Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell
Hidden away in the Record Department of the sprawling Ministry of Truth, Winston Smith skillfully rewrites the past to suit the needs of the Party. Yet he inwardly rebels against the totalitarian world he lives in, which demands absolute obedience and controls him through the all-seeing telescreens and the watchful eye of Big Brother, symbolic head of the Party. In his longing for truth and liberty, Smith begins a secret love affair with a fellow-worker Julia, but soon discovers the true price of freedom is betrayal.
Among the seminal texts of the 20th century, Nineteen Eighty-Four is a rare work that grows more haunting as its futuristic purgatory becomes more real. Published in 1949, the book offers political satirist George Orwell's nightmare vision of a totalitarian, bureaucratic world and one poor stiff's attempt to find individuality. The brilliance of the novel is Orwell's prescience of modern life--the ubiquity of television, the distortion of the language--and his ability to construct such a thorough version of hell. Required reading for students since it was published, it ranks among the most terrifying novels ever written.
Eric Wilson’s Review: 1984 doubleplusgood. Unbellyfell book, Orwell doublethink crimethinkwise. Review duckspeak.
While this book seems to be fairly standard fare in high school, I don't think the teenager in me would have fully appreciated it as much. I am so glad I picked this book back up and read it with new eyes. I feel almost inadequate to write a review on a classic like this, so I will only say read again for yourself. You will be rewarded and amazed.
