Bald New World (Folio Prize Nominee)

I loved this smart and saavy novel from Peter Tieryas Liu. It kept me on my toes and was hilarious and dark at the same time.

It’s hard to imagine something as deceptively simple as globally affected hair loss as being as galvanizing as it’s shown here, but with some thought, I’d believe it. Hair is something we take for granted. It keeps our heads nice and warm, but in this day and age functions more like a social accessory. Hair, or lack of, is integral to one’s image and, to a larger extent, identity. Surely people riot for less.

To coif or not to coif; the people in Bald New World had no choice. Nick Guan, a cinematographer, is given a rather carefree life by virtue of his close association with a wig mogul turned amateur director. When things take a turn for the worse, he is put thorough pressures that sends seeping from deep inside the tune “Paranoia, paranoia, paranoia…”

Based on the acknowledgements page, I can’t help but wonder whether this is one of those books where the author identifies with the main character, going as far as to graft his psyche into the narrative as a means of emotional immolation or a soul-cleansing immersion of imagined tribulations. Nick Guan is Peter Tieryas Liu and Peter Tieryas Liu is Nick Guan. The themes that scintillate from that simple, endearing acknowledgment flickers throughout the book to culminate in an overriding conceit filled with shame and self-loathing.

This book shines when Liu shows off his writing chops when he departs from Guan’s continual personal melodramatics to describe the dystopian landscape, from the neon drowned Korean Noir imagery to decadent interior designs. You might want to be grateful Bald New World is a fiction because I don’t think our image obsessed culture would survive a global liquidation of follicles. On the other hand… maybe it’s just what we need.

Please read my full review in my blog:

https://anaslair.wordpress.com/2015/03/08/bald-new-world/

Or at GR: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1131328486

Spectacularly Imaginative!

Emotionally Engaging!

Incredible!!!!

Thought-provoking -***ORIGINAL*** - heartfelt!

Marvelous Science Fiction reading ---(even for 'anyone' who rarely reads this genre). Its fantasy at its BEST. The characters and society feel believable.
The story is very touching, blending morality and psychology.

After 'The Great Baldification' (don't you just love this word?), it was the beginning of social change in the 'WORLD'! More marriages ended in divorce. More crime. People were often seen wearing gas masks hooked into their noses. The economy went from bad to worse. Unemployment rates were above 50 percent. Countries went into war. Fashion changes, etc.

Nick and Larry are two 'very' different type of men. They explore the 'Balding World' together. Film making buddies. Larry the leader. Nick the camera man.
Larry is confident with his manhood. He is wealthy and owns one of the most lucrative wig companies in the world which he inherited.
Larry is also always 'open' -'hoping' - and 'looking' to get laid. He is basically a healthy-Sex-thinking-guy! lol And....wants to make the best film. Win an award with Global Entertainment (GEA awards)

Nick grew up learning family was a terrible thing. He never wanted to go home. He wanted to disappear so he could have his freedom. He endured poverty --and a very stricken childhood. He had been kicked out of schools, sent away to a boarding school. A bullied kid.
As an adult --Nick grew up feeling undeserving and unworthy.
He did marry for a short time. He married a woman named Linda. Yet--Nick had a hard time feeling worthy of Linda's love.

Nick was my favorite character ---(charming, real, sad, bright, a man with integrity and courage). He radiated 'love'. (even when he was in pain).

A 'few' times Nick would allow himself to remember the GOOD times. Nick remembered being most happy when he was married to Linda. The only person he loved.

Nick says: (after a hard day), "I could go home and lie in bed with Linda and she'd scratch my back to put me back to sleep and I'd pat her on her shoulders until she got droopy."

Memories of Nick's childhood flooded Nick's adults life. (often of his mother/father/and sister). And, he was everything Larry wasn't. NOT secure with women. He didn't want to 'jump-into-bed' with anyone. He only missed Linda.

However--Nick loved Larry 'like family. Would have done anything for Larry. They had some 'fun' exploring the world together --(and doing film work) . They also experienced the 'culinary heavens' eating Crab in spicy sauce, gumbo soups, Cajun food, Korean BBQ, etc.

I've left out a big part of the main plot (ON PURPOSE) -- You wouldn't want me to give all the excitement -mystery- and action away --would you? ---- but this book is GREAT!!!!! I recommend it to ALL my friends. (male and female).

Two more favorite lines by NICK:

1) "Why was I always working so hard to make people look more beautiful than they really were?"

2) "I pretended like I didn't care about anyone or anything, hiding behind the camera, recording all the things I'd never been able to enjoy. It was my only comfort."

So....if you want to figure out what happens in the world after everyone goes BALD ---you're in for a fun read!!!! Its FRESH & EXCITING!

After the first 20%, I had to go ack and check if this book really was on the folio longlist,it seemed so silly and mass market, ableit with a degree of invention. What this novel became after further reading is a twistdd, unique tale with a very clear cult leaning. Liu mentions his love of movies in the acknowledgements, and their are clear images in the tone of Blade Runner and The Fifth Element littered through this book. It's tone reminds me more of Ballard or even Ellis as of classic scifi writing. It's such a shame the cover and title are so ludicrous, the book itself has real commercial potential.