He discovers that his dreams are not just random images but real events that will happen in the future. The main character of the book, who is named after the author, Joost van der Vleuten, is a student at the University of Amsterdam who is studying the history of science and philosophy. He becomes obsessed with understanding the meaning of his dreams and how they relate to the future of humanity. The book takes place in the 1980s and 1990s and explores themes such as the impact of technology on society, the role of government in regulating technology, and the ethics of scientific research. The protagonist's journey is intertwined with historical events such as the Chernobyl nuclear disaster and the fall of the Soviet Union. Throughout the book, Joost grapples with the implications of his dreams and their relationship to reality, questioning whether his visions are truly prophetic or simply a product of his own imagination.

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