

One World. Feb. 2019. 432p. ed. by Victor LaValle & John Joseph Adams. ISBN 9780525508809. pap. $17; ebk. ISBN 9780525508816. SF
If you could rebuild history, what would the United States be today? This question is answered in the works of 25 speculative authors, of whom each shows the promise—or tragedy—of what might have been or could still be. Featured entries include N.K. Jemisin's "Give Me Cornbread or Give Me Death," in which a group of female raiders turn dragon riders with a lot of ingenuity, plus a lot of hot sauce. When "The Wall" is actually built at the States' Southern border, Mexico flourishes in Lizz Huerta's vision. Malka Older takes on the intersection of digital activism, marginalized persons, and the creation of a new society, offering an excerpt from "Disruption and Continuity." With other writers such as Charlie Jane Anders, Hugh Howey, Omar El Akkad, and Justina Ireland adding their voices, readers will wonder how speculative these stories actually are in the face of our reality.
VERDICT A timely compilation that highlights the hope and anxiety of the current political climate.

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