Engineers of Human Souls

An utterly thrilling and intellectually revelatory book. At a time when everything seems to be in freefall, and we are all trying to make sense of who we should be in a time of crisis, this is a stunningly wise book. If you read it, you’ll learn about some of the deepest questions human beings can ask - and get closer to the answers – Johann Hari
A compelling new book by Simon Ings about the corrupting effect of power on literary talent – Thomas W. Hodgkinson * Spectator *
Ings gives his readers a concise round-up of the intellectual ground in which the twentieth-century dictatorships took root. He has a talent for succinct statements so well turned that they immediately ring true … His openings are arrestingly quirky. He cleverly leaves out the boring bits to offer the reader a staccato sequence of telling vignettes. His tone - by turns breezy and bitterly sardonic - is engaging … Rather than plod through the welter of historical facts, he skips lightly from resonant incident to ringing quotation. His put-downs are trenchant, his asides witty, his exposition of political theory is clear and concise … his book is enlightening and surprisingly entertaining – Lucy Hughes-Hallett * New Statesman *
[Ings is] the perfect guide to this peculiar selection of odd and ambitious writers … there are brilliant novelistic flourishes throughout as he frantically blurs the boundaries between fiction and non-fiction … There’s enough material in the vignettes alone for about four different books. Instead, we get just this one wild ride – Ian Sansom * Spectator *

Simon Ings is the author of eight novels and two works of non-fiction, including the Baillie Gifford longlisted Stalin and the Scientists. He co-founded and edited Arc magazine, a digital publication about the future, before joining New Scientist magazine as its arts editor. He writes a monthly science-fiction column and reviews for The Times, in addition to reviews for the Financial Times, Telegraph, The Spectator and others.

This item is eligible for free returns within 30 days of delivery. See our returns policy for further details.