Peter Taylor-Gooby conjures up a dystopian social science fiction novel and cautionary tale of the near present – think Eric Arthur Blair and 1984 perhaps. Thematically, George Orwell focuses on the consequences of totalitarianism, mass surveillance and life under a repressive regime; while Peter Taylor-Gooby focuses on the cash nexus, greed, and the grim law of the market and the authoritarian state, thus posing pertinent questions about the place of solidarity, trust and altruism: all core issues and concepts on the Social Policy course reader.

In 1984, the protagonist is Winston Smith, the 39-year old everyman who harbours thoughts of rebellion and is curious about the Party’s power and the mysterious leader Big Brother. In A Kinder City, the protagonist is Sarah, a villager who is kind and spirited and sees all of the problems of the city and Market World. Franklin, the richest man in Market World, puts a price on everything. His giant factories produce vehicles (‘road beasts’) that pollute and devastate the land in pursuit of yet more wealth. Franklin’s actions do not take into account the impact he is having on the environment and people’s lives: he is only concerned with contract and profit.

David, a law enforcer who lives in the city, falls in love with Sarah, after she is arrested for trying to share her harvest. Sarah teaches David about fairness and kindness and in the village everyone helps each other. The air’s clearer, food tastes better, and everyone is happy and kinder to each other.

All this is familiar territory for the student of Social Policy of course but in this novel Peter is attempting to take Social Policy beyond the academy; he is trying to reach and influence people who may not necessarily confront the issues and debates of the Social Policy academic – and that is certainly a laudable goal. However, while life in the village may be appealing compared to life in the brutal city, the good place – if not the good life – remains firmly out of reach for most. Perhaps that is the point, to make us think and think again, as many other literary works have done so well.

The novel is a good read, and, as far as the JSP readership is concerned, the short novel could serve as a useful class reading on which to debate the complex issues now facing humanity.