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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (April 13, 2017)
APRIL 13, 2017 // 17 BOOKMONGER Debut novel paints bleak picture of near future A century or so ago, blight devastated the dom- inant tree species of the United States’ eastern for- ests. The mighty American chestnut, once estimated to stand nearly 4 billion trees strong, rapidly succumbed to a fungus in what ranks as not only a decimating ecological disaster, but a phenomenon that created economic and cultural hav- oc as well. One suspects it can be no accident, then, that the principal characters in the new dystopian novel, “American War,” have been given the family name of Chestnut. Debut novelist Omar El Akkad imagines a second American Civil War in the final quarter of the 21st century. Now living just outside of Portland, El Akkad was born in Egypt, grew up in Qatar, moved to Canada and became an investi- gative journalist. He has reported on terrorism in Toronto, the war in Af- ghanistan, Egypt’s aborted Arab Spring, the military trials at Guantánamo Bay, and the aftermath of the Michael Brown shooting by police in Ferguson, Missouri. In short, the author has seen dystopia made real — over and over again — in the first quarter of this century. In “American War,” the Chestnut family is eking out a life along the ruined margins of the Mississippi Sea. In a world belea- guered with an assortment of environmental catastro- phes — rising sea levels, desertification, relentless storms, shrinking resources — political and economic dynamics are shifting on a global scale. The two superpowers in 2075 are China and the Bouazizi Empire, a North African/Middle Eastern alliance named in honor of the Tunisian fruit vendor whose self-immolation sparked the first Arab Spring uprisings. The United States, meanwhile, is breaking apart. Refugees from the coasts have crowded into H IGH CBD AND THC F LOWERS E XTRACTS * C ONCENTRATES E DIBLES * T OPICALS the country’s interior, to the aversion of the long- time denizens there. The desert southwest is aligning more closely with Mexi- co. And in the southeast, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia have vowed to se- cede from the Union rather than obey the national mandate to stop using oil as their primary energy source. With the threat of war moving ever closer, the Chestnut family makes plans to flee to the relative stability of the North. But chaos engulfs them before they can make the move and the family is swept instead into Camp Pa- tience, a sprawling refugee settlement surrounded by a wastewater trench of human sludge. The camp’s name sug- gests that society expects these displaced people to bide their time, but life does not stand still. “Amer- ican War” focuses on 6-year-old Sarat Chestnut, and how she is influ- enced by the conditions Where Astoria Shops! 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Although El Akkad sketches a world 60 years into the future, the reader cannot help but under- stand that the blighting circumstances he presents — climate change, sec- tionalism, resource wars, refugee camps, and sheer desperation — are already happening in our time. And they are already having their effect. The Bookmonger is Barbara Lloyd McMichael, who writes this weekly column focusing on the books, authors and publishers of the Pacific Northwest. Contact her at bkmonger@nwlink.com Native Astorian to talk about Finnish epic poem ‘The Kalevala’ ASTORIA — Greg Jacob, a retired linguistics professor from Portland State Univer- sity, will give a talk about the Finnish national epic The Kalevala at 7 p.m. Saturday, April 15, at Suomi Hall, 244 W. Marine Drive. Jacob will discuss the epic’s origin and poetic expression of traditional Finnish culture. In particular, he will explore its homespun teachings, archetypal motifs, larger-than-life characters and an emerging ethnic identity, while explaining the work’s meter and poetic structure. Born and raised in Asto- ria, Jacob grew up listening to his mother and grand- mother speak Finnish. He is president of the Finlandia Foundation Columbia-Pacific Chapter of Portland, and a member of Astoria Lodge No. 2 of Finnish Brother- hood. Sponsored by the lodge, the lecture is one of the 2017 events celebrating Finland’s 100 year anniversary of independence. The event is free and open to the public. Refresh- ments will be served. Learn leatherworking for maritime activities ASTORIA — An in- troductory leatherworking class will be held 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at the Barbey Maritime Center. Taught by instructor Kenneth Meyer, the class will focus on simple uses of leather for boats. The cost is $45 for Astor Street Opry Company presents members, $55 for non-mem- bers. Call 503-325-2323 to register. T he Illah ee A partm ents The REAL Lewis and Clark Story or.... How the Finns Discovered Astoria Written by: Judith P. Niland (T HROUGH A PRIL 29 TH ) F RIDAYS 7 PM A PRIL 7 TH A PRIL 14 TH A PRIL 21 ST A PRIL 28 TH S ATURDAYS 7 PM A PRIL 8 TH A PRIL 15 TH A PRIL 22 ND A PRIL 29 TH S UNDAYS 2 PM A PRIL 9 TH A PRIL 23 TH Tickets on Sale ONE HOUR before all shows ***Reservations Recommended*** ASOC Playhouse 129 West Bond Street | Astoria 503.325.6104 www.AstorStreetOpryCompany.com W ouldn’t You R ather Be D ow ntow n? 1046 Grand Avenue Astoria, OR 97103 503-325-2280
