The Hillside

Warmer collection

By: Jane Smiley

Narrated by: Bahni Turpin

After bringing Earth to ruin, the age of humans is over. It is a blessing for some in this tender and tragic cautionary fable from the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of A Thousand Acres.

Now the Congress of Animals is in control, unforgiving, and debating the fate of the planet’s most reviled species. The popular ruling: exterminate humankind without exception. But a curious mare, coming of age, is making a case for a seemingly gentle person she longs to save - a wish for mercy that could once again unbalance the new and righteous nature of the world.

Jane Smiley’s The Hillside is part of Warmer, a collection of seven visions of a conceivable tomorrow by today’s most thought-provoking authors. Alarming, inventive, intimate, and frightening, each story can be read, or listened to, in a single breathtaking sitting.

©2018 Jane Smiley (P)2018 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Enjoyable Fable

Though a bit heavy-handed and moralizing, the performance lightened the tale enough to make it enjoyable. Would recommend for tweens as a starting point for further discussion.

Great

This was an emotional rollercoaster, point of view animal's and humans. No one right, no one wrong.

Showing is better than telling

Probably the only interesting setup and plot line in this series. Thankfully devoid of an enumeration of the fallout of climate change and the modern human life style.

Probably the only Interesting of the Warmer series

Probably the only Interesting of the Warmer series. Short and an easy story to follow. Brings a great Alt-reality to what may happen if climate change is not addressed.

Of the whole series the only one that was really worth listening to.

Fun romp through alternative future

Animal rule, humans drool.... or something like that. A cute brief examination of a future world where animals (particularly horses) are in control and humans are subject to the whims of a council of animals who decide their future. #alternatefuture #fun #shortstory #womenlit #tagsgiving #sweepstakes