The Baum Plan for Financial Independence and Other Stories

Sometimes variety is the spice of life. "The Baum Plan for Financial Independence: And Other Stories" is a short story collection not limiting itself to a single genre. From the seductive relationships of people of questionable virtue, to encounters with Frankenstein, to Matriarchal lunar colonies, it's a collection with something for fiction readers of every genre. A highly recommended addition for personal reading lists and community library collections, "The Baum Plan for Financial Independence" is ideal reading for anyone looking for a very special series of stories, each one a uniquely crafted tale showcasing John Kessel's storytelling talent.

A collection that is in the main, science fiction. There are 14 stories, which is a considerable number for a single-author book, so room for some variety, with excursions into fantasy, Frankenstein crossover pastiche, whacky, and even mainstream reptile loving. The strength of this work is in the section the author calls "A Lunar Quartet": --The Juniper Tree --Stories for Men --Under the Lunchbox Tree --Sunlight or Rock, and the first two are the two best, and excellent tales. Overall, a good quality group of stories, averaging 3.57. Baum Plan for Financial Independence : The Baum Plan for Financial Independence [short story] - John Kessel Baum Plan for Financial Independence : Every Angel Is Terrifying - John Kessel Baum Plan for Financial Independence : The Red Phone - John Kessel Baum Plan for Financial Independence : The Invisible Empire - John Kessel Baum Plan for Financial Independence : The Juniper Tree - John Kessel Baum Plan for Financial Independence : Stories for Men - John Kessel Baum Plan for Financial Independence : Under the Lunchbox Tree - John Kessel Baum Plan for Financial Independence : Sunlight or Rock - John Kessel Baum Plan for Financial Independence : The Snake Girl - John Kessel Baum Plan for Financial Independence : It's All True - John Kessel Baum Plan for Financial Independence : The Last American - John Kessel Baum Plan for Financial Independence : Downtown - John Kessel Baum Plan for Financial Independence : Powerless - John Kessel Baum Plan for Financial Independence : Pride and Prometheus - John Kessel Magic money. 3 out of 5 Dead cat, not people? 3.5 out of 5 "My amygdala vibrates with primal impulse as the sensory overload threatens to reduce my IQ by forty points." 3.5 out of 5 "The governor had vowed "to expunge the viper of female vigilance organizations" from the state." Just another dead president in a line, why these blokes so upset? 4 out of 5 Colony murder mystery reconstruction results. 4.5 out of 5 Cousinly sexist society xx gene fight club. 4.5 out of 5 Boring retreat. 3 out of 5 Only bet when you know what you are doing. 3.5 out of 5 Overconfident ice chick, and I get stuck with the reptile. 3 out of 5 Welles into the negative. 4 out of 5 DAS Biography. 4 out of 5 I'm almost off, Duck. 3 out of 5 Dodgy experiment dwarf busted brain damage interlude. 3 out of 5 It's Alive with Prejudice. 3.5 out of 5

Overall a very strong collection of stories. The most interesting stories are the four set in a moon colony controlled by a matriarchal society known as the Cousins where there are almost no sexual taboos and men are "freed" to use their skills in the arts and sciences in exchange for not being allowed to own any significant property and being excluded from governing. It is an interesting society that seems to have many of the same flaws as our current society, but with a different spin. Other strong stories are "Powerless", "The Last American", "It's All True" and "Pride and Prometheus". The downside of the book is that also all the stories are well-written and kept my interest, some of them such as the title story just seemed to end without much of a conclusion or a real point that I could see.