3.5
Trouble with Lichen
ByPublisher Description
A “sharp, amusing story” (The Guardian) about the fountain of youth and its implications for women’s rights, by one of the twentieth century’s most brilliant—and neglected—science fiction and horror writers, whom Stephen King called “the best writer of science fiction that England has ever produced.”
“It was a genius move for John Wyndham to center an age-slowing narrative on women, who are still today pressured to remain youthful-looking forever, or succumb to social invisibility. . . . Wyndham was uniquely gifted at skewering humankind’s foibles while maintaining a shred of hope that our better angels would prevail.”—Kate Folk, from the introduction
What if humans discovered the secret to prolonged life?
Francis Saxover and Diana Brackley, two biochemists investigating a rare lichen, separately discover that it has a remarkable property: It slows the aging process almost to a halt. Francis, realizing the horrifying implications of an ever-youthful wealthy elite, decides to keep his findings a secret. But the younger and more daring Diana sees an opportunity to overturn the male status quo and free women from the career-versus-children binary—in short, a chance to remake the world.
“It was a genius move for John Wyndham to center an age-slowing narrative on women, who are still today pressured to remain youthful-looking forever, or succumb to social invisibility. . . . Wyndham was uniquely gifted at skewering humankind’s foibles while maintaining a shred of hope that our better angels would prevail.”—Kate Folk, from the introduction
What if humans discovered the secret to prolonged life?
Francis Saxover and Diana Brackley, two biochemists investigating a rare lichen, separately discover that it has a remarkable property: It slows the aging process almost to a halt. Francis, realizing the horrifying implications of an ever-youthful wealthy elite, decides to keep his findings a secret. But the younger and more daring Diana sees an opportunity to overturn the male status quo and free women from the career-versus-children binary—in short, a chance to remake the world.
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3.5
TheSanch
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Willow J.
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“"Trouble with Lichen" is a science fiction novel by John Wyndham published in 1960. What a fun book this was! Set in a near-future England, the novel follows the groundbreaking discovery of a lichen species with extraordinary properties. This lichen dramatically slows down the aging process, granting its users extended youth and vitality.
So what to do with it? If some day you were sitting around wondering whether lichen could make people live longer (I don't know why you would be), and decided to try it and see and it actually worked (I don't know why it would), what would you do? Would you sell it in some kind of form, capsule or powder perhaps and become tremendously wealthy? The next Elon Musk perhaps? (Please don't do that). And that's what the book is about. What to do with the lichen, that's the trouble. It's fun, slightly confusing, but fun.”august
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Beal0038
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Natalie Massey
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About John Wyndham
John Wyndham (1903–1969) is considered a pioneer of science fiction and horror, though he preferred to think of himself as a “logical fantasist.” He began writing science fiction and detective stories in the 1920s, but shifted to science fiction post-WWII, focusing on themes of disaster, invasion, and first contact. His best-known works include The Day of the Triffids (1951) and The Midwich Cuckoos (1957). A pacifist and socialist, Wyndham was alive to the impact of sexism, classism, and prejudice and his novels reflect his liberal politics.
Other books by John Wyndham
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