“Panopticon” by David Bajo is a fictional book which tells the story of three journalists who are sent to cover one final story before their newspaper closes. The setting is on the California / Mexico border and takes place the near future where every move you make is being recorded by public cameras.
The central idea of video being spliced from public cameras, using one person as a central figure without their knowledge, is a very interesting concept, which I can certainly see happening. The book is peppered with Spanish words, but the reader is able to figure them out from the context, or they are explained a few paragraphs down the page.
What the three friends discover accidentally is that someone is taking images fr om the public cameras and make movies “vidas” which they star in. Complete with a jazzy soundtrack and a storyline. As it turns out, there is a whole subculture built around vidas which is being unfolded as the story moves along.
Buy “Panopticon” before it’s too late*
More books by David Bajo*
Zohar — Man of la Book
Disclaimer: I got this book for free.
*Amazon links point to an affiliate account, the money is usually spent on books
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this sounds damn good. i feel like it was on my must read list and fell off somehow/sometime
congrats to the winner, i hope they become paranoid and smile often knowing they are under scrutiny :)