Coventry

by Robert Heinlein, published in Revolt in 2100 - get it here (Amazon) or at a used book store

"Coventry", the second story here, is almost a direct sequel to "If This Goes On ---". Here we see America after the revolution of the first story, where the new government is one based on allowing individuals to do anything except those actions that physically or economically injure another person. The story is about one man who does just that - breaks the nose of another person because he doesn't like the label that person tagged him with - and is then banished to Coventry, an area set aside for such individuals who won't allow themselves to be psychologically treated for their `illness'. Once more, the story is more about the maturation of its main character from someone who thinks the world isn't fair to one who accepts responsibility for his actions and sees the benefits of working for the good of the entire society. Part of the story is a little too melodramatic for my taste, and the ending is a little too pat, but it still makes for a good adventure read with some real meat buried within its story line.

We highly recommend it for its depth of understanding of the need for people to get along and how a society could manage people who do not want to ...

Back