Paul Auster: Man In The Dark

in january, i came across an article from an american writer that included this line: “The questions I’m left with after watching this fine film are, where’s the line that gets crossed that leads to domestic guerilla warfare? How close are we to that line?” (i commented & blogged about this further below, in the crossing line to violence)

at that time, the Paul Auster book already waited in my reading shelf. i didn't know that the book was about an america in a new civial war, though. what a book. 148 pages. a huge read, combining the personal life of an old writer and the political theme.

reading "Man in the Dark" also brought me back to DMZ, a graphic novel series i read last year - the series is set in New York City, sometime in the near future and in the midst of a civil war that has turned the island of Manhattan into a demilitarized zone.

DMZ is from 2005, the civil war starts with sectionist groups that form a seperate "Free States" government. Auster's novel is from 2008. in his scenario, the new movement spreads from NY, and leads to "Independent States", their political agenda: "Foreign policy: no meddling anywhere. Domestic policy: universal health insurance, nor more oil, no more cars or planes, a fourfold increase on teacher's salaries (to attract the brightest students to the profession), strict gun control, free education and job training for the poor."

my favourite line from his book: "as the weird world rolls on."

and interesting - when looking for reviews, i came across a different cover of the book, here.
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