What's the Name of That Book??? discussion

I heard of a novel describing a society where poverty has been eradicated i.e. where those who don't care for accumulation of wealth don't need to do anything and nevertheless have access to free basic necessities i.e. sufficient food, basic shelter and clothes (with no extras, everything is grey). Anyone who wants more than the basic has to earn it. Does anyone know the title or author of this novel?

Could it be Ecotopia?

Could be. Will check some reviews to find out more. Thanks.

There's some of this in The Dispossessed by Ursula LeGuin, but it happens on another planet other than Earth.

I don't know, but I just saw this book go through my feed Childhood's End. The description reads:

Without warning, giant silver ships from deep space appear in the skies above every major city on Earth. Manned by the Overlords, in fifty years, they eliminate ignorance, disease, and poverty. Then this golden age ends--and then the age of Mankind begins....

Daphne wrote: "There's some of this in The Dispossessed by Ursula LeGuin, but it happens on another planet other than Earth."

thanks

Lobstergirl wrote: "I don't know, but I just saw this book go through my feed Childhood's End. The description reads:

Without warning, giant silver ships from deep space appear in the skies above every major city on..."

This is by Arthur C. Clarke who I know well so I know this is not the book I'm looking for. But thanks for reminding me of this book which I want to read. Clarke was a good SF author but his pedophile past did cast a heavy shadow on his reputation.

Manna by Marshall Brain comes up a lot in net discussions of guaranteed income.

A dystopian take on this is Frederic Pohl's Midas World where the poor have to consume tremendous amounts and the rich are those that can be poor.

There's also a set of words which for the life of me that I can't track down which describes basic and earned income. Monay and Donay-one is guaranteed income, the other is wages earned above that through work. The anime fractale uses it, but it's borrowed from somewhere, and maybe this will help with the book.

Giles wrote: Clarke was a good SF author but his pedophile past did cast a heavy shadow on his reputation.

You'll be happy to know that Clarke was cleared of those bogus charges over a decade ago.

Thanks for the good news.

Gilles, are you still looking for this?

Lobstergirl wrote: "Gilles, are you still looking for this?"

yes

Gilles wrote: "I heard of a novel describing a society where poverty has been eradicated i.e. where those who don't care for accumulation of wealth don't need to do anything and nevertheless have access to free b..."

Mack Reynolds wrote a lot about economic issues (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mack_Rey...) and guaranteed income in his science fiction - this could be one of his.

A possibility. Shades of Grey: The Road to High Saffron
(this is NOT one of the 50 Shades of Grey books, idk everyone seems to think it is?)

I'm not sure how much emphasis is put on the money and economics, but almost everything is seen in grey.

Caliban's War, the 2nd book in the Expanse series by James SA Corey, has this happening on Earth. People can go on "basic" which provides necessary to live items, or they can work a job for a few years and that earns them the chance to go to college for higher education and a career.

It's not a big part of the story though, just kind of explained as part of the world building during a bunch of political stuff.

Stupid Perfect World by Scott Westerfeld?

When LeGuin wrote The Dispossessed, she was partly inspired by this (nonfiction) book: Paul Goodman, Communitas: Means of Livelihood & Ways of Life which talks about the guaranteed income thing.

Still looking now?

Yes, still looking. Thank you.

Gilles, did you eliminate all the books suggested above, or do you need more information about some of them?