I found this 1898 copy at Windfall Antiques in Baker City, Oregon, USA. I think it's going to be very interesting!

Wow, I am surprised at how thoroughly I enjoyed this book! Bellamy wrote the book in 1888 with such promising hopes for the future of America---and the world. As I read it, I struggled to remember that this was written from the point of view of a man who really HADN'T time-traveled to the current day! In the last 30 pages or so, I was met by a big shocker---but then it all turned out alright! Great story full of love, compassion, hope, and some really great ideas.

A few points that really stood out to me:

In Mr. West's day, menial jobs were held in contempt. The "higher class" imposed even more contempt on those in menial jobs by looking down on them for holding those jobs. They "permitted people to do things for which (they) despised them for doing." Wow...what a huge eye-opener. How sad that Bellamy had hope for our generation to finally have changed that.

In the future that Mr. West travels to, library books are accessible to all patrons without having to go through any red tape!

In the future, most criminal "trials are few, for in most cases the guilty man pleads guilty. When he makes a false plea and is clearly proved guilty, his penalty is doubled." Wow---imagine how society would benefit from that law!

Mr. West is shocked to know that in the society of the future, people marry purely for love!

One thing I really appreciate about Bellamy's hopeful point of view is that America is still a nation under God. The citizens respect the importance of that even more than they did in Mr. West's past.

Such a great book all together! I'm planning on making this into a bookring after I grab the other antique copy from that antique store next time I'm in Baker!

I'm setting this aside for my mom to read.

Mom read this and said it's one of her favorite books ever. Putting in my permanent collection for now.