Make Room! Make Room!

Make Room! Make Room! is a 1966 science fiction novel by Harry Harrison set in a dystopian New York City of 1999. The story takes place in a world of 7 billion people where overpopulation has led to severe rationing of water, food, and living space. The narrative follows several characters including Andy Rusch, a police detective who shares half a room with an elderly engineer, and Billy Chung, a young Taiwanese-American messenger. Their lives intersect against the backdrop of a crumbling city where basic necessities are scarce and only the wealthy enjoy amenities like air conditioning and regular water access. The book depicts a society struggling with stark inequality, where a privileged minority maintains access to dwindling resources while the masses face devastating shortages. This novel served as the source material for the 1973 film Soylent Green, though the movie significantly altered the original story. Harrison's work raises questions about sustainability, population control, and the long-term consequences of unchecked consumption on human society. The novel presents these issues through a stark lens of environmental collapse and social breakdown.

Readers describe this as a slower-paced, character-focused story that differs from the film Soylent Green. Many note it focuses more on overpopulation's societal impacts than on environmental collapse. Readers appreciated: - Realistic portrayal of resource scarcity and wealth inequality - Detailed world-building of a crowded New York - Still feels relevant decades after publication - Strong noir detective elements Common criticisms: - Lacks major plot twists or action - Some found the pacing too slow - Female characters are underdeveloped - Ending feels anticlimactic to many readers Ratings: Goodreads: 3.7/5 (4,800+ ratings) Amazon: 4/5 (200+ ratings) "The environmental messaging never feels preachy" - Goodreads reviewer "More of a slice-of-life in a dystopian world than a thriller" - Amazon reviewer "The overcrowding scenes are claustrophobic and vivid" - LibraryThing reviewer

Soylent Green by Richard Fletcher A police investigation in an overpopulated New York reveals the truth behind a corporate food substitute.

Stand on Zanzibar by John Brunner The lives of multiple characters intersect in a world grappling with overpopulation, social control, and genetic engineering.

The Space Merchants by Cyril M. Kornbluth A advertising executive navigates a world where corporations rule and resources are depleted.

The Sheep Look Up by John Brunner Environmental collapse and corporate greed lead to societal breakdown in a near-future America.

Logan's Run by William F. Nolan A society controls overpopulation by requiring citizens to end their lives at age 21.

🔖 The 1973 film "Soylent Green" starring Charlton Heston was based on this book, though the movie's infamous twist ending was not part of Harrison's original novel. 🌍 Harrison's population prediction of 7 billion by 1999 was remarkably close - the world reached this milestone in 2011, just 12 years later than his estimate. 📚 Harry Harrison wrote the novel after reading Paul Ehrlich's "The Population Bomb," which sparked widespread concerns about overpopulation in the 1960s. 🗽 The New York City population Harrison envisioned for 1999 (35 million) was vastly overestimated - the actual population in 1999 was approximately 7.4 million. 🌱 The book helped popularize discussions about environmental conservation and sustainable resource management in science fiction, influencing numerous later works in the genre.