The biggest population growth is in the developing world, and this tells us that HH didn’t understand the part which says that there is a correlation between affluence and family size. And others aren’t far behind (Shanghai, 24m, Delhi, 21m). But there is now a city – Chongqing – which Wiki tells me has reached 30 million. He predicted the population of NYC would increase from 8 million in 1966 to 35 million in 1999 which is RIDICULOUS. In a one page afterword written in 2008 at the age of 83 HH says : “How right were my predictions? Pretty bad in most of the general details” but then he does say there’s too many damn people and the developed world is soaking up all the planet’s resources. With another copy to be cellotaped to your bedroom mirror. The message of this novel couldn’t be clearer if Harry Harrison personally came round to your house and nailed it to your forehead. *Our hero’s friend is nothing more than a SOCK PUPPET so that Harry Harrison can explain his ideas of how overpopulation killed the USA and will kill the whole human race unless we embrace birth control. People have friends! Even I have friends! Make Room! Make Room!’s two main characters begin with one sort of friend for him* and none for her. (Check the last three novels you read.) I think this is because it would make the story too complicated and annoying for the author & would get in the way of the action. My latest literary insight is that in most novels, especially thrillerish ones, the protagonist has no friends. Willynilly is another of my favourite words. My own favourite word is GALLIMAUFRY but you don’t see me shoehorning it into every review willynilly. If you had a shot of vodka each time he uses the word CHUNK you’d be dead of severe alcoholic poisoning before page 90.

This humble word is Harry Harrison’s absolute favourite. You wouldn’t want to even visit it for ten minutes.

You wouldn’t want to live in this version of New York City. But pretty much everything is now scarce because Americans in the 30 years between 19 ate everything and used up everything whilst all having ten kids who then had another ten kids each, it seems. There are meateasies! This is because you can get your meat but you have to know where. The whole damn country has kind of collapsed. It’s New York City and the population has skyrocketed to 35 million. The main guy who is a cop gets to be really happy for about two pages and after that it’s back to worrying about absolutely everything. Here is a 1966 novel about 1999 which is good, honest, miserable fun.

Novel make room make room