The author, a
scant year younger than me and a native of Russian, has created an American
dystopia that feels like it's only days away. Our hero, Lenny Abramov, is one
of the few readers left in a post-literate age and chronicles his life in what
may be the last diary in the world. Lenny is well-off – he sells life-extension
plans to the wealthy – but he's at least two large, social steps behind his
media-savvy friends who broadcast their every move and interaction for the
at-home audience.