Gregor Gall, Snr Lecturer, Indust. Relations, Stirling University, in the Scottish Socialist Voice, October 1, 2004
Fast-paced, lucid, uplifting, radical, thought-provoking. Mixes Naomi Klein and Michael Moore with Brookmyre and Banks. Fun, warm, deep.
Joe Middleton in Scottish Left Review, January 2005
...managed to combine a funny and readable novel with a highly researched analysis of global economics ... deserves a wide audience!
Hayley Goodwin in Student Direct, 31 January 2005
... the sensitivity of a great author and the precision of a scientific master ... like nothing you will have read before.
Kristen Lackajis in Shropshire Life magazine, April 2005
...literary genius, light-hearted, drenched with satire, radical ideals, satirical twist on celebrity culture.
Andrew Ellis on Glasgow Caledonian University Students' Association website
Very enjoyable, written with superb style and finesse...
Marian Van Eyk McCain in Resurgence magazine, July-August 2005
...a delicious mixture of messianic message, wicked satire, sweet romance and utter hilarity...
Book Description
"Saving the World and Being Happy" charts Nathaniel Papulous' life from lovelorn schoolboy and computer nerd to head of the all-powerful International Hope-ist Movement. He wins, loses, and regains the love of the beautiful Rosemary, and succeeds in bringing the greedy multinational corporations to heel, thus "saving the world".
Opening in the portentous style of Victorian biography, "Saving the World and Being Happy" delights in taking sideswipes at such issues as celebrity culture, Muzak and product placement while never losing sight of its main themes: the concentration of wealth in the hands of a corrupt few, the related increase in global poverty, and the (deliberately?) divided nature of the political left.
This is a quirky and uplifting book, interweaving political satire, romance, music and art. If you don't feel like "uniting and fighting" you will at least view the world through new eyes. We're all Hope-ists now!
From the Author
I really hope you enjoy this book! Put its title into a search engine to find out more.
About the Author
A Southern African Francophile Scot, former vet, ecotoxicologist and English teacher, the author confesses to having "more degrees than sense": "Only in writing can I use every scintilla of my experience, and give full rein to my idealism and unconventionality. I ran up huge debts writing this-please buy it!"
Excerpted from Saving the World and Being Happy (the Computer Ager) by R. Eric Swanepoel. Copyright © 0. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
"No, you look, Nathaniel! I've read Marx and Engels. Yes, OK, they had a point or two, but a lot of their so-called research was at the very best distorted, and at the worst entirely fabricated. Now I'm all for having a social conscience and that kind of thing, but anyone who has any sense can see that communism has failed miserably-and that's putting it charitably if you look at the legacies of Stalin and Mao! At least capitalism, while it may be a long way from ideal, actually works. Things are made and crops are grown! Just what are you proposing as an alternative? Have you read 'Wild Swans'?"
Nathaniel felt he was drowning.
Mary continued. "I thought you of all people would have been able to see through that left-wing bulls***! Now I'm sorry, Nathaniel, I've really got to go. The director of the Getty is arriving soon."
Nathaniel swallowed. "I tell you what, Mary, if I put together a few hard facts on paper will you check them out?"
Mary sighed. "Huh, 'hard' facts as opposed to 'soft' ones? Tch...yes, I suppose."
The task Nathaniel had set himself was not going to be easy if even someone as intelligent as Mary would barely hear him out!
