
Amazon in 2021.
You also forgot to mention that the financial problems arise not from
the mentioned social programs but from the failure of the most well
off in terms of cash to pay their just share of taxes. They who profit
by the wars should help pay for the wars.
On Wed, 17 Jun 2026 23:36:40 -0500, Lynn McGuire
<lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> wrote:
I forgot to mention that this was a reread of a book that I bought from >>Amazon in 2021.
It seems /awfully/ familiar.
Are we sure it isn't a re-review as well?
In article <3n383lhvbeo4ubmqs7ulscm95o8ve00jb6@4ax.com>,
Paul S Person <psperson@old.netcom.invalid> wrote:
On Wed, 17 Jun 2026 23:36:40 -0500, Lynn McGuire
<lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> wrote:
I forgot to mention that this was a reread of a book that I bought from
Amazon in 2021.
It seems /awfully/ familiar.
Are we sure it isn't a re-review as well?
_I_ reviewed it here in 2017, I think. Maybe you're remembering that?
http://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/im-riding-high-upon-a-deep-depression
(My site seems to be timing out just now. I will sent a note if it is not fixed by morning)
On Wed, 17 Jun 2026 23:36:40 -0500, Lynn McGuire
<lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> wrote:
On 6/17/2026 11:32 PM, Lynn McGuire wrote:
"The Mandibles: A Family, 2029-2047" by Lionel Shriver
https://www.amazon.com/MANDIBLES-FAMILY-2029-47_PB-171-POCHE/dp/000756077X/ >>>
A standalone, no prequel, no sequel, book about a financial apocalypse
in the USA starting in 2029.ÿ I read the well printed and well bound 400 >>> page trade paperback published by Harper Perennial in 2017.ÿ BTW, this
book is labeled as dystopian fiction by Amazon and others.ÿ I doubt that >>> there will be any future prequels or sequels for the book as the author
does not seem to go that way.
The book covers four generations of a family in the near future.ÿ The
family consists of about twenty people of whom I mostly did not like due >>> to their overall craziness and attitudes about life.ÿ If there was
anyone who came close, it was Florence Mandible who even as a single
mother managed to buy a house in East Flatbush, NYC on a low income
salary.ÿ But even she makes a lot of bad decisions that lead to a tough
life.ÿ And I mostly liked Enola Mandible who was a successful author
living in Europe but evacuated back to the USA due to supposed
discrimination in Paris.ÿ Plus I liked Jarred Mandible who managed to
get his patriarch grandfather to give him the money to buy a small farm
in upper state New York.
The conditions leading up to the beginning of the financial apocalypse
in the USA in 2029 had their roots in Social Security, Medicare, and
Medicaid, basically the Great Society federal and state programs.ÿ And
in the continual wars and police actions started or participating in by
the USA from WWI onward.ÿ One might exempt WWII from that list as WWII
was supposedly actually good for the economics of the country but I have >>> not researched that accepted fact for truthfulness.
In 2029, the rest of the world changes from using the USA Dollar as the
world reserve currency to the new Bancor, a basket of world currencies.
The USA Treasury Bills, of which there are $40 trillion outstanding,
immediately double their interest rates in the next sale.ÿ The USA
President and Congress pass legislation that holding Bancors is illegal
for any USA citizen.ÿ Under further financial pressure, the USA
repudiates the entire $40 trillion debt and starts seizing all the gold
across the country from both citizens and businesses.ÿ Even gold wedding >>> rings are seized as China has demanded that their tbills be redeemed
immediately with non USA Dollars.
The patriarch of the Mandible family is a 97 year man with a fortune
inherited from his grandparents who owned a steel mill. The patriarch
has his fortune invested in gold stocks, stocks of gold bullion in
central repositories, tbills, and the stock market.ÿ With the crash of
the stock market, seizure of gold, and repudiation of all tbills, he is
wiped out and he and his Alzheimer afflicted second wife move in with
his son and his wife.ÿ And then the entire family ends up moving in with >>> Florence in her tiny three bedroom house.ÿ But that quickly goes away
also as the remaining family members are soon homeless and living in a
park.
The author freely acknowledges that in choosing paths for the family and >>> the nation, she always chose the bad results path.ÿ She thinks that her
book takes an optimistic view of the coming financial apocalypse which I >>> find amazing.
One thing that just blew me away.ÿ By 2042, the government required all
workers to have a chip embedded at the base of their skull that reported >>> all income and expenditures instantly.ÿ The chip reported all data to
the government computers using satellites which was immediately taxed
using government based checking accounts.ÿ No private banks allowed.
Starlink anyone ?
My rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Amazon rating: 4.2 out of 5 stars (4,704 ratings)
Lynn
I forgot to mention that this was a reread of a book that I bought from
Amazon in 2021.
It seems /awfully/ familiar.
Are we sure it isn't a re-review as well?
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