WHAT IS MONEY BECAME WORTHLESS? The classic novel about hyperinflation is back WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT NOAH'S CASTLE Brad Thor, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Foreign Influence The ultimate 'what if' for right now. Terrifyingly realistic and powerfully thought provoking. John Rowe Townsend's apocalyptic masterpiece is back and not a moment too soon. An absolute must read! Gregory Maguire, New York Times bestselling author of WICKED By turns gripping and ominous, the masterful Noah's Castle lures and locks the reader into a future world due to start any moment. I find it one of the most harrowing and humane tales of survival yet, stronger and more significant with each rereading. Pull up the gangplank and shutter the windows: in a time of want, you'll want Noah's Castle to steer you safe. BOOK DESCRIPTION Nobody foresaw our country's collapse except for one man. But why did that man have to be my father? Mobs are looting and rioting in the streets. My friends and neighbors are starving. The store shelves are empty. Money is worthless. There are no jobs. There is no food. There is no hope. And I'm tired of keeping secrets. FROM THE PUBLISHER TERRIFYING BECAUSE IT COULD HAPPEN TOMORROW... The coming winter was going to be a bad one and not because of the weather. Sixteen-year-old Barry Mortimer's life turns upside down when his father suddenly moves the family from their comfortable modern home in the city to a decaying mansion on the outskirts of town. Strange and mysterious events follow. Why isn't anyone allowed to visit their new home? What is Father doing in the basement and why is he keeping it a secret? As rumors of skyrocketing prices and food shortages become a hyperinflationary economic meltdown, Barry's world crumbles. Can his family hold together as a nation collapses around them? WHAT IF MONEY BECAME WORTHLESS? A STORY OF HYPERINFLATION. Based on the devastating hyperinflation in 1920s Germany, Noah's Castle depicts how a similar economic catastrophe might look in contemporary society. Written by award-winning author John Rowe Townsend, Noah's Castle tells the story of a family trying to survive the total collapse of the British economy. Money becomes worthless, unemployment skyrockets, and food and other goods become scarce. As conditions worsen and the population begins to starve, how do people react? When does law-and-order break down and civilized behavior end? Noah's Castle examines these questions but doesn't provide easy answers, resulting in a thrilling and thought-provoking story of survival. An ALA Notable Book. Serialized for television. Look for the DVD set. Reviews from the first publication of Noah's Castle : A suspense story told with immediacy and compassion...a novel which, however complex, will seem relevant to well-informed and thoughtful young people. - The Sunday Times A powerful novel with dynamic characters reacting to their time and to each other as they struggle with questions of responsibility, love and loyalty. - ALA Booklist Not fantasy but fantastic and chilling realism...Plot, characters and pace are equally strong. - Chicago Tribune An admirable, well-written and serious piece of writing by an author from whom much is expected, and received. - The Economist A most dramatic, original and moving novel. - The Times Educational Supplement A convincing and exciting tale which rips along at the pace of a film thriller. - The Guardian A tense, brilliantly written narrative. - Daily Telegraph This novel, with the pace of a thriller and the vision of a present-day Blake, is not American but British or rather, supra-national. A marvelous tight story of human behavior under stress. - Susan Cooper in The Christian Science Monitor --Various John Rowe Townsend's novels have received wide acclaim: one has won an Edgar Award, six were chosen as ALA Notable Books and three, including Noah's Castle , have been serialized for television. He lives in Cambridge, England.