Ha, yes, I am predictable :) (Although I almost didn't offer that song at all... it was a last-minute "oh hey why not?" Well, someday I'll get around to making the post for it.)

Yeah, Zanzibar doesn't fall into "optimistically bleak," just bleak, but how can someone think that SF was all happy-touchy-feely in the 60's in a world where that book exists? (And yes. Absolutely brilliant.)