"Freedom is more important than sharing, Jill. This is my city."

The Girl Who Owned a City by O.T. Nelson

1977

Weight: 7.2 oz

Method of Disposal: Recycling

This book was terrible.  I am not talking about the writing, though I could.  I was horrified by the blatant political propaganda and repeated messages about freedom and responsibility.  All people older than twelve are dead and the children of the world are left to fend for themselves.  In one town, which seems to have previously been a wealthy area, there is a girl named Lisa.  She has a passion for challenge and an innate need to rule other people.  She decides to create a city and, though she could not have done it without the help of the hundreds of children she has enlisted, she is determined that it will be HER city.  She will rule as a loving, but stern leader.  There will be no voting or democracy because that might ruin everything.  Everyone must work for what they have and earn their right to protection and food, even toys.  

Here is a snippet of a story Lisa tells her little brother in an attempt to get him to understand her thoughts and their lives:

                                The other kings couldn’t figure it out.  Why was he so rich?  It seemed crazy to let the

                peasants be free and have an army that they didn’t have to join.

                                But those kings never saw the stream of people in line to buy the king’s advice.  He got

                Smarter and richer all the time.  And the happier and freer his people became, the harder they

                Worked.  The harder they worked, the wealthier they became.  The wealthier they became,

                The more time they had to face and solve their problems (113). 

I took this book home for free when it was being thrown out.  I am very glad to report that I did not pay for it.  I do not want children, friends, family to read it.  I do not want to read it again.  To the recycling bin!