2030

The Real Story of What Happens to America

By: Albert Brooks

Narrated by: Dick Hill

Is this what's in store? June 12, 2030, started out like any other day in memory---and by then, memories were long. Since cancer had been cured fifteen years before, America's population was aging rapidly. That sounds like good news, but consider this: millions of baby boomers, with a big natural predator picked off, were sucking dry benefits and resources that were never meant to hold them into their eighties and beyond. Young people around the country simmered with resentment toward "the olds" and anger at the treadmill they could never get off of just to maintain their parents' entitlement programs. But on that June 12th, everything changed: a massive earthquake devastated Los Angeles, and the government, always teetering on the edge of bankruptcy, was unable to respond. The fallout from the earthquake sets in motion a sweeping novel of ideas that pits national hope for the future against assurances from the past and is peopled by a memorable cast of refugees and billionaires, presidents and revolutionaries, all struggling to find their way. In 2030, the author's all-too-believable imagining of where today's challenges could lead us tomorrow makes for gripping and thought-provoking listening.©2011 Albert Brooks (P)2011 Tantor

Critic reviews

"This is an intriguing vision of America's future. Recommended for fans of futuristic dystopian fiction." ( Library Journal)

It’s ok, but not amazing

This book does a good job of guessing at some things we may see in 20 years, it does it with a very weak story. Narration was very well done.

terrific

superb narration brings Mr. brooks' future tale to vivid life. you'll listen to this title more than once.

Not What I Expected…

This audiobook is not what I expected, but I’m pleasantly surprised! 2030 caught my attention from the start. Honestly, I never thought that I would like a political story like this and I’m really glad I gave it a chance! It’s probably not for everyone though.

Distracting Narration

I love Albert Brook' storytelling. I HATE Dick Hill's narration! My initial disappointment at finding that Brooks did not read his novel himself morphed into disgust at the sound of Hill's recording. His voice and delivery are annoying; his interpretation of the characters cloying. I get the impression that he is trying to capture Brooks' ironic and sarcastic tone. If so, his attempt fails miserably resulting in cheap imitation. Whatever the case, I found Hill's reading to be a distraction from the story though I'm trying to stick with it to the end. A friend of mine is reading the book and says she's imagining Brooks' voice. I think she's enjoying the story much more than I! (Note: I have no idea what Hill is trying to convey when he reads Max's parts. The accent and intonation are downright bizarre!)

Held me to the end.

I liked the plot, characters, and storyline. I thought the political dynamics were unique for this kind of story.

Great book only OK ending

I loved the book it really felt like you were listening to the near future from the perspective of different socioeconomic characters. The ending felt rushed though, bringing the rating down by a star but still an amazing listen.

Who knew?

Thrilled with this book. I never knew that he was an author, and a great one at that!
Imaginative, thought provoking, very creative and well written. Thank you Mr. Brooks.

Eerily predictive

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

The ending was a bit....sudden.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Definitely made me laugh AND cry a bit. The major motivating factor for the plot of the book is a natural disaster in one of America's largest cities, and the day after I started listening, superstorm Sandy hit New York. I kept waiting for Obama to call China to bail the subways out.

Terrible Read

Albert Brooks should have done it (the narration) and perhaps the experience would have been nicer. The story is very good, fun, love Mr. Brooks work but the narration was just awful.

Strange Reviews

characterizing this a not being Dystopian or as "left wing" or "liberal" when it presents a case for ending Social Security and Medicare if not euthanasia
There is too much truth in the possibility of a cataclysmic earthquake disaster in LA pushing the US into total collapse under the weight of an aging population already suffering under trillions in W's war debts and the current recession with high unemployment. Why shouldn't the young hold a grudge against "the greatest generation"? Why would they want to continue to pay for what the retirees believe they have earned?
This isn't a perfect book and there is nothing funny about it but it does provide some food for thought about next year or 2030 when the US is incapable of continuing to pay out the Social Security checks that retirees depend upon because we suffered the Wall Street Meltdown, the redistribution of the wealth from the middle class to the ultra-wealthy since Reagan, and disasters like Katrina.
Once we start to really feel the down slope following Peak Oil exacerbated by emerging fuel consumption from China and India, the climate change accelerated by all that burning carbon, and a more complete collapse of our financial system in the USA things could get much worse than this 2030 predicts. We can hope those who think this way are wrong but what if they are right???