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for_esme_with_love 's review for:
The Twenty-One Balloons
by William Pène du Bois
I first read this book as a child, and I was enthralled by the "Restaurant Constitution" of Krakatoa, the idea of a society in which all the wealth and resources are shared, and every member works towards the health and happiness of the society as a whole. I remember demanding that my mother explain to me why the entire world does not operate on this system. She couldn't give me a satisfactory answer.
I decided to revisit the book when I saw it sitting on my shelf this week. I love du Bois' writing style, and his picturesque descriptions of balloon travel made me look into the prices of local hot air balloon rides.
However, occasional moments of du Bois' 1940s racism peaking through were disappointing. The Krakatoan's were also less of the leftist fantasy I had thought. The Island of Krakatoa might be a "utopia," but its billionaire residents hoard their wealth to maintain the lavish lifestyle of the island. Their greed leads them to risk their lives to remain near to their diamond mines.
I decided to revisit the book when I saw it sitting on my shelf this week. I love du Bois' writing style, and his picturesque descriptions of balloon travel made me look into the prices of local hot air balloon rides.
However, occasional moments of du Bois' 1940s racism peaking through were disappointing. The Krakatoan's were also less of the leftist fantasy I had thought. The Island of Krakatoa might be a "utopia," but its billionaire residents hoard their wealth to maintain the lavish lifestyle of the island. Their greed leads them to risk their lives to remain near to their diamond mines.