Book Review: The Bell Ringers

[+ Lucky]

The Bell Ringers is a novel by British news reporter Henry Porter, and reads like an intriguing update to 1984. We are aware of the fact that Britain has more CCTV cameras than the rest of Europe combined, and Porter takes the matter further, to a government which has learned to use computerization to follow its citizens and eventually to make democracy a shell of what it is supposed to be. Other authors have written similar books, but Porter knows his stuff, all the laws which Britain enacted similar to our Patriot Act which allows deprivation of rights with no recourse when the government declares the proper emergency.

The Bell Ringers focuses on the apathy of the public as they willingly go along with the new changes in their privacy, constantly willing to share their lives on the internet, constantly willing to declare information never before sought before they can travel or move about the country.

If it wasn't a well-written, interesting book, I wouldn't post about it. I realize that it is political junkies like myself who may be more interested, but any book lover is going to enjoy it.