What does it mean to disappear in a world where everything is tracked? That was the question at the heart of our March 11th book club meeting, as members of the Deutsch-Englische Gesellschaft Bayreuth e.V. gathered to dissect Anthony McCarten’s fast-paced techno-thriller, Going Zero.

In an evening that blended ethical reflection with spirited debate, the group explored the unsettling implications of life in the digital age – and where we draw the line between safety and surveillance.

Surveillance, Trust, and the Illusion of Privacy

McCarten’s novel imagines a near-future experiment where ten volunteers try to vanish for 30 days while being hunted by the world’s most advanced surveillance system, developed by a tech company working with the CIA. The premise sparked immediate interest – and not a small amount of unease.

“It’s fiction, but it feels close to reality,” one book club participant remarked, noting the novel’s eerie parallels to contemporary digital life.

The discussion ranged from the novel’s suspenseful plot to its deeper philosophical undercurrents: How much of our freedom are we willing to trade for convenience? Are we already “on the grid” in ways we barely notice? What happens when privacy becomes a luxury rather than a right?

Some found McCarten’s writing sharp and cinematic, while others questioned the plausibility of certain twists. But nearly everyone agreed on one point: Going Zero is less about disappearing, and more about what it means to be seen.

From Digital Drama to Windswept Coasts

As the evening wound down, the conversation turned – fittingly – from digital noise to elemental quiet. For our next book, the group voted to read The Shipping News by Annie Proulx, a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel that offers a striking contrast to McCarten’s high-tech paranoia.

Where Going Zero is driven by surveillance and speed, The Shipping News unfolds slowly, with poetic stillness, amid the stark, weather-beaten landscape of Newfoundland. It’s a story about starting over, about place and belonging – promising a deeply human counterpoint to McCarten’s cautionary tale of technology gone too far.

Looking Forward

Our next meeting will take place on 20 May 2025, where we’ll dive into Proulx’s richly textured narrative and explore themes of loss, resilience, and renewal. As always, we’ll also select the next book for our shared reading journey.

Open to members and non-members alike, the DEG Book Club continues would like to be a space not only for literary exploration, but for cross-cultural conversation and connection. Whether the topic is near-future surveillance or the quiet unraveling of family secrets on a cold Atlantic coast and no matter the English skill of the individual participant the discussion is always warm, open, and thought-provoking.

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DEG Book Club Rating

As part of our ongoing effort to reflect on and celebrate the books we’ve explored together, the DEG Book Club is compiling a running list of all past and current reads, complete with average star ratings (1 to 10) as given by our participants. This list will serve as a shared memory of our literary journey – and a helpful guide for anyone looking for thoughtful, diverse reading recommendations. Participants are encouraged to rate each book after our discussions.

1. “Going Zero” Anthony McCarten —– ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (average of 5,75)