Summary
Review
The Space Merchants is everything you could want in a satire of the advertising industry, and of corporate power in general. Yes, its attitudes are considerably dated, but then it’s over 60 years old: Mitch is clever and resourceful; his wife is beautiful and clever; his secretary is adoring and loyal. It all works pretty well regardless, with a neat skewering of brand idolatry, fear of communists, and other themes that work just as well today as they did in the mid-20th century. Pohl and Kornbluth make a few missteps in characterization – Hester, the secretary, gets a much thinner treatment than she deserves, but largely the concept works.
This is a deserved classic of science fiction, and one that deserves rediscovery. Plus, it’s a light quick read. Recommended.
