The Children of Men

by P. D. James.

Quickie recap: By 2021, no one in the world has had a baby for about 25 years. Society reflects the hopeless desperation of living in a world that has no future. A small group seeks to change this, but no amount of dissent will work - only a new baby can give new life.

Quickie review: Unfortunately, I'd already seen the movie. Not that the movie is bad, just that the only thing it really has in common with the book is its title, and the complete absence of other commonalities was at first distracting to me. But once I decided to let the book stand on its own (as it should), I realized what a great story I was reading, not just because it was well-written but because it was well-conceived, well-thought-out...and all the more chilling because of it.

Quickie recommendation: If possible, read it before you watch the unrelated movie - but do read it.