This was a book club pick ... I don't think it's one I would have picked up on my own. I got both the audiobook and Kindle copy, and there's an abridged full-cast audio I may yet try. At this point, I've done my initial listen, and I ended up liking this, and can foresee some decent discussion at book club. I think I'll need to do a re-read, making notes/highlights to prep. I like the "deeper dive" I do for book club books. But for now, just some thoughts ...

This is an older book ... I was surprised it still seems to be in demand at the libraries. I was lucky to get it in time for my book club deadline. Expensive to purchase (some older books end up being free or very inexpensive, not the case here). 

At first I was a little confused at the shifts in the storyline ... but it's interconnected short stories. I just re-read the first chapter and can see all the stories to come mentioned there. There are basic "chapters" listed to break up the audio into sections, but NO chapters, Table of Contents in the Kindle edition.  This makes it really hard for me to navigate between formats! I don't understand the lack of a TOC/Chapters. I'll need to make my own little list of the stories, the happiness machine, planting grass, the green machine, the old Colonel ...

I liked how the stories were intertwined, and how Douglas and Tom bridged them all. I think my rating is a bit more of an anticipatory one, not one I would have appreciated as much out of a book club/school setting ...

Very possibly will be updating this review ;)