The Mandibles

A Family, 2029-2047

By: Lionel Shriver

Narrated by: George Newbern

With dry wit and psychological acuity, this near-future novel explores the aftershocks of an economically devastating U.S. sovereign debt default on four generations of a once-prosperous American family. Down-to-earth and perfectly realistic in scale, this is not an over-the-top Blade Runner tale. It is not science fiction.

In 2029, the United States is engaged in a bloodless world war that will wipe out the savings of millions of American families. Overnight, on the international currency exchange, the “almighty dollar” plummets in value, to be replaced by a new global currency, the “bancor.” In retaliation, the president declares that America will default on its loans. “Deadbeat Nation” being unable to borrow, the government prints money to cover its bills. What little remains to savers is rapidly eaten away by runaway inflation.

The Mandibles have been counting on a sizable fortune filtering down when their ninety-seven-year-old patriarch dies. Once the inheritance turns to ash, each family member must contend with disappointment, but also—as the U.S. economy spirals into dysfunction—the challenge of sheer survival.

Recently affluent, Avery is petulant that she can’t buy olive oil, while her sister, Florence, absorbs strays into her cramped household. An expat author, their aunt, Nollie, returns from abroad at seventy-three to a country that’s unrecognizable. Her brother, Carter, fumes at caring for their demented stepmother, now that an assisted living facility isn’t affordable. Only Florence’s oddball teenage son, Willing, an economics autodidact, will save this formerly august American family from the streets.

The Mandibles is about money. Thus it is necessarily about bitterness, rivalry, and selfishness—but also about surreal generosity, sacrifice, and transformative adaptation to changing circumstances.

current statism extrapolated

spot on realistic outline.
a 'middle of the road' extrapolation, without any 'black swans' for or against.
obvious linear progression of current corrupt socialism (two words with the same meaning).
mixed execution.

When reality is stranger than fiction

Read this book in 2021 (post-COVID-19 lockdowns and shortages), and let’s just say I don’t recommend falling asleep to this book. For a book written back in 2016, there may be opportunity yet for some of these scenarios to happen in real life. Entertaining, and informative to those who are concerned with global economic disaster.

Good read!

It is definitely a interesting book and how it is very applicable to today’s political and social climate

Chilling look at a potential future

The most haunting thing is the logic is flawless and could pan out exactly like this. The only thing that really stood out was birth rates going up across the world.

"Atlas Shrugged" for the 21st century

A chilling and entirely plausible tale which doesn't require much of a stretch of the imagination.