List of sequels to Looking Backward
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Looking Backward is a utopian novel by Edward Bellamy, a lawyer and writer from western Massachusetts, and was first published in 1888. It deals with a young man, named Julian West, who falls asleep in 1887 and wakes up in 2000 to find the USA has become a socialist utopia. Looking Backward sold more than 1 million copies. More than 160 Nationalist or "Bellamy" clubs were created to propagate the ideas in this book. In addition, hundreds of works of utopian fiction were written, in order to attack, support, ridicule, or defend Bellamy's ideas. Included among these were several sequels, most written by other authors.
[edit] Equality
- Equality (1897), by Edward Bellamy. In 1897, Bellamy wrote a sequel, Equality, dealing with women's rights, education and many other issues. Bellamy wrote the sequel to elaborate and clarify many of the ideas merely touched upon in Looking Backward. Less successful than its prequel, Looking Backward, Equality continues the story of Julian West as he adjusts to life in the future. A short story "The Parable of the Water-Tank" from the book was popular with a number of early American socialists.
[edit] A. D. 2050
- A. D. 2050: Electrical Development at Atlantis. (San Francisco: Bancroft, 1890). Author credited as "A Former Resident of the Hub" (believed to be John Bachelder). In A. D. 2050, people tired of living under Nationalism flee to a previously undiscovered continent, call it Atlantis, and create a form of modified capitalism. They repel several invasions from China.
[edit] A Leap Into the Future
- A Leap into the Future, or How Things Will Be: A Romance of the Year 2000. (Albany, New York: Weed, Parsons, & Co. 1890) by Donald McMartin. Continues where Looking Backward left off, with Julian West still adjusting to the future and visiting various institutions of the year 2000.
[edit] Looking Backward and What I Saw
- Looking Backward And What I Saw (Minneapolis: Harrison and Smith, ca. 1890), by W.W. Satterlee. The narrator of this work falls asleep and dreams he visits a future USA that has embraced Bellamy's ideology. However, since everyone is guaranteed an income regardless of how much work they do, the vast majority of the population have become tramps and vagabonds. This book also borrows heavily from Pilgrim's Progress, as the narrator has several visionary dreams within the main dream, including one where he visits Vanity Fair.
[edit] Looking Further Forward
- Looking Further Forward (Rand, McNaly and Co.: Chicago, 1890), by Richard C. Michaelis. Julian West discovers that utopia is on the verge of collapse. A series of dialogues with a janitor (who used to be a professor but was fired when he criticized the state) discuss how controlled capitalism is superior to socialism. A bloody massacre erupts when a jilted lover of Edith Leete (West's beloved in Looking Backward) leads a violent revolution.
[edit] Looking Further Backward
- Looking Further Backward (Albany: Albany Book Company, 1890), by Arthur Dudley Vinton. The Chinese invade Bellamy's utopian America. As the utopian United States has abolished the military, only Julian West understands war and what is at stake - however, no one will listen to him as they are unable to think for themselves because the future system has abolished individuality. The book is presented as a series of lectures given by Won Lung Li (or "One Long Lie"), the Chinese successor to West's post as professor of History.
[edit] One of "Berrian's" Novels
- One of “Berrian’s” Novels (New York: Welch, Fracker Company, 1890), by C.H. Stone. In Looking Backward, Berrian was the greatest novelist of the year 2000. This was an attempt to write a "Berrian" novel, to show that fiction could still be interesting, even if set in a conflict free utopia. The plot deals with a last ditch attempt by a discontented few to overthrow the socialist government. The main heroine, Lys, is torn between two lovers, one a virtuous man and the other one of the malcontents preaching rebellion.
[edit] Looking Beyond
- Looking Beyond (L. Graham and Son: New Orelans, 1891), by Ludwig A. Geissler. Subtitled "A Sequel to "Looking Backward" by Edward Bellamy, and an Answer to "Looking Further Forward" by Richard Michaelis." In this tale, the future presented in Richard Michaelis's book becomes Julian West's nightmare, and so never happened. A debate between a supporter and a skeptic of the future society ends with Bellamy's utopia triumphant. Also, Earth establishes communication with Mars.
[edit] Mr. East's Experiences in Mr. Bellamy's World
- Mr. East's Experiences in Mr. Bellamy's World (Harper: New York, 1891), by Conrad Wilbrandt and translated by Mary J. Safford (originally written in German). Mr. Ost (Mr. East), a German, reads Looking Backward and decides to try being mesmerised (as Julian West was in Bellamy's book). He awakens in the future society of Looking Backward, only to discover it is full of shoddy goods, poor wages, and sexual favoritism.
[edit] Looking Within
- Looking Within (A.S. Barnes: New York, 1893) by J.W. Roberts. The narrator (James North) acquires a potion that allows him and his beloved to sleep in suspended animation for several years. They first awaken in 1927 to discover the United States in open class warfare. They sleep again and awaken in 2000 and meet Julian West, Dr. Leete and other denizens of Bellamy's utopia. They discover rampant favoritism and a society on the brink of collapse. Sleeping again, they awaken in 2025 to find that society has decided to return to capitalism in order to survive.
[edit] Young West
- Young West (1894), by Solomon Schindler contains the adventures of Julian West's son, who (after discovering a way to make sewage useful) becomes president of the future utopia.
[edit] My Afterdream
- My Afterdream (London: T. Fisher Unwin, 1900), by "Julian West" (a pseudonym; actual author unknown). This parody takes many of Bellamy's suggestions to hilarious logical extremes in order to show that Bellamy's ideas were impractical. For example, Bellamy said that time spent on work would be variable, based on how enjoyable the job was. Therefore, in this novel, funeral processions require hundreds of people to carry the caskets, as each person can only spend a few minutes working. However, artists must work full 48 hour weeks because their work is enjoyable.
[edit] Looking Forward
- Looking Forward: The Phenomenal Progress of Electricity in 1912. (Valley View Publishing: Northampton, Mass.,1906), by Harry W. Hillman. A prequel, this book is dedicated to Bellamy and describes a revolution in electricity that will help bring about Bellamy's world.
[edit] Looking Backward from the Year 2000
- Looking Backward from the Year 2000 (1973), by Mack Reynolds. This is a remake or retelling of Bellamy's original novel.
[edit] Equality in the Year 2000
- Equality in the Year 2000 (1977), by Mack Reynolds. A sequel to Looking Backward from the Year 2000.
