The Circle, Eggers - B

                                         Thanks, Lauren, for this gift. Novelists take us places we otherwise do not get to go: the past, both recent and long ago, possibly the future, exotic locales, sinister worlds, and happier times. Here, Eggers takes us to a workplace and an imagined reality unlike any I have  ever encountered - a composite of what I believe Apple, Google, Amazon, Facebook, Twitter et al. might be like. It's a glass-filled modernistic wonder, the headquarters of The Circle, a magical place filled with compassionate, considerate young people and an oh so exciting place for Mae Holland to go to work. It is led by the Three Wise Men, who are advised by the Gang of Forty. All social media and all commerce, banking, and business is handled by The Circle. The firm's prosperity is based on its successful TruYou technology which has consolidated everything on the web into a one site, one password location that creates a seamless universal internet experience. However, transparency and inter-connectedness can become oppressive in a company where being part of the "community'' is highly esteemed and one's participation is monitored, along with one's heart rate, caloric intake, hydration status and much, much more. To be a true member of the Circle, Mae goes transparent and achieves instantaneous fame.   By wearing a pendant that shows her millions of followers everything she sees and hears every day, Mae accepts the premise that if everything we do is seen, we are more likely to never misbehave. Everyone we see and interact with will be better, because everyone is watching. The more connected the world, the safer, better place it will be.  The more we know about each other, our pasts, our hopes, our likes, the more complete The Circle will be, until this internet portal knows everything about everybody.  Like Orwell before him, Eggers portrays a future run amok, this time by a Silicon Valley company, not a national government. Since the NSA and the five companies mentioned above, along with dozens I've never heard of, probably know 90% of what The Circle aspires to, this is a timely, thoughtful book.  It is also a fun creative work, by a brilliant writer.