Bibliographic Information:
Title: Feed
Author / Narrator: M.T. Anderson / David Aaron Baker
Publisher: Listening Library
Copyright Date: 2002
Reading Level / Interest Level: Min/Max grade levels 8-12 (Novelist).
Genre / Format: Dystopian Fiction, Science Fiction/ Audiobook
Themes: Relationships, Teenage Consumerism
Awards or Honors: Edwards Award (2019)
Plot Summary: Titus has access to everything at all time and this information is fed directly to his brain. This is all thanks to the feed, a device that is implanted in your brain at a young age. This small device is always on and makes life so convenient by providing you with any information you could ever need, including personalized ads for things you don't really need but find yourself buying to feel whole. The feed is always on. At a party on the moon, Titus and his friends run into a mysterious girl, Violet, who begins to speak about resisting the feed and creating a personality that the feed cannot categorize. Then suddenly, the feed is not on. For a brief minute, Titus and Violet are hacked by a stranger, causing their feeds to temporarily malfunction. However for Violet, the malfunction is not temporary and her feed begins to break down with each passing day. Titus and Violet navigate their romantic feelings in a world where voices and images are constantly bombarding you and the world seems to be decaying. But that's fine because the feed is always on and it will simply distract you with the next trend.
Author Background: M.T. Anderson is an award winning writer of children and young adult novels in a variety of genres, including dystopian science fiction. He is recognized as an advocate for youth and believes that young adults are constantly underestimated and are far more mature than most give them credit for. He believes in the power of empathy and its ability to make the world a better place (Prince, 2009).
Critical Evaluation for Books and Non-Print Items: This was a really enjoyable listen. I must emphasize the LISTEN part. I tried reading the book and could not get through the first chapter. I found the writing style to be confusing and the teen vernacular was jarring and nonsensical. However, listening to it made everything click and elevated the experience to another level. One of the consequences of the feed is the degradation of language; this made it really difficult for me to follow the text on paper. The narrator of the audiobook however, performs the story so well that you stop worrying about making sense of every shortened word you're reading and you can simply take in the vibes. Another great thing the audiobook does far better than the book format is the presentation of the advertisements. Characters in this story are constantly being fed advertisements directly to their heads; we as the listeners get to experience what that is like. The story will sometimes randomly be interrupted by an advertisement, making it hard to concentrate; imagine having to deal with that all the time. The audiobook does a great job of capturing the sense of urgency and invasiveness of these advertisements, overwhelming the listener with noise.
Creative Use for a Library Program: Create Your Own 30-Second (invasive) Advertisement
Teens will create a short advertisement for a fictional product or service that they would design for the feed. They will utilize professional-grade microphones and audio-editing software to create their project. This salesman-style, elevator speech activity can be a good way for teens to practice effective communication.
Speed-Round Book Talk or Short Book Trailer: The feed is always on and it knows you better than you know yourself. The feed lives inside your brain and it makes all information available to you, instantly. Who would ever resist this convenience? This convenience blinds and comes at a price. This is an eerily relevant satire taking place in a dystopian future-- you'll be surprised how close it hits to home.
Potential Challenge Issues and Defense Preparation: Some parents may be concerned and put off by the (frequent) use of profanity and crass language. I would argue that the author is not writing in this manner to offend but to make a point. Within the context of the story, the constant swearing makes sense: these characters are teens and teenagers do in fact swear. However, the overall message of the story, if anything, is anti-swearing, or at least it's against the deterioration of the English language.
Reason for Inclusion: The romance between Titus and Violet takes place in a world where information is constantly feeding into your basic desires, encouraging you to consume and forget about the rest. The feed is always on and constantly watching you, learning more about you, and selling you more things you may like based on your personality profile. The feed would like to you to forget about your worries, forget about the wars, the hunger, and the inevitable end; the feed just wants you to consume. The story's messages about empathy and resistance to consumerism are incredibly relevant today when most of America is connected online. The story is well told and the format is engaging; the audiobook format is an immersive experience and it makes the message hit a lot harder. While the end of the book can be hard to get through (because it's so emotionally charged), it's ultimately hopeful and uplifting, encouraging the listener not to consume, but to care.
Enhancements
A conversation with the author, MT Anderson
Feed Book trailer