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Ben Elton – High society (03-052)

Elton is an excellent observer. Apart from that he dares to think out of the ordinary. This combination is a guarantee for original ideas. In High Society he sees that the war on drugs has been lost. Wherever you go around the world, there are always people addicted to drug. But why is one drug taxed (alcohol), another one more or less accepted (marihuana) and yet another one (cocaine) completely forbidden? There doesn’t seem to be any logic in it.

Pop star Tommy Hanson and politician Peter Paget have got more in common than they realise. The last one has the opportunity to change from an anonymous MP to a progressive front runner in the war against drugs. He wants to legalize them. To avoid criminality, to control what happens, to improve the country. At first his ideas were ridiculed, later the ideas find a broad base. It almost seems that the people see the common sense in these wild ideas.

Apart from Tommy and Peter, there is a whole cast of interesting characters involved in this story, all in some way connected to these two and their cry for change in a country that is conservative to say the least.

Elton writes another masterpiece, which is nearly impossible to put down. He is always aware of the time he lives in and knows how to keep his audience happy. One of the best books of this year!

High Society

Date: 2003-11-25 01:55 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] itsmeagain.livejournal.com
Yes, a brilliant book. He has me convinced.

Re: High Society

Date: 2003-11-25 02:13 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] gerbie.livejournal.com
Scary thing is that I have been advocating similar idea´s in a small circle, there really is plenty of common sense behind it. And you know that it really will not depend on the sense, but on the way it is marketed. Scary world we live in.

Re: High Society

Date: 2003-11-26 04:34 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] itsmeagain.livejournal.com
What do you think are the possibilities for this kind of change then? Where will it come from, if it is possible? Will it be a politician? Or any particular group? Or will it be brought on by an event?

Re: High Society

Date: 2003-11-26 02:16 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] gerbie.livejournal.com
I doubt if there is a possibility in the near future. I´m no expert, but I´m afraid that organized crime is even more important than expected. They have their puppets in politics. Something like this wouldn´t even have the chance to make it into the British parliament. The backbencher would have drowned before that, similar like the way Aldo Vini ended in the classic Comic Strip episode. Committing suicide by first tying yourself down, then shoot yourself through the head, while jumping of the tower bridge with his feet in a pile of concrete.

Date: 2003-11-25 02:26 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] elf-meg.livejournal.com
cool, thanks, I will certainly check it out!

Date: 2003-11-26 02:51 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] gerbie.livejournal.com
Have fun!

Date: 2003-11-25 03:30 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] lorelei-aisling.livejournal.com
I love Ben Elton. I've read This Other Eden, Pop Corn and Blast from the Past. No, you can't put down a Ben Elton book. The book you talked about in this post sounds fascinating.

Ben Elton books

Date: 2003-11-26 04:27 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] itsmeagain.livejournal.com
Stick to your hands like glue, don't they?!

Re: Ben Elton books

Date: 2003-11-26 07:40 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] lorelei-aisling.livejournal.com
Absolutely! They've been responsible for me getting to bed at ungodly hours. ;)

Date: 2003-11-26 02:40 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] gerbie.livejournal.com
Still plenty to go:

Stark
Dead Famous
Gridlock
Inconceivable
Gasping
Silly cow


Have fun finding them and reading them.

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