Looking Backward is a futuristic novel by Edward Bellamy. It tells the story of Julian West, a young American, who, towards the end of the 19th century, falls into a deep, hypnosis-induced sleep and wakes up one hundred and thirteen years later. He finds himself in the same location (Boston, Massachusetts), but in a totally changed world: it is the year 2000 and, while he was sleeping, the United States has been transformed into a socialist utopia. The remainder of the book outlines Bellamy's thoughts about improving the future. The major themes include problems associated with capitalism, a proposed socialist solution of a nationalization of all industry, the use of an 'industrial army' to organize production and distribution, as well as how to ensure free cultural production under such conditions. Artist Bio Author: Edward Bellamy (1850-1898) was an American author and socialist, most famous for his utopian novel, Looking Backward.