WHAT NOT

With an evident love of language and a deft ear for biting humor, Clare Corbett has a field day narrating this delightfully inventive 1918 social satire, which savages eugenics, education, bureaucracy, and gender roles, among other hot topics of the early twentieth century. The premise is simple: To avoid the disaster of another Great War (WWI) the "Ministry of Brains" is created. Intelligence is ranked from A to C with only the best and the brightest certified to procreate. But where does true love fit in? Rose Macaulay is no longer a household name, which is a shame. She obviously influenced Huxley, Orwell, and possibly even Monty Python. With Corbett's warm, intelligent performance, this charming dystopia should not be missed. B.P. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2024]