A series of short scenarios from an alternate earth history in which matter transportation is invented in the 50's ish. It presents an interesting framework to explore ideas about technology, society interaction and opportunities of control by monopoly corporations. It's a simply written book which I read within a week. Lots of the literary tools are left very exposed in the book. I think this makes it bad writing as this stuff is expected to be more subtle. But I kind of like it being visible and being able to spot it easily amd may itself be a stylistic choice.