Item Name & Description: Red Plenty by Francis Spufford (U.S. trade paperback).

Patrick Nielsen Hayden describes it as:

simply the most interesting non-fiction book I’ve read in years. It’s told in novelistic form, and it is the story of the generations of Soviet citizens — economists, planners, scientists — who believed, actually believed, in the idea that if they planned the USSR’s economy well enough, and got the math right enough, the horn-of-plenty would burst open and shower wealth upon the land. It’s absolutely riveting. . . . RED PLENTY delivers more pure science-fictional amazement than a dozen typical genre books. You can quote me on that.

Learn more or read an excerpt at the author’s site, or read a longer review by Jo Walton.

Starting Bid: $5.

Notes: Donated by Patrick Nielsen Hayden. Ships anywhere.

Bidding is now open and closes Sunday, February 24, 2013 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. More Information.