This novel is set in a future of the human race, winding down and pacified by drugs. It focuses on two main characters who break free of that and discover reading, another lost art. The well-written plot has much symbolism also - great for book clubs :)

The author intended this as an anti-drug tale - he died a few years later of lung cancer, brought on by smoking. It is a short novel, and there isn't much to say without spoiling it. The plot has some episodic moments which bear further reflection also.

Walter Tevis has been recently dragged back into the limelight for his story The Queen's Gambit. He also wrote The Hustler and The Man Who Fell to Earth, both turned into films in his lifetime. The Color of Money was also made into a film shortly after his death.

I read the novel this year to meet a 12-book challenge for Robotics and AI novels. I enjoyed the writing and plan to read more from Tevis in the future.