Peter- This is beautiful news. Congratulations! I look forward to having my own hard copy. Glad to hear you are working on a prequel. The world you have created in the novel has, I think, a depth and richness that gives great room to explore many different related themes. I look forward to reading those as well someday.
Thanks Jack. Yes, there’s much to explore. Writing essays here on substack is one thing, but I feel like we also need fiction and art and music to enliven the ideas, as well as to spread their reach. We talk intensively about the Machine on substack, but “out there” in the real world, the vast, vast majority of people aren’t really thinking about these issues.
I couldn't agree more on the need for art, etc. If we can call what is happening in this cluster of substacks a movement, then we are at the very beginning. At some point, exactly as you say, the conversation will have to broaden and deepen into new areas. Your novel is one of the first out of the gate, and it is a strong showing for many of the themes we are all grappling with here. I hope there is much more to come.
Congratulations! I will be ordering a copy (from Amazon Spain, as we’re expat Canadians now living in Portugal) and as an O’Brien fan, so glad to know Ignatius chose to publish it!
Great to hear there are lots of O'Brien readers out there!
And I hope Portugal is a good experience. I've lived as an expat before; at first it was a bit alienating for me to be away from a familiar home/culture, and yet I also met wonderful and interesting people.
So far it’s been excellent - we found an English Mass community where we’ve met some lovely folks, and expat groups abound! We’ve also met wonderful local folks, and hope to get to know more as our language skills improve. (Though English is widely spoken in the Algarve we do wish to integrate.) The main goal of our retirement plan here is to eventually have a small homestead (we’re permaculture enthusiasts!) and as one can garden year-round here, it’s definitely different than Canada. (Our gardening season in PEI being especially short...) We’ll see what God has in mind...!
That’s an adventurous move! And yet you’re not the first people I’ve heard who have either moved or thought of moving to Portugal.
My wife and I have been talking more about the need to learn about homesteading, especially “urban” homesteading, i.e., using whatever land one has (backyard, front yard) to grow whatever is possible and to acquire skills in self-sufficiency. Even if the skills are never needed for actual self-sufficiency, there is something very grounding and humanizing about it.
Absolutely! There are all kinds of resources available for urban homesteading, and cities increasingly have local food projects to get involved with. Do you read New Polity (out of Steubenville)? They are doing some really neat things at the local level. I learned about these homesteaders via their podcast, and bought their book:
I love that book! But it isn't a help for urban homesteaders with small yards. In fact, it is one of the books that made me decide we have to move to a more rural place to be able to produce a significant amount of food.
A really great resource for urban/suburban projects is Retrosuburbia by Dave Holmgren. He has lots of web based resources available; the actual book is huge and expensive. BTW my Dad has been living in Portugal as an expat from Maine. He raves about it and sends photos of the orange trees in his backyard.
Clara - wonderful on all counts! Is your Dad in the Algarve, by chance? Huge orange groves throughout the area and best oranges I’ve ever eaten in my life! Due to desert Mediterranean climate in Algarve, it takes a whole new mindset to garden: water conservation being the most important thing. Hence, permaculture methods. If you want to be inspired, look up The Weedy Gardener on YouTube: a photographer who took up gardening during the pandemic, he makes the most beautiful and educational videos on all he’s learned! (And he discovered that permaculture guru Jeff Lawton lives just down the road - Jeff helped him build some swales - lol!)
Thanks, I'll look up the weedy gardener. My dad is in a town called Alfazao (sp?) well it sounds like that but I've forgotten the spelling. Its not far from that place with big waves called Nazare. He is a wooden boat builder so wanted to be near enough to the water to dabble. He really isn't much of a food grower, but he brags about the dairy he can walk to where they sell fresh cheese for cheap.
Congratulations, Peco! I’ll be ordering it today, with confident and happy anticipation 😍 It is heartening that creators like you are publishing, glory to God!
Good question. Here's what the Ignatius website says: "Our ebooks are available in .epub format. For the non-technical among us, .epub is a standard ebook format that works on all kinds of devices including Kindle, Nook, Sony e-reader, Kobo e-reader, iOS, Android, Windows, or Apple computer."
However, I will double-check with the publisher and get back to you!
I haven’t heard back from the publisher yet (they’ve slowed operations due to vacation days), but Amazon itself offers a page where e-pub can be converted to
I wrote a similarly themed novel (Metanoia - a short history of the 21st Century, available from Lulu.com) but in my version the Machine collapses catastrophically and soon - so far my timeline has proved pretty accurate, including a pandemic in 2020 - and I explore the (hopeful) ways humanity might survive and recover. I shall get your ebook and compare notes 😊
Yay! I've always found your writing to be worth my time, Peco. Looking forward to this. Is it appropriate to read with my teenage kids or should I read it myself first?
Good question. While I couldn’t answer for another parent, here are the “moral” specifications of the novel, so to speak, that typical parents might want to know ahead of time:
(1) There’s no foul language in English, although there are a few non-foul curses that occur in other languages (e.g., Latin dialect).
(2) There’s a bit of violence, but not excessively.
(3) There are a few abstract references to sex.
(4) There’s a brief reference to actual sex in Chapter 10 (in one sentence), but no graphic description.
(5) Sex is referred to in Chapter 18 in 2-3 sentences, but is not graphically described.
While sex is part of reality, and part of the story, the last thing I wanted to do was to titillate readers in a cheap tactic to hold their attention. It’s done so often in books and films that it feels emotionally manipulative.
which I completely understand (that the Lantuans are uncomfortably like us, or where we may be headed) and which is why I wanted to hear more about how the Benedites are a better (and achievable) alternative
Peter- This is beautiful news. Congratulations! I look forward to having my own hard copy. Glad to hear you are working on a prequel. The world you have created in the novel has, I think, a depth and richness that gives great room to explore many different related themes. I look forward to reading those as well someday.
I hope all is well. -Jack
Thanks Jack. Yes, there’s much to explore. Writing essays here on substack is one thing, but I feel like we also need fiction and art and music to enliven the ideas, as well as to spread their reach. We talk intensively about the Machine on substack, but “out there” in the real world, the vast, vast majority of people aren’t really thinking about these issues.
I couldn't agree more on the need for art, etc. If we can call what is happening in this cluster of substacks a movement, then we are at the very beginning. At some point, exactly as you say, the conversation will have to broaden and deepen into new areas. Your novel is one of the first out of the gate, and it is a strong showing for many of the themes we are all grappling with here. I hope there is much more to come.
One of the signs a movement is growing is when the art starts to emerge. Then you know that people’s imaginations are being ignited.
Congratulations! I will be ordering a copy (from Amazon Spain, as we’re expat Canadians now living in Portugal) and as an O’Brien fan, so glad to know Ignatius chose to publish it!
Great to hear there are lots of O'Brien readers out there!
And I hope Portugal is a good experience. I've lived as an expat before; at first it was a bit alienating for me to be away from a familiar home/culture, and yet I also met wonderful and interesting people.
So far it’s been excellent - we found an English Mass community where we’ve met some lovely folks, and expat groups abound! We’ve also met wonderful local folks, and hope to get to know more as our language skills improve. (Though English is widely spoken in the Algarve we do wish to integrate.) The main goal of our retirement plan here is to eventually have a small homestead (we’re permaculture enthusiasts!) and as one can garden year-round here, it’s definitely different than Canada. (Our gardening season in PEI being especially short...) We’ll see what God has in mind...!
That’s an adventurous move! And yet you’re not the first people I’ve heard who have either moved or thought of moving to Portugal.
My wife and I have been talking more about the need to learn about homesteading, especially “urban” homesteading, i.e., using whatever land one has (backyard, front yard) to grow whatever is possible and to acquire skills in self-sufficiency. Even if the skills are never needed for actual self-sufficiency, there is something very grounding and humanizing about it.
Absolutely! There are all kinds of resources available for urban homesteading, and cities increasingly have local food projects to get involved with. Do you read New Polity (out of Steubenville)? They are doing some really neat things at the local level. I learned about these homesteaders via their podcast, and bought their book:
https://one-cow-revolution.com/
I found lots of backyard homesteading books at our local library. Good luck!
I love that book! But it isn't a help for urban homesteaders with small yards. In fact, it is one of the books that made me decide we have to move to a more rural place to be able to produce a significant amount of food.
A really great resource for urban/suburban projects is Retrosuburbia by Dave Holmgren. He has lots of web based resources available; the actual book is huge and expensive. BTW my Dad has been living in Portugal as an expat from Maine. He raves about it and sends photos of the orange trees in his backyard.
clara
Clara - wonderful on all counts! Is your Dad in the Algarve, by chance? Huge orange groves throughout the area and best oranges I’ve ever eaten in my life! Due to desert Mediterranean climate in Algarve, it takes a whole new mindset to garden: water conservation being the most important thing. Hence, permaculture methods. If you want to be inspired, look up The Weedy Gardener on YouTube: a photographer who took up gardening during the pandemic, he makes the most beautiful and educational videos on all he’s learned! (And he discovered that permaculture guru Jeff Lawton lives just down the road - Jeff helped him build some swales - lol!)
Thanks, I'll look up the weedy gardener. My dad is in a town called Alfazao (sp?) well it sounds like that but I've forgotten the spelling. Its not far from that place with big waves called Nazare. He is a wooden boat builder so wanted to be near enough to the water to dabble. He really isn't much of a food grower, but he brags about the dairy he can walk to where they sell fresh cheese for cheap.
Ordered! Can't wait to get it.
Thank you!
Congratulations! I’ve been waiting for this since you first mentioned it. Already purchased and looking forward to reading it!
Congratulations! I have the book on order here in Australia and can't wait to read it.
Excited to read this!
Good luck with your book Peco!
Thanks Caroline—and thanks also for your own writing, which is so insightful and vivid and raises the bar for everybody (in a good way)!
Congratulations, Peco! I’ll be ordering it today, with confident and happy anticipation 😍 It is heartening that creators like you are publishing, glory to God!
My copy arrived today! Just in time to read on the airplane tomorrow... :-)
No Kindle version?
Good question. Here's what the Ignatius website says: "Our ebooks are available in .epub format. For the non-technical among us, .epub is a standard ebook format that works on all kinds of devices including Kindle, Nook, Sony e-reader, Kobo e-reader, iOS, Android, Windows, or Apple computer."
However, I will double-check with the publisher and get back to you!
I’ve seen the option to download as kindle on free book sites, but I don’t understand how to get it to the kindle reader .
I haven’t heard back from the publisher yet (they’ve slowed operations due to vacation days), but Amazon itself offers a page where e-pub can be converted to
Kindle format, here:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/sendtokindle
So that is a possibility, if you hadn’t considered it.
Congratulations on this monumental achievement! Looking forward to reading it!
Congratulations! I’ve been waiting for this to come out and can’t wait to get my hands on a copy!
I wrote a similarly themed novel (Metanoia - a short history of the 21st Century, available from Lulu.com) but in my version the Machine collapses catastrophically and soon - so far my timeline has proved pretty accurate, including a pandemic in 2020 - and I explore the (hopeful) ways humanity might survive and recover. I shall get your ebook and compare notes 😊
Yay! I've always found your writing to be worth my time, Peco. Looking forward to this. Is it appropriate to read with my teenage kids or should I read it myself first?
Good question. While I couldn’t answer for another parent, here are the “moral” specifications of the novel, so to speak, that typical parents might want to know ahead of time:
(1) There’s no foul language in English, although there are a few non-foul curses that occur in other languages (e.g., Latin dialect).
(2) There’s a bit of violence, but not excessively.
(3) There are a few abstract references to sex.
(4) There’s a brief reference to actual sex in Chapter 10 (in one sentence), but no graphic description.
(5) Sex is referred to in Chapter 18 in 2-3 sentences, but is not graphically described.
I hope that’s helpful!
Thanks! that is very helpful. seems perfectly appropriate for teens... they are grappling with these topics about what makes us human etc. for sure.
While sex is part of reality, and part of the story, the last thing I wanted to do was to titillate readers in a cheap tactic to hold their attention. It’s done so often in books and films that it feels emotionally manipulative.
A very good read - shame it was over so quickly. Would have liked to hear more about the Benédites
Glad you enjoyed it!
The Benedites are an interesting people, but in most ways we—our society at present—is much more like the Lantuans.
which I completely understand (that the Lantuans are uncomfortably like us, or where we may be headed) and which is why I wanted to hear more about how the Benedites are a better (and achievable) alternative
Thanks, David. This gives me things to think about...