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The Children of Men
by P D James
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About This Book
ISBN13: 9780307275431 |
Synopses & Reviews
Publisher Comments:
The year is 2021, and the human race is — quite literally — coming to an end. Since 1995 no babies have been born, because in that year all males unexpectedly became infertile. Great Britain is ruled by a dictator, and the population is inexorably growing older. Theodore Faron, Oxford historian and, incidentally, cousin of the all-powerful Warden of England, watches in growing despair as society gradually crumbles around him, giving way to strange faiths and cruelties: prison camps, mass organized euthanasia, roving bands of thugs. Then, suddenly, Faron is drawn into the plans of an unlikely group of revolutionaries. His passivity is shattered, and the action begins.
The Children of Men will surprise — and enthrall — P. D. James fans. Written with the same rich blend of keen characterization, narrative drive and suspense as her great detective stories, it engages powerfully with new themes: conflicts of loyalty and duty, the corruption of power, redemption through love. Ingenious, original, irresistibly readable, it confirms once again P. D. James's standing as a major novelist.
Review:
"In this convincingly detailed world...James concretely explores an unthinkable prospect. Readers should persevere through the slow start, for the rewards of this story, including its reminder of the transforming power of hope, are many and lasting." Publishers Weekly
Review:
"A book of such accelerating tension that the pages seem to turn faster as one moves along." Chicago Tribune
Review:
"As scary and suspenseful as anything in Hitchcock." New Yorker
Review:
"Extraordinary....Daring....Frightening in its implications." New York Times
Review:
"Fascinating, suspenseful, and morally provocative. The characterizations are sharply etched and the narrative is compelling." Chicago Sun-Times
Synopsis:
Told with P. D. James's trademark suspense, insightful characterization, and riveting storytelling, "The Children of Men" is a story of a world with no children and no future.
The human race has become infertile, and the last generation to be born is now adult. Civilization itself is crumbling as suicide and despair become commonplace. Oxford historian Theodore Faron, apathetic toward a future without a future, spends most of his time reminiscing. Then he is approached by Julian, a bright, attractive woman who wants him to help get her an audience with his cousin, the powerful Warden of England. She and her band of unlikely revolutionaries may just awaken his desire to live . . . and they may also hold the key to survival for the human race.
About the Author
P. D. James is the author of nineteen books, most of which have been filmed and broadcast on television in the United States and other countries. She spent thirty years in various departments of the British Civil Service, including the Police and Criminal Law Departments of Great Britain’s Home Office. She has served as a magistrate and as a governor of the BBC. In 2000 she celebrated her eightieth birthday and published her autobiography, Time to Be in Earnest. The recipient of many prizes and honors, she was created Baroness James of Holland Park in 1991. She lives in London and Oxford.
What Our Readers Are Saying
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Average customer rating based on 2 comments:
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mattio8987, May 29, 2008 (view all comments by mattio8987)
The novel The Children of Men is about the last few fertile men living on earth in the year 2021and how it is extremely hard to conceive a child do to the unknowing of men becoming infertile that year. The book starts off by saying that the last child born with the possibility of bearing children has died making it virtually impossibly for the human race to succeed. The thought of the race crumbling around them is a hard thought for the men to sallow, and a hard concept for everyone to grasp creating the fear that the human race will soon die out. With little to no idea as to how to continue the human race the fear becomes more alarming everyday. The book also goes on to say that those not affected by the extremely odd epidemic will have little to no chance to save the world do to the rapid decline in population and the inability to repopulate the world. In a way this book could foreshadow what could happen to the human race in the future. I recommend this book because it shows that the world in unpredictable in that anything is possible, and anything can happen to the human race. This book is also a quick read and thrilling for those who like thrilling, bone shaking, and reality checking novels.
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ericgant, June 29, 2007 (view all comments by ericgant)
A fascinating exploration of a simple idea, humans stop having children. With no future in store for the race, society begins to unravel. Seen through the viewpoint of an Oxford historian this is a powerful story of the end of hope. However, one small chance becomes apparent and the protagonist must use first his government connections and then his actions to protect the one chance that humanity has to continue. This novel is quite different and much superior to the overblown movie made from the basic idea. A very good read.
View all 2 comments
Product Details
- ISBN:
- 9780307275431
- Author:
- Publisher:
- Libri
- Author:
- Subject:
- Literary
- Subject:
- Science Fiction - General
- Subject:
- Twenty-first century
- Subject:
- History teachers
- Copyright:
- 1992
- Publication Date:
- May 2006
- Binding:
- Paperback
- Language:
- English
- Pages:
- 241
- Dimensions:
- 8.00x5.28x.58 in. .42 lbs.
