Like your sci-fi with a hefty dash of satire? Then this one is right up your alley.

No one reads anymore and School(TM) is all about learning how to use the feed more effectively. Commercials and internet are wired directly to your brain. Corporations monitor your every thought and desire and compile huge databases on your likes and interests, the better to sell you stuff. The feed also lets you chat--like a telepathic IM.

The story starts on the way to the moon, where Titus and his friends visit for spring break. In the midst of his friends' moronic fooling around, Titus feels vaguely lonely and dissatisfied, but doesn't really have the words to express how he is feeling. And then he sees Violet, a beautiful girl who is different from anyone else he knows. She actually fights the feed, in an effort to think for herself.

The scariest thing about Anderson's vision of the future? Our consumer culture and the state of technology is not really so far away.

Violet joins the group and they go to a club. While there, they are "hacked" by a protester and their feeds are disrupted. Everyone else recovers quickly, but Violet starts to experience random glitches as her feed hardware malfunctions. ( )

A book about futuristic earth when the population is a war and slowly deteriorating but they don't realize it because they are basically brainwashed by a computerized system called the Feed installed at birth. Lots of language which was really unnecessary, but a good story and I loved it as a book on tape because all the Feed segments were dramatized. ( )

I was really excited to read this book initially because the concept seemed interesting and complex. As I started reading the book, I realized I would most likely be disappointed. The novel approached its plot very artistically and it was very brief. I was hoping for something a little meatier and more thrilling. This novel had the opportunity to be great, but I'm afraid it fell short. ( )

Excellent book. Absolutely not what I expected. ( )

Feed is a rare book. There are only a handful of books I've read that I can say have hit me in the gut. Brave New World would be one such book. Heart of Darkness would be another. In my view, Feed is in that league.

Feed is not an easy book to read. I don't mean that in the sense that the writing is dense or the plot difficult to follow. Feed is extremely readable in that respect. I mean it is a difficult pill to swallow. It is an unflinching examination of our consumer culture. It is an unapologetic evisceration of youth culture. A lot of people would dismiss Feed after reading those two lines as a mere political statement or an agenda-pusher. That would be a mistake. Feed is not a partisan book. It is not advocating a world-view. It is showing us a mirror without the rose-colored glasses we cling to, myself included.

We are getting dumber. We don't read. We don't think. We listen to the news we are spoonfed and still manage to ignore anything unpleasant. We are poisoning our environment and slowly killing ourselves. The internet is raising a generation that bring up meaningless facts but cannot provide a shred of context to them. Corporations tell kids what is cool and they embrace advertising propaganda without a second thought. We are self-centered and shallow and we project these as virtues to our children. These are all true statements. I'm not a doomsayer, and I would argue we are actively resisting these effects in many ways. I'm not a radical, and I would argue these problems are not as bad as they seem. I believe both of those things wholeheartedly. But a small part of me can't deny the painful truth of Feed: Our world is not as different from the hell Anderson paints as we would like to believe. I hate Anderson's portrayal of what our society will become. But try as I might, I can't give a single reason why he's wrong.

Feed is not for the faint of heart. It is brutally honest.

Now that that's out of the way, I wonder why this book isn't more popular. I can't help but compare it to the award winning Little Brother by Cory Doctorow. Little Brother was up for a Hugo this year. When Feed was written a few years ago, it was virtually ignored. Both are in the young adult category, so it wasn't an issue of audience. Don't get me wrong, I loved Little Brother. But after reading Feed, I can only view Little Brother as a very naive version of 1984. Little Brother argues that technology and youth will save us from ourselves. Feed does what all powerful dystopian fantasies should do: It argues we are hurtling toward our own destruction and nothing will save us, least of all youth or technology, which are a large part of the problem. Little Brother lacks a lot of its punch after reading Feed. ( )

(I originally wrote this review on April 11, 2003 for Amazon.)

Satire may soar over the heads of young readers:

Imagine instant-messaging your friends in your mind. Imagine all those obnoxious computer pop-up ads happening right in your brain. Imagine retailers knowing precisely what you've ever bought, your favorite color, your shoe size. Imagine liking it. This is the scary, weird world described in M.T. Anderson's "Feed". Titus and his friends are average middle-class American teenagers of the future. They take for granted the weird convergence of technology, corporate intervention, and mind-control they live with known as a feed. Enter Violet; a girl Titus meets on spring break, a girl who wants to 'fight the feed'.

There are important and compelling issues raised in this novel about advertising, privacy, conformity, individualism and technology. It's a book that demands discussion, explanation and consideration. Unfortunately, I think that much of it may be over the heads of its teenaged target audience. Readers who need things spelled out may be challenged by this book because significant aspects of the setting (and what a grim future it is) are implied, or only mentioned in passing. I think few teenagers will be satisfied with the ending. And fewer still will probably spend much time thinking about the issues in the story after they've put it down. It's too bad that the profanity and few mild references to sexual situations will keep this book out of most classrooms, because it's really a story that deserves to be discussed, especially by young adults.

I do recommend this book for advanced and thoughtful teen readers. Sci-fi fans in particular will enjoy it. Other readers should appreciate the accurate portrayal of teen dating, cliques, jealousies, insecurities and friendships. I hope the larger, more important themes of the book will be grasped as well.

This book blew me away...a complete surprise. I love cautionary tales that are simultaneously subtle and hysterical. Feed, however is also creepy and at times unnerving. M.T. Anderson's has provided his characters amazing, on-the-mark voices. I HIGHLY recommend the audio version as it's produced in a multi-media style that drives home many of the book's philosophies and visions. ( )

The language is incredible. Will scare you to death! ( )

While the idea of the 'feeds' into the brain raises questions parallel with societal issues of advertising/marketing and teens, Titus, the protagonist, never grows or develops as an adolescent while other around him do and are affected by their situation and circumstances. Prefer Anderson's 'Thirsty' ( )

I listened to this book on CD. At first the lingo and the feed ads really threw me. But I got absorbed in the story of Titus and Violet. They meet during a spring break trip to the moon, and bond after a hacker gives them a virus that effects their feed. Feeds are like a computer that is completely integrated into brain and body function. The world of the future has been virtually destroyed, materialism and consumerism are running rampant with advertisements being constantly pumped into people's brains, and schools are run by a corporate entity. Titus and his friends like to party and have fun. Violet is from a different socio-economic status and has an interest in trying to fight the feed. Unfortunately, she is not recovering well from the hack and her feed is malfunctioning, which in essence means she will die. The book explores the course of their relationship and Titus' growth to decide if he can defy his status quo. At times in the book he succeeds more than others. Anderson sucked me into this world and gave me a lot to think about. Plus I liked the catch phrase "what's doing?"
It also made me wonder how far off all this might really be when I look around and see people virtually attached to their phones. ( )

I think this book might deserve more than the 3.5 stars I'm giving it. I had certain expectations for this book, and thought it was about fighting the feed, which they really did very little of. I thought I knew what the book was about, but I was wrong and a little bit disappointed. It was still interesting and fun to read, and I'd suggest it to many of my students. ( )

Not a book for adults, but perfect for 14 year-old boys who don't necessarily like to read "difficult" books. A book the average kid would actually like. ( )

M.T. Anderson, who won the National Book Award for his book The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing set during the Revolutionary War, was ahead of his time with this novel, published before iPods were all the rage, and when cell phones were just becoming popular. In the not-so-distant future, teenage narrator Titus, like all of his peers, has a “feed,” an Internet/television hybrid that is directly hardwired into his brain, and corporations send constant messages through the information stream.

Full review:
http://www.twentybyjenny.com/teenBook... ( )

Perfect and scary.. ( )

I finished M.T. Anderson’s excellent Feed on audio, an excellent work set in a near future where 73% of people have Feednet wired directly into their brains. Though impressively thought out with lots of details that most science fiction never bothers with, I personally connected more with the main characters relationship and their struggle with terminal illness. I’m also glad I listened to the audio book version of this. I think I would have gotten very frustrated reading the futuristic teenspeak on paper. Teens I know might speak like that if they were transported to this future. Hearing it rather than reading it I think was a godsend.

Full review at my blog: http://reading.kingrat.biz/reviews/fe... ( )

This book is set in the future but it seems like not much. In this future world, everyone is implanted with “feeds” in their brains. These feeds do a number of things to each individual. They bring a constant stream of media and advertising, instant information so people do not need to read or write, and the built in ability to have any purchases made be automatically deducted from a credit card account. Chatting is mostly done through the feeds so people rarely need to talk out loud. Basically, people are corporately controlled and don’t think for themselves. Violet, who did not have her feed put in until the age of seven is the only character in the story that is a “free-thinker” that questions authority. M.T. Anderson didn’t have to look much further than Google (and the way it caters it’s advertising to you through what you enter into your email), and online social networking sites to get ideas for this book. This book is excellent fodder for discussion about commercialism and intellectual freedom. It would be a great book to use in a high school classroom. ( )

M.T. Anderson paints an interesting if frightening picture of a futuristic society in which major corporations use mind control to sell more products at the expense of the natural environment and the human capacity for independent thought. A good read for a high school "issues" or ethics discussion. Along with commercialism, consumerism, enviromental and political issues, the book presents a scenario of deteriorating personal relationships and intellect in exchange for improved technology and a lifestyle of convenience. The language is awkward, at first, as it takes awhile to get used to the slang. It actually seemed that Titus, the main character, became more intelligible the longer he was with Violet, the free thinker. ( )

For generations, books and other forms of art have served to warn about the dangers of getting too comfortable with the status quo, not questioning authority and government, falling into apathy and giving up critical thinking in order to be manipulated because it’s easier and possibly more comfortable—and Feed fits right in to this literary canon. Feed takes place in a futuristic world where “feeds,” or computers, are implanted in people’s brains during infancy. Feeds were great at first because everyone was so smart—they could instantly look everything up in their heads. But, over time, the feeds input non-stop feedcasts, instant news, entertainment, and advertising from the corporations like Feedlink and American Feedware. Everybody knows that these corporations are controlling them through the feeds, but hey, they’re “gonna control everything whether you like it or not.” The corporations also know each person’s likes, dislikes, hopes, and dreams, and with this information are able to manipulate them into buying and doing things they previously do not know they need or want.

Titus and Violet are two teens who meet during spring break on a trip to the moon. Violet is unusual because she did not get a feed until age 7, and it wasn’t top of the line because her father couldn’t afford more. Violet tries to rebel in small ways against the commercialism and manipulations of the feed. Titus is quite comfortable with his feed. When an old man “touches” Violet, Titus, and his friends with a metal hand at a club, and their feed signals “jam,” Titus must confront the implications of the feed in his immediate future as his relationship with Violet develops. Her feed continues to malfunction after being jammed, but her underprivileged status in society precludes the help she needs to get better.

For high school students, Feed introduces the global issues and consequences of consumerism, commercialism, and the temptation to rely too much on technology to the detriment of developing into thinking, questioning, individuals who are willing to take responsibility for decisions—big and small. Appropriate for older students because the hope of a better future is buried under the depressing storyline, and the foul language. ( )

This is a very scary book about a future where people are fed all the information, mostly commercials, directly into their brains. It is fearful because it is not impossible to become a reality soon. It teaches a lot about what our world may become if we are not careful, or take everything for granted, or sit on the sides complacent with the status quo. Students should definitely read it, to realize the dangers modern day society and technology may bring about including a complete demise of the thinking abilities in humans. Young people may be intrigued by the futuristic vision of every day life, but hopefully will realize the price at which it comes. ( )

Meg futuristic. Hard to get into the flow of the story at first. Language and use of slang may cause readers to yield, and could prove confusing. Great great book, however. Anderson has a superb imagination, without limits. Theme is a bit morbid though. ( )

first line: "We went to the moon to have fun, but the moon turned out to completely suck."

This is a disturbing dystopian novel for young adults. Anderson's future is one in which nearly everyone gets computer implants in their brains, allowing for Internet "feeds." Mentally, they instant-message their friends, look up words or facts, receive barrages of advertisements, and visit trippy web sites (a just-as-taboo equivalent to doing drugs). While everyone with the "feed" has access to the same education/information, there are still professionals -- business executives, politicians, doctors -- but they all talk pretty much like surfer dudes. (Imagine President Palin. Or Doctor Dubya. Shudder-some, I know.) The planet has been so ravaged that people live in manufactured environments, suffer from open sores and hair loss, and...yeah, you get the point. ( )

Ttile: Feed

Author: M.T. Anderson

Summary: Titus is a regular teenager, in a world where regular people have mini-computers surgically wired into their brains. Great for reference and learning, but full of advertising, its sets intellect back. He meets a girl, Violet, and after a troubling encounter with a hacker, they decide to fight the feed.

Thoughts: This is a dystopian future novel, which of course earns it some brownie points. Major ew factor however as a few characters skin starts falling off. I found the story very interesting, and I particularly liked the pages of adverts popping up through out the book. Violet is a great character, Titus is OK (although I had trouble identifying with him), but his friends are not the nicest, as they bully Violet for making an intelligent comment. I found parts of the book very slow and clipped however the pacing was a bit slow throughout the first bit of the novel. Its also a really great statement about corperate power. Its more of an interesting book than it is a magical one.

Cover: The cover is really interesting, looking at it closely the back of Titus's head looks a bit like a fingerprint.

Rating: 3 stars ( )

Titus and his friends live in a society controlled by corporations and driven by consumerism. Even schools are no longer run by the government; School, Inc is corporate controlled. 75% of the population has a feed implanted in their brains which constantly barrages the individual with advertisements aimed at that particular person based on their retail profile. "That way, the feed knows what you want even before you do". Frightening. ( )

Richie's Picks: FEED by M.T. Anderson, Candlewick, October 2002

I was enlisted earlier this year by a college professor to share my expertise
with her online children's literature class. Two weeks ago, just before I
left for BookExpo, one of the students asked me:

"It seems that you like reading very much, maybe you can share with us why do
you enjoy it so much? I really would like to know."

The beginning of my response was:

"A great book can take me off to a different world or bring me closer to this
one. Frequently a great book will grab me by the throat and slam me against
the wall..."

FEED, the latest book by M.T. Anderson, did all of those things to me--and
more. In fact, at the moment it feels as if my nose is pulverized and askew
and that the skin covering my shoulder blades scraped away when I slid down
that wall and landed hard on my bottom.

I woke up long before dawn--from a mildly bad dream related to a part of the
story I read last night--and quietly slipped out to my desk to finish the
rest of the book.

FEED is a dark, futuristic satire. It's a tale both intense and extreme that
pokes fun at our disposible, consumeristic society, at our communications
revolution, at the increasing role of corporations in our education systems,
and at the diminished vocabulary skills among those people who consistantly
resort to a particular four-letter word as the adjective of choice in any
given situation.

You may not enjoy reading a book that spews like a rapper or slams into you
as if you've taken a left turn into a mosh pit, but the profound messages in
FEED clearly make it the cautionary tale of the year.

The story begins on the Moon, where Titus and his friends have gone for
spring break. He and his buddies all have Feed, which is an online computer
implant typically installed shortly after birth. Feed constantly bombards
the characters with information and banners, much of which has to do with the
latest fashions, upcars, and music. It also provides them with Chat--the
capacity to mentally instant message each other.

"...I was playing with the magnets on my boots and trying not to look at her.
I didn't want her to feel my eyes before I made my move. I was careful.
Quendy and Loga went off to the bathroom because hairstyles had changed.
Marty drifted around and made slit-eyes at Link. Link and I were chatting
about the girl, like I was going, She is meg youch, and he was going, What
the hell's she wearing?, and I was going, Wool. It's wool. Like from an
animal, and then Calista did her own chat to us, which was, If you want to
hear about an animal, what about two guys staring with their mouths wide open
so they look completely Cro-Magnon?..."

So Titus gets to meet the girl, Violet, but shortly thereafter they and most
of his friends have their Feeds hacked by a wild old white-haired guy on the
dance floor...

This vision of our future planet is one you don't want to miss. I've never
seen or read the original story of Titus (Andronicus--Shakespeare tragedy),
but its characterization as symbolization of "the essential absurdity of
modern life" certainly fits Anderson's frightening tale of corporate power
and a used-up planet. Pass up read this one at your own risk.

Richie Partington
http://richiespicks.com
BudNotBuddy at aol.com ( )

Life is good for Titus and his friends; Link, Marty, Loga, Quendy, and Calista. Spring break means a carefree trip to the moon to party. With their every move and thought being guided by the “feed”, a computer implanted in their brains at birth, they shop, chat to each other, and is fed information without lifting a finger. This dependency is normal to them, but not to Violet, the new girl they met on the moon. Violet only had the “feed” since she was seven years old. The partying on the moon picks up when they find a meg party, only to be suddenly cut short by a hacker that gets into their feeds and begins to control them before he is taken down by the police. After their temporary shut down and hospitalization, Titus and his friends took this as a little jolt in their lives and life went on. For Violet, who had become closer and closer to Titus, this had changed her life forever. This book deals with futuristic scenarios, young adult relationships, and the manipulation of the media; plays with the “What if?” of modern Internet technology. The story is funny, scary, and sad all in one. It is a situation where fun and games cross tragedy, but never quite meets. The play with the “what if?” of technology makes this book an engaging contemporary realistic fiction novel. I think the realism of the teen behaviors and relationships would be appealing to the young adult readers.