Stale Donuts: A Gender First Among Equals [Paperback]

Christopher Farmer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 11, 2005

Democrahive is the government of the future, a transnational government that emerges from the fires of the Fifth World War. Under the leadership of ‘the board’, the citizens of Democrahive all have jobs, even if many do the jobs of one. Nearly all major diseases like cancer have been cured and the technological progress of humankind has never been stronger. However, there are prices to be paid by the citizen in this new political system, especially for men. Doctor Simon Willdash is one such Democrahive citizen, a microbiologist with the Secular-Washington Department of Agriculture. When a radical animal rights terrorist group unexpectedly unleashes a recombinant virus upon the world, Doctor Simon Willdash is called in by the board to save Democrahive.

Now all Simon has to do is convince himself the system is worth saving.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Christopher J. Farmer is a graduate of the University of New Haven, where he received the degree of Master of Science in National Security and Public Safety—Summa Cum Laude. Prior to his graduate work, he received a degree of Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a minor in History—Summa Cum Laude. He won the 2000 Rollin G. Osterweis Award for Excellence in Political Science. Mr. Farmer is listed in Marquis Who’s Who in America, 2005.

Mr. Farmer writes both fiction and non-fiction, the latter focusing on futurist game theory relating to security issues. He is a specialist in revolutionary movements, terrorism, ideology linguistics and political violence.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: iUniverse, Inc. (March 11, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0595347398
• ISBN-13: 978-0595347391
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,544,215 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Feminist Headache, April 27, 2005

By 

Lorinda Schultz - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Stale Donuts: A Gender First Among Equals (Paperback)

Orwell once said that "people sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf". In the Democrahive of the future, such men no longer exist, or are very few, and all men are subject to rigid controls and reconditioning (such as in the medimasculinity program). The self-evident truths of this world enslave, not liberate, and Democrahive is effectively a totalitarian state-not one based on race or class; but gender. On the surface this book is a `race against time' adventure. Not very far below the surface, it is a brilliant and savage critique of modern feminism, and the institutions in society that support it; as well as an exploration of its trajectory. Surprisingly too, considering all that, it is also at times very funny.

So, can such a State survive a threat from one of those unconditioned `rough men', and do its very tenets contain the seeds of its own destruction? It is well worth finding out the answer to this question, and there is great fun to be had as well in the author's use of language and metaphor to describe the `regimes of truth' in the world he has created. But ardent feminists should probably be warned that they may afterwards be in need of an aspirin and a good lie down. I doubt that they will be sleeping peaceably, however!

5.0 out of 5 stars First Review, April 15, 2005

By 

J Reviews (Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Stale Donuts: A Gender First Among Equals (Paperback)

George Orwell revisited! Democrahive is a future police state that is run by women and only one man, a microbiologist, can save them. ARUGB, a terrorist organization has unleashed a deadly virus that could wipe out 80 percent of the population, and time is quickly running out. What a trial it is for Dr. Simon to find a cure.
Mr. Farmer caught my attention and held it throughout the whole book. Do not forget to read between the lines.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very cleverly written, June 4, 2005

By 

Jessica L. Caisse (Danielson, CT United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Stale Donuts: A Gender First Among Equals (Paperback)

This book had an incredibly interesting concept with women running the world. Men are just scum and can be arrested for merely looking at a women wrong. It really invokes a lot of emotion when you read what they do to men in the justice system. It reminded me of Jewish people being killed during the Holocaust just because of their religion. The reasons are stupid and,in many cases, didn't even happen. The end of the book was incredibly clever and you finally get the title of the book. Chris Farmer needs to write more books like this one. This book really makes you think and certainly makes you grateful for the system we do live in. And as appealing as the thought is of women having more power in the world, nobody should want it to end up the way it does in this book and you can't help having great sympathy for the men and rooting for them throughout this book.