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The Dog Logic Triptych #2
Water Memory
And that's the funny thing about the end of the world, they never tell you how long it's going to take. Too bad they couldn't be more specific.
The earth's magnetic poles have reversed and civilization has just had its clock reset to the great cosmic flashing 12:00am from almost a million years ago, and humanity, and everybody in it, is pretty much forgetting everything it learned since the last time.
Everybody except Hertell Daggett, who remembers pretty much everything because he'd once been shot in the head - the doctors got the bullet out, but missed a few tiny specks of copper that remained, floating inside his brain, connecting him to the things everybody else on earth is slowly forgetting.
Hertell sees an opportunity to start civilization all over again, and maybe even get it right this time. What could possibly go wrong?
The earth's magnetic poles have reversed and civilization has just had its clock reset to the great cosmic flashing 12:00am from almost a million years ago, and humanity, and everybody in it, is pretty much forgetting everything it learned since the last time.
Everybody except Hertell Daggett, who remembers pretty much everything because he'd once been shot in the head - the doctors got the bullet out, but missed a few tiny specks of copper that remained, floating inside his brain, connecting him to the things everybody else on earth is slowly forgetting.
Hertell sees an opportunity to start civilization all over again, and maybe even get it right this time. What could possibly go wrong?
- GenresFictionScience Fiction
ebook
Published September 1, 2023
201 people are currently reading
166 people want to read
About the author
Tom Strelich
2 books44 followersI was born into a family of professional wrestlers, raised in Bakersfield, California, and my writing career began on a dare from a theatre director, which worked out well since I wasn't a very good actor anyway. My award-winning novels include, Dog Logic and Water Memory (Dog Logic sequel). I have one screen credit, Out There (Showtime), and my plays include BAFO (Best and Final Offer) which had its world premiere at South Coast Repertory and its New York premiere at the American Place Theatre (APT); Dog Logic, which also had its world premiere at South Coast Repertory and won a Kennedy Center Fund For New American Plays award for its New York premiere at the APT (and was also the seed for the novel); and Neon Psalms, winner of the Dramatists Guild/CBS New Play Award for its world premiere at the Magic Theatre in San Francisco and its New York premiere at the APT. Honors include a National Endowment for the Arts grant for playwrights and commissions from South Coast Repertory and the Actors Theatre of Louisville.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
March 13, 2023
Well, I certainly enjoyed Dog Logic, and I couldn’t fathom how Tom Strelich could resurrect the family of Mustad Seed including Hertell Daggett. But he did it! I delighted in getting to know his characters, finding their humanity, their humor, their background in Dog Logic, and leaning into them more in Water Memory. You don’t need to have read Dog Logic before you read Water Memory, but after you finish Water Memory, you’ll want to go back and learn their story even more. They do stand alone, but like jelly, it’s good on its own, but it’s just better with Peanut Butter. Streilch compels us into his characters and then sprinkles in his dry sense of humor, which I agree with the NY Times when they call it ‘shaggy.’ As with Dog Logic, Streilch continues to skewer all our biases, our ‘golden calves,’ or idols, and even our beliefs. Nothing is left appropriately (and VERY humorously) un-skewered. Not politics, religion, history, science and technology. As I was reading both Dog Logic and Water Memory, I kept looking for Streilch to reflect my own humanity and laughed out-loud (many times) when he took my ‘golden calves,’ and rightly shredded them. All of this Streilich weaves a love story between characters that is more than just romance of family, but real caring (and very humorously too). Hertell loves his family, his adopted community of Mustard Seed, his friends. He cares and his characters care for him as well. I’m glad I read the first two books of this triptych and can’t wait for the final act! I can say, I didn’t see how Water Memory would end (the climax is hysterical), but now I can’t wait for the final act and see where Streilch takes Hertell and the rest of Mustard Seed!
March 9, 2023
Tom Strelich's thought provoking Water Memory chronicles fluidity of memory as a means to erase all that is bad and embrace all that is good. Perhaps lacking a similar Orwellian-like high jacking of thought or memories, a polar reversal initiated conditions where forgetting could result in societal bliss. Strelich's character and sole keeper of history, Hertell Daggett, shoulders great responsibility to add good memories to the blissful tabula rasa of humanity's collective memory that vanished with the polar reversal. As a reader and being drawn into the story, I'm conflicted about losing my “precious memories and how they linger.” I highly recommend Water Memory.
December 6, 2023
Funny. Heart warming. Profound. It’s just a beautiful read.
December 31, 2025
A Must Read for 2025!
Tom Strelich is paying attention....are you? More, please! Read Dog Logic first. I hope Tom has a blog. Why do I have to write two more words?
CHAPTER 7
Highlight (pink) - Page 44
scientists had rational explanations for those kinds of feelings, that they were merely a biological mechanism, an evolutionary expedient to improve genetic fitness, whatever that was, and ensure the successful preservation and propagation of the species. That “love” was a mere illusion, but that those who had the illusion were more likely to survive and pass the useful illusion on to future generations who would similarly thrive and pass it along.
CHAPTER 20
Highlight (pink) - Page 111
generally uncomfortable with the whole concept of praying out loud since it seemed to be an impertinent public request for a favor from some celestial favor bank, a bank where you never knew your balance, or what counted as a debit, or a credit.
CHAPTER 36
Highlight (pink) - Page 189
The AI shaped and spun the story for every conceivable social, cultural, and political bubble that could be identified or otherwise conjured from the tracks and scat piles of a trillion clicks and taps and swipes left- and- right, so that each bubble could have its every fear fueled, every bias confirmed, and every conceit justified.
Highlight (pink) - Page 189
The people in the bubbles didn’t even know that they were in a bubble, but the math knew what they needed to see, read, watch, and hear, and it obliged. The bubbles were quite reassuring since everything within them seemed to be reasonable and rational, where beliefs were shared, and common truths were held to be self- evident and therefore undeniable except to those too stupid, or too stubborn, or too evil to share.
Highlight (pink) - Page 189
the collective perceived truth was so infinitely malleable and ductile that it could be heated, hammered, and stretched into any shape any bubble required.
CHAPTER 37
Highlight (pink) - Page 193
The universe doesn’t give a shit if we’re here or not, or if we’re aware of it, or marvel at it, or know how it works with big bangs and black holes and dark matter and all the math.
CHAPTER 45
Highlight (pink) - Page 226
Joint Committee on Sensitivity, Hate, Inclusion and Tolerance, a diverse and intergenerational admixture of withering scowls, toothy smiles, chin- tucks, and botoxed foreheads
CHAPTER 47
Highlight (pink) - Page 237
been troubled by the presence of such phrases in the Bible since the whole notion of having to preface a statement with assurances that it wasn’t bullshit suggests that it was bullshit the rest of the time unless otherwise indicated. Either you’re telling the truth or you’re not, so there shouldn’t be any need to signify which was which, especially in the Bible, and especially for the Son of God and everything.
Tom Strelich is paying attention....are you? More, please! Read Dog Logic first. I hope Tom has a blog. Why do I have to write two more words?
CHAPTER 7
Highlight (pink) - Page 44
scientists had rational explanations for those kinds of feelings, that they were merely a biological mechanism, an evolutionary expedient to improve genetic fitness, whatever that was, and ensure the successful preservation and propagation of the species. That “love” was a mere illusion, but that those who had the illusion were more likely to survive and pass the useful illusion on to future generations who would similarly thrive and pass it along.
CHAPTER 20
Highlight (pink) - Page 111
generally uncomfortable with the whole concept of praying out loud since it seemed to be an impertinent public request for a favor from some celestial favor bank, a bank where you never knew your balance, or what counted as a debit, or a credit.
CHAPTER 36
Highlight (pink) - Page 189
The AI shaped and spun the story for every conceivable social, cultural, and political bubble that could be identified or otherwise conjured from the tracks and scat piles of a trillion clicks and taps and swipes left- and- right, so that each bubble could have its every fear fueled, every bias confirmed, and every conceit justified.
Highlight (pink) - Page 189
The people in the bubbles didn’t even know that they were in a bubble, but the math knew what they needed to see, read, watch, and hear, and it obliged. The bubbles were quite reassuring since everything within them seemed to be reasonable and rational, where beliefs were shared, and common truths were held to be self- evident and therefore undeniable except to those too stupid, or too stubborn, or too evil to share.
Highlight (pink) - Page 189
the collective perceived truth was so infinitely malleable and ductile that it could be heated, hammered, and stretched into any shape any bubble required.
CHAPTER 37
Highlight (pink) - Page 193
The universe doesn’t give a shit if we’re here or not, or if we’re aware of it, or marvel at it, or know how it works with big bangs and black holes and dark matter and all the math.
CHAPTER 45
Highlight (pink) - Page 226
Joint Committee on Sensitivity, Hate, Inclusion and Tolerance, a diverse and intergenerational admixture of withering scowls, toothy smiles, chin- tucks, and botoxed foreheads
CHAPTER 47
Highlight (pink) - Page 237
been troubled by the presence of such phrases in the Bible since the whole notion of having to preface a statement with assurances that it wasn’t bullshit suggests that it was bullshit the rest of the time unless otherwise indicated. Either you’re telling the truth or you’re not, so there shouldn’t be any need to signify which was which, especially in the Bible, and especially for the Son of God and everything.
December 16, 2023
Strelich's humor in this novel ends up being too much of a good thing. Some parts are laugh outloud funny, and the political commentary is both absurd and realistic. However, the novel as a whole is a tiresome, confusing mess because Strelich is trying too hard to be profound.
This novel continues the tale started in "Dog Logic." An earthquake-caused flood in the hidden chambers of the underground city forces its inhabitants to the Earth's surface. After they get over their fears of falling into the sky that they haven't seen for a decade, they are cherished and honored. It helps that the Earth's polarity reversal is wreaking havoc on almost everyone's memory. First, they have trouble remembering common words, then they forget huge swaths of history, and many can't recognize their own faces or they see their faces on everyone else's head. One of the main characters, Herbert, is believed to be the son of God, and he decides to take advantage of his new status to create a society that is unplagued by memories of their previous misdeeds. Because of copper particles being left in his head after he was shot in the head, he may be the only person on Earth who actually remembers everything, and he's going to keep that to himself.
This novel continues the tale started in "Dog Logic." An earthquake-caused flood in the hidden chambers of the underground city forces its inhabitants to the Earth's surface. After they get over their fears of falling into the sky that they haven't seen for a decade, they are cherished and honored. It helps that the Earth's polarity reversal is wreaking havoc on almost everyone's memory. First, they have trouble remembering common words, then they forget huge swaths of history, and many can't recognize their own faces or they see their faces on everyone else's head. One of the main characters, Herbert, is believed to be the son of God, and he decides to take advantage of his new status to create a society that is unplagued by memories of their previous misdeeds. Because of copper particles being left in his head after he was shot in the head, he may be the only person on Earth who actually remembers everything, and he's going to keep that to himself.
October 16, 2023
A very funny, imaginative, and surprisingly prophetic novel. Can’t wait for the binge-inducing, multi-year series!
December 13, 2022
Spoiler Alert—Strelich’s done it again.
Water Memory picks up where Dog Logic left off, and doesn’t miss a beat. The hysterical-realism that characterized Strelich’s first novel finds new life in a speculative, near-future, plausible sci-fi apocalypse story that’s as funny as it is beatific. In a nutshell, the magnetic poles of the earth have reversed in a once-per-million-year phenomenon (Brunhes-Matuyama), flipping everybody’s compasses around and, strangely, sparking a sudden, global epidemic of motherf*****g Alzheimer’s. Implausibly, zaniness ensues.
And the charade just gets crazier from there. The novel is replete with all the same things that made Dog Logic so remarkable—stunning setpieces, reality-beggaring stunts, thorough explanations behind those stunts, both scientific and purely logical (codified by the televangelist as “rational miracles”), and a cast of staunchly likeable characters traversing the otherwise insane topography they find themselves in. The dark satire that suffuses the novel’s setting seems to come naturally to Strelich, but he’s no malingerer. The culture war between fanatical evangelicalism and fanatical postmodern ethics is hardbaked into the landscape, but Strelich projects the circus a couple political upheavals down his speculative timeline, counterbalancing his social critique with sheer lunacy, often to hilarious effect. The enduring thing about the book is the same thing that endures with Hertell, and with Hillary Sweetser, and her partner Donnie, who are investigating the global memory lapses from the surface side: a compassionate commitment to look for solutions in the face of insurmountable problems. A beautiful and touching irony is achieved in Hillary and Donnie’s mutually unspoken assumptions of the other’s unavoidable slip into cognitive decay, and their commitment to see it to the end. It’s in the spirit of the whole Mustard Seed colony. It’s the redemption of existentialism, a smiling Sisyphus; it’s a glass half full of a pessimist’s wet dream. Through all the media-heightened hysteria, End-of-Days insanity, and the legitimate Alzheimer’s epidemic (which is manifesting other unusual symptoms in the meantime), and furthermore through the PR team trying to spin it all into a political campaign, Hertell pursues a truly beatific vision of filling in the gaps in humanity’s crumbling memory with love, like water’s inoculating memory (as theorized by homeopaths, and metaphorized by Hertell). The inherent humanism of it cuts through the satire like a knife.
Like Dog Logic before it, Water Memory is richly conceived, compulsively entertaining, and thoroughly brilliant.
Water Memory picks up where Dog Logic left off, and doesn’t miss a beat. The hysterical-realism that characterized Strelich’s first novel finds new life in a speculative, near-future, plausible sci-fi apocalypse story that’s as funny as it is beatific. In a nutshell, the magnetic poles of the earth have reversed in a once-per-million-year phenomenon (Brunhes-Matuyama), flipping everybody’s compasses around and, strangely, sparking a sudden, global epidemic of motherf*****g Alzheimer’s. Implausibly, zaniness ensues.
And the charade just gets crazier from there. The novel is replete with all the same things that made Dog Logic so remarkable—stunning setpieces, reality-beggaring stunts, thorough explanations behind those stunts, both scientific and purely logical (codified by the televangelist as “rational miracles”), and a cast of staunchly likeable characters traversing the otherwise insane topography they find themselves in. The dark satire that suffuses the novel’s setting seems to come naturally to Strelich, but he’s no malingerer. The culture war between fanatical evangelicalism and fanatical postmodern ethics is hardbaked into the landscape, but Strelich projects the circus a couple political upheavals down his speculative timeline, counterbalancing his social critique with sheer lunacy, often to hilarious effect. The enduring thing about the book is the same thing that endures with Hertell, and with Hillary Sweetser, and her partner Donnie, who are investigating the global memory lapses from the surface side: a compassionate commitment to look for solutions in the face of insurmountable problems. A beautiful and touching irony is achieved in Hillary and Donnie’s mutually unspoken assumptions of the other’s unavoidable slip into cognitive decay, and their commitment to see it to the end. It’s in the spirit of the whole Mustard Seed colony. It’s the redemption of existentialism, a smiling Sisyphus; it’s a glass half full of a pessimist’s wet dream. Through all the media-heightened hysteria, End-of-Days insanity, and the legitimate Alzheimer’s epidemic (which is manifesting other unusual symptoms in the meantime), and furthermore through the PR team trying to spin it all into a political campaign, Hertell pursues a truly beatific vision of filling in the gaps in humanity’s crumbling memory with love, like water’s inoculating memory (as theorized by homeopaths, and metaphorized by Hertell). The inherent humanism of it cuts through the satire like a knife.
Like Dog Logic before it, Water Memory is richly conceived, compulsively entertaining, and thoroughly brilliant.
March 22, 2023
Water Memory (re)acquaints us with Hertell Daggett Jr. who was once a celebrated physicist. A stray bullet to the head, among other circumstances, left him only qualified to manage Li’l Pal Heaven, a forty acre pet cemetery located above a vast system of lava tubes in Bakersfield, California.
Some readers will recall Hank Devereaux Jr., the main character in Richard Russo’s 1997 novel, Straight Man. Is it a coincidence that these two protagonists are both H.D’s and juniors? Perhaps. Back then, Hank Devereaux shined a cynic’s light on the absurdities of our world, but decades have passed and Hank wouldn’t recognize it…wouldn’t be up to the task of explaining it to us. That is, if he were allowed to, which is questionable given that today’s world has rocketed beyond the boundaries of Russo’s satire. No, for today’s task we need Hertell, who is called upon to save civilization, but not after the apocalypse we’re all counting on.
We experience near-future America through Hertell’s eyes. He’s familiar with the America you and I currently inhabit though he willingly departed it in Strelich’s 2017 debut novel, Dog Logic (bit of a spoiler there). Hertell and his people are resurrected (in a sense) roughly a decade into the future. Our political system has been replaced with an even clumsier, low-res copy. Our lawn mowers have been replaced with robots. And best of all, our collective history has been replaced with, well, nothing.
A rather routine magnetic pole reversal is rapidly eroding humans’ long-term memories. Hertell is exempt from the worldwide reset owing to that traumatic brain injury he suffered decades back. While uniquely qualified to guide humanity through its reset, Hertell isn’t sure he wants the job. Not under the circumstances, which include being a family man, having celebrity thrust upon him, and a congressional subpoena.
With apologies to Arthur C. Clarke, a miracle is just a scientific event we don't understand yet. Strelich artfully winds this theme around Hertell like a cord around a top, then yanks it off and sends him spinning through our silly society, ungracefully but divinely.
Though set in the near-future, Water Memory is suffused with elements that serve to hold up the mirror, showing us how we live in the present. As evidence I humbly submit to you the title of chapter 26: Prosopagnosia. This neurological ailment renders its victims unable to recognize the people they know the best, including themselves.
But please don’t chalk up Strelich’s world as mere satire. Satirical? Yes, you will laugh out loud. Pure satire? No. Water Memory is much richer and purer that that. Strelich has concocted a familiar semi-sci-fi setting with industrious, damaged, absorbing inhabitants who have a dazzling, terrifying gift thrust upon them: The chance to start over.
Some readers will recall Hank Devereaux Jr., the main character in Richard Russo’s 1997 novel, Straight Man. Is it a coincidence that these two protagonists are both H.D’s and juniors? Perhaps. Back then, Hank Devereaux shined a cynic’s light on the absurdities of our world, but decades have passed and Hank wouldn’t recognize it…wouldn’t be up to the task of explaining it to us. That is, if he were allowed to, which is questionable given that today’s world has rocketed beyond the boundaries of Russo’s satire. No, for today’s task we need Hertell, who is called upon to save civilization, but not after the apocalypse we’re all counting on.
We experience near-future America through Hertell’s eyes. He’s familiar with the America you and I currently inhabit though he willingly departed it in Strelich’s 2017 debut novel, Dog Logic (bit of a spoiler there). Hertell and his people are resurrected (in a sense) roughly a decade into the future. Our political system has been replaced with an even clumsier, low-res copy. Our lawn mowers have been replaced with robots. And best of all, our collective history has been replaced with, well, nothing.
A rather routine magnetic pole reversal is rapidly eroding humans’ long-term memories. Hertell is exempt from the worldwide reset owing to that traumatic brain injury he suffered decades back. While uniquely qualified to guide humanity through its reset, Hertell isn’t sure he wants the job. Not under the circumstances, which include being a family man, having celebrity thrust upon him, and a congressional subpoena.
With apologies to Arthur C. Clarke, a miracle is just a scientific event we don't understand yet. Strelich artfully winds this theme around Hertell like a cord around a top, then yanks it off and sends him spinning through our silly society, ungracefully but divinely.
Though set in the near-future, Water Memory is suffused with elements that serve to hold up the mirror, showing us how we live in the present. As evidence I humbly submit to you the title of chapter 26: Prosopagnosia. This neurological ailment renders its victims unable to recognize the people they know the best, including themselves.
But please don’t chalk up Strelich’s world as mere satire. Satirical? Yes, you will laugh out loud. Pure satire? No. Water Memory is much richer and purer that that. Strelich has concocted a familiar semi-sci-fi setting with industrious, damaged, absorbing inhabitants who have a dazzling, terrifying gift thrust upon them: The chance to start over.
November 6, 2024
“Water Memory” by Tom Strelich is a genre-defying novel with elements of abstract fiction, satire, and existential reflection. Set in a world where Earth’s magnetic poles have reversed, the novel explores the bizarre consequences of this cosmic event on human memory. It dives into the chaos of a society grappling with forgetting everything it once knew. The novel’s mind-blowing concept is immediately appealing as it draws the reader into a world of the ultimate reset, a metaphorical flashing “12:00 am” moment. The big question of “What would happen if humanity was forced to start over?” is answered throughout this incredible novel.
The story follows Hertell Daggett, a man with a bullet wound in his head, who retains his memories while everyone else gradually loses theirs. This unique twist sets Hertell apart as a sort of reluctant savior, tasked with rebuilding civilization from scratch. The juxtaposition of such a tragic and comic perspective is demonstrated as he navigates through his world. Strelich skillfully uses Hertell’s condition as a metaphor for memory, identity, and the fragile nature of progress. When I say this book is impeccably written, I mean it to my core. The way Strelich balances the tragedy and comedy throughout the novel is truly a work of art.
Perhaps my favorite aspect of this book is the tone. The novel is at once darkly comedic and profoundly thought-provoking, offering moments of dry humor, even as the author delves into weighty themes like the consequences of forgetting history and the inevitability of human folly. The world Strelich creates feels familiar yet eerily detached, reflecting our present anxieties about technology, memory, and the end of the world as we know it.
Another aspect that I love about this novel is the satirical voice. Strelich has a unique eye for the absurdities of modern life, and his portrayal of a society struggling with a gradual erosion of knowledge is both funny and unsettling. It would be tremendously difficult to digest if it wasn’t so humorous. The quirks of the characters are memorable, with Hertell serving as an everyman figure caught in an extraordinary situation. Strelich’s use of sharp, witty dialogue keeps the reader engaged, even as the plot ventures into philosophical and speculative territory.
The story is a look at the human memory—what we choose to remember, what we forget, and the ways in which our collective history shapes our identity. For readers who love fiction that challenges genre constraints while maintaining a sharp satirical edge, “Water Memory” is a must-read. With Strelich balancing humor with deep, existential questions, this novel proves to be not only thought-provoking but an altogether enjoyable ride. Fans of Kurt Vonnegut or Philip K. Dick will surely enjoy this book.
The story follows Hertell Daggett, a man with a bullet wound in his head, who retains his memories while everyone else gradually loses theirs. This unique twist sets Hertell apart as a sort of reluctant savior, tasked with rebuilding civilization from scratch. The juxtaposition of such a tragic and comic perspective is demonstrated as he navigates through his world. Strelich skillfully uses Hertell’s condition as a metaphor for memory, identity, and the fragile nature of progress. When I say this book is impeccably written, I mean it to my core. The way Strelich balances the tragedy and comedy throughout the novel is truly a work of art.
Perhaps my favorite aspect of this book is the tone. The novel is at once darkly comedic and profoundly thought-provoking, offering moments of dry humor, even as the author delves into weighty themes like the consequences of forgetting history and the inevitability of human folly. The world Strelich creates feels familiar yet eerily detached, reflecting our present anxieties about technology, memory, and the end of the world as we know it.
Another aspect that I love about this novel is the satirical voice. Strelich has a unique eye for the absurdities of modern life, and his portrayal of a society struggling with a gradual erosion of knowledge is both funny and unsettling. It would be tremendously difficult to digest if it wasn’t so humorous. The quirks of the characters are memorable, with Hertell serving as an everyman figure caught in an extraordinary situation. Strelich’s use of sharp, witty dialogue keeps the reader engaged, even as the plot ventures into philosophical and speculative territory.
The story is a look at the human memory—what we choose to remember, what we forget, and the ways in which our collective history shapes our identity. For readers who love fiction that challenges genre constraints while maintaining a sharp satirical edge, “Water Memory” is a must-read. With Strelich balancing humor with deep, existential questions, this novel proves to be not only thought-provoking but an altogether enjoyable ride. Fans of Kurt Vonnegut or Philip K. Dick will surely enjoy this book.
March 19, 2023
Grand Master wit/storyteller Tom Strelich spoofs our hyper-techno, topsy-turvy globe in a brilliantly imagined "geomagnetical polarization reversal" crisis tale that thrills and entertains us with whimsy and wonder. Big Brother governments stockpile silly and dangerous threats to the planet with monstrously mad miscalculations. Desperation digs in as extinction appears inevitable . Logically, only Strelich's Dog Logic underground hero seems suited to dig us out. But even Hertell Daggett appears unready to embark on an amusement park grade ride to solve the world crisis. How can such a major lightweight hitch up his engineering genius like a big boy and deliver gravity defying thrills to his loyal readers? Mystery! Laughs! Wildy inventive characters! Water Memory defies genre labeling, taking us to adrenaline peaks without sinking us to the depths of desperate despair. One thing seems sure. If Hertell Daggett survives this one--we might be up for yet another wild ride from Strelich's imagination.
November 15, 2024
A satiric scifi, Water Memory postulates a world in which people are losing their memories, from forgetting words and how to do things to not recognizing people they’ve known. The causal factor is a reverse in polar magnetism. The plot line follows a group of people who have been living underground in a complex developed in the 1950s–1960s who must emerge when an earthquake causes their home to be flooded. They have been on the surface once before, where they were met with suspicion (and violence) but also forged some supportive relationships. The story is entertaining, although I never quite understood the underlying rationale of how the change in polar magnetism caused the loss of memory. Still, the author is examining how loss of past grievances and hostilities, as well as seeing ourselves in other people (part of the facial recognition aspect of the book) could actually lead to a better and happier society. In his satire, he often ridicules political correctness and diversity, equity, and inclusion issues—to my mind to an extent that I hear an ax grinding.
November 1, 2025
What If the World Forgot Everything? A Deeply Smart and Darkly Funny Novel
Tom Strelich’s "Water Memory" is a thought-provoking novel that explores the fragile nature of memory and identity. Hertell Daggett, the only person who remembers after a global disruption, offers a unique lens on what it means to be human. His struggle highlights the price of forgetting and the weight of memory.
The story’s premise—a magnetic pole reversal that erases collective knowledge—raises profound questions about societal renewal. Could humanity start over and learn from its mistakes, or would it repeat them? Strelich blends dark humor, philosophical insight, and psychological depth to create a compelling narrative that stays with you. "Water Memory" is both a gripping story and a meditation on what we carry forward when everything else is lost.
Tom Strelich’s "Water Memory" is a thought-provoking novel that explores the fragile nature of memory and identity. Hertell Daggett, the only person who remembers after a global disruption, offers a unique lens on what it means to be human. His struggle highlights the price of forgetting and the weight of memory.
The story’s premise—a magnetic pole reversal that erases collective knowledge—raises profound questions about societal renewal. Could humanity start over and learn from its mistakes, or would it repeat them? Strelich blends dark humor, philosophical insight, and psychological depth to create a compelling narrative that stays with you. "Water Memory" is both a gripping story and a meditation on what we carry forward when everything else is lost.
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November 1, 2025What If the World Forgot Everything? A Deeply Smart and Darkly Funny Novel
Tom Strelich’s "Water Memory" is a thought-provoking novel that explores the fragile nature of memory and identity. Hertell Daggett, the only person who remembers after a global disruption, offers a unique lens on what it means to be human. His struggle highlights the price of forgetting and the weight of memory.
The story’s premise—a magnetic pole reversal that erases collective knowledge—raises profound questions about societal renewal. Could humanity start over and learn from its mistakes, or would it repeat them? Strelich blends dark humor, philosophical insight, and psychological depth to create a compelling narrative that stays with you. "Water Memory" is both a gripping story and a meditation on what we carry forward when everything else is lost.
Tom Strelich’s "Water Memory" is a thought-provoking novel that explores the fragile nature of memory and identity. Hertell Daggett, the only person who remembers after a global disruption, offers a unique lens on what it means to be human. His struggle highlights the price of forgetting and the weight of memory.
The story’s premise—a magnetic pole reversal that erases collective knowledge—raises profound questions about societal renewal. Could humanity start over and learn from its mistakes, or would it repeat them? Strelich blends dark humor, philosophical insight, and psychological depth to create a compelling narrative that stays with you. "Water Memory" is both a gripping story and a meditation on what we carry forward when everything else is lost.
May 5, 2024
This is a 3.75 for me. I really like the concepts, most of the characters and the philosophy (the world would be a better place if we all saw a little of ourselves in the people we dealt with). The only thing that set me a little off-kilter is the Idiocracy chaos theory of social behavior. Not that I disagree with it, it’s just not enjoyable for me read / watch.
Hertell’s realizations (or maybe theory?) that the magnetic pole reversal a million years ago caused us to lose the ability to relate to others at a higher level and fall out of Eden, and that the recent pole reversal in the book caused a reversion to that natural state for humanity, is a fun one.
Hertell’s realizations (or maybe theory?) that the magnetic pole reversal a million years ago caused us to lose the ability to relate to others at a higher level and fall out of Eden, and that the recent pole reversal in the book caused a reversion to that natural state for humanity, is a fun one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 29, 2023
Funny, but hard for me to follow…
Loved the humor, but I struggled with connecting the pieces of the story… as it came together, I was surprised at the connections, but it took a lot for me to figure out- lol, maybe I’m obtuse? Parts of it were really fun. I’m not sure why I’m so conflicted, but the religious overtones (Mustard Seed, Son of God) on top of the political/scientific themes were a little hard to unwind. Overall, it made me laugh and the overall message was uplifting which made it a positive read.
Loved the humor, but I struggled with connecting the pieces of the story… as it came together, I was surprised at the connections, but it took a lot for me to figure out- lol, maybe I’m obtuse? Parts of it were really fun. I’m not sure why I’m so conflicted, but the religious overtones (Mustard Seed, Son of God) on top of the political/scientific themes were a little hard to unwind. Overall, it made me laugh and the overall message was uplifting which made it a positive read.
May 10, 2023
Strelich's done it again! Following up the would-be apocalypse of Dog Logic with the apocalypse-adjacent Water Memory, Strelich has once again crafted an extremely entertaining novel that's alternately zany and touching. It's a masterfully technical novel, but it doesn't skimp on plot or humor for all the trouble Strelich put into making his alternate history as plausible--and implausible--as our own. Highly recommended!
September 16, 2023
Wow!
I am blown away! Challenging but never laborious. More visits to the dictionary. So much story here.
No spoilers. Only this, I haven't enjoyed reading a series that sticks with me for life in 51 years. That was when I read A Wrinkle In Time. A series by Madelaine L'Engle. It was for a book report I had to write in 4th grade. I have re-read it a number of times in the last five decades. I feel strongly that I'll be doing the same with this series!
I am blown away! Challenging but never laborious. More visits to the dictionary. So much story here.
No spoilers. Only this, I haven't enjoyed reading a series that sticks with me for life in 51 years. That was when I read A Wrinkle In Time. A series by Madelaine L'Engle. It was for a book report I had to write in 4th grade. I have re-read it a number of times in the last five decades. I feel strongly that I'll be doing the same with this series!
April 13, 2024
Water Memory gave me a new appreciation for this authors intelligence, wit, and story telling prowess. The pace moves along nicely with new twists coming often enough to keep the reader engaged. There are some worrisome commentaries about the world we live in that make you think, mixed with enough humor and laugh out loud moments to keep things light. I tell you truly, I think you'll like this book!
October 14, 2025
A Must Read
Wow! Absolutely loved this book. It was funny and yet a nice way to think about our world and us in the future. Everyone should read this. You can’t put it down. The ideas behind the authors thinking are next level. I was sad to reach the end. I wanted more miracles. I will definitely read more books from this author!
Wow! Absolutely loved this book. It was funny and yet a nice way to think about our world and us in the future. Everyone should read this. You can’t put it down. The ideas behind the authors thinking are next level. I was sad to reach the end. I wanted more miracles. I will definitely read more books from this author!
March 13, 2023
I was privileged to read the book before it was “officially“ released. This is truly an amazingly hysterical and ferociously satirical read! I was in tears multiple times. If you like a (slightly twisted) comedy- READ it! You won’t regret it!
March 13, 2023
Tom Strelich's writing is brilliant in Water Memory, a beautifully written story of Americana loaded with humor, insight, sarcasm, and intrigue. I loved this book. It's refreshing, fun, and moving all at the same time. Highly recommend!
March 29, 2023
High praise for Water Memory! Tom Strelich has knocked it out of the park again with this squeal to Dog Logic. He delightfully pokes fun at contemporary culture in a way that is indiscriminate, hence never offensive.
July 16, 2023
Pretty hilarious sequel to Dog Logic. More shenanigans of Hertell and the Mustard Seeders. Now I'm waiting for the prequel to 'Dog Logic', and what led Mustard Seed folks to think burying themselves underground with no exit strategy was a good idea?
August 31, 2024
I did really enjoy this slightly mad ride! A really great idea, really well written, it is super interesting & really amusing, it had me laughing out loud at times. Great imagery & dare I say it, almost a Terry Pratchett ambiance through out the story! A really great fun read! I do recommend!
October 13, 2024
Water Memory was a fun and contemporary read.
Spoofing contemporary society, especially politics, social media, and religion always grabs my attention. Tom Strelich executes the satire so very well without being heavy.
Spoofing contemporary society, especially politics, social media, and religion always grabs my attention. Tom Strelich executes the satire so very well without being heavy.
November 26, 2025
Can't wait for book 3!
The saga continues. I loved the logical miracles and the hyperprognosia, which I hope makes you want to read this book to find out what the h-e-double hockey sticks that means.
The saga continues. I loved the logical miracles and the hyperprognosia, which I hope makes you want to read this book to find out what the h-e-double hockey sticks that means.
March 12, 2023
Really enjoyed this.
March 20, 2023
Worthy sequel to Dog Logic. Plenty of laughs at our human condition.
January 11, 2024
I totally fell for the probably fake reviews on Goodreads and wasted $8 on this jumble. Nonsensical and pointless. Avoid.
October 7, 2024
completely different genre
The author presented a great story. Different than anything I’ve read. Funny too! I recommend this book to others interested in
The author presented a great story. Different than anything I’ve read. Funny too! I recommend this book to others interested in
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