I first encountered Kim Stanley Robinson's work in grad school and his writings changed how I view the world. His most recent book, The Ministry for the Future, is a transcendent read and one of the most important works I've ever read. Even Barack Obama and Ezra Klein say this is the most important book they read this year. It is a spectacular vision of a future that is both ugly and utopian, realist and idealistic. Intense social theory intertwined with a compelling narrative. I couldn't stop reading it. And when finished, I had to sit and let it wash over me. Hours later I'm still processing it. I'm sure I'll be processing it for a long time.
