Janet Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 (edited) Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell The ‘Blurb’ Hidden away in the Record Department of the sprawling Ministry of Truth, Winston Smith skilfully 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. In his longing for truth and liberty, Smith begins a secret love affair with fellow-worker Julia, but soon discovers a nightmare world where love is hate, war is peace and the true price of freedom is betrayal. I read this book in 1981 for GCSE English, but found I could remember very little about the actual detail. It came back to me as I was reading it though. I guess that in 1948, and with WW2 just over and the ‘cold war’ in progress, it would have been a very real, and probably scary, concept. I can’t remember how I felt about it in 1981, bored probably (LOL!), but reading it post-84, I found it to be an unlikely concept, although with the proposed tracking system in cars and the ID scheme, perhaps Big Brother really is watching us?! The Room 101 section was really interesting - the fact that once in there, one faced their biggest fear, and I can’t help wondering if this is where the Boggart idea came from in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, albeit that a Boggart is a creature and not a room! The start was a bit slow to me, but one I got into it I did enjoy it, although it didn’t make me go ‘wow’. The paperback is 342 pages long and is published by Penguin. The ISBN number is 978-0141187358. 6/10 (Read February 2007) ETA: I posted this last year in the thread. I only gave this 6/10 when I read it, but it stayed with me for a long time afterwards and having mulled it over in my mind, I think that was a bit low and I'd probably revise it to 8/10 just for the fact that it made me think so much. Edited April 9, 2010 by Janet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 Interesting review Bagpuss, I enjoyed reading it. I found 1984 quite slow at the start too but once it got going it was a great story, I always felt sorry for Winston. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz Posted February 22, 2007 Share Posted February 22, 2007 I enjoyed reading it as well. I found I got into the story and setting quite quickly and so managed to read it in a few days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raven Posted November 3, 2008 Share Posted November 3, 2008 I don't think a book has ever been more relevant to our time than Nineteen-Eighty-four is today. ID cards, national databases that will keep a record of every phone call and e-mail you send, a government imposing laws in the name of "national security"?! Nineteen Eighty-Four had all of this and more, sixty years ago! It is both terrifying and fascinating in equal measure. Take Newspeak, for example, the idea of reducing the vocabulary of the populace so they don't have the raw ability to articulate their unhappiness with their given lot - what a brilliant idea! Orwell's vision of the future may not be how things have played out, but it has numerous disconcerting parallels with the society we live in today and I would strongly encourage anyone who hasn't read this to give it a try, it is a fantastic, bleak, but ultimately rewarding and thought-provoking book – personally I'd give it 10 out of 10. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beef Posted November 3, 2008 Share Posted November 3, 2008 I don't think a book has ever been more relevant to our time than Nineteen-Eighty-four is today. ID cards, national databases that will keep a record of every phone call and e-mail you send, a government imposing laws in the name of "national security"?! Nineteen Eighty-Four had all of this and more, sixty years ago! It is both terrifying and fascinating in equal measure. Take Newspeak, for example, the idea of reducing the vocabulary of the populace so they don't have the raw ability to articulate their unhappiness with their given lot - what a brilliant idea! Orwell's vision of the future may not be how things have played out, but it has numerous disconcerting parallels with the society we live in today and I would strongly encourage anyone who hasn't read this to give it a try, it is a fantastic, bleak, but ultimately rewarding and thought-provoking book Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nellie Posted November 3, 2008 Share Posted November 3, 2008 I really enjoyed it too, which surprised me a lot. I was very scared by the parallels with today though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Mines Posted November 23, 2008 Share Posted November 23, 2008 I was quite affected by this book. Possibly the bleakest novel I have ever read. But personally, I have never worried about Big Brother. I just do not believe I am sufficiently interesting or important to justify constant surveillance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jue xxx Posted May 6, 2009 Share Posted May 6, 2009 Stayed up very late into the night last night to finish this book - couldn't put it down until I'd finished it! Very bleary eyed this morning! What a fantastic, thought-provoking book; everyone should read it. It still feels futuristic even though it was written in 1948 and was set in 1984 - brilliantly written. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissWhitlock Posted May 6, 2009 Share Posted May 6, 2009 I had no idea what was going at first when I read it. But yes, it was definitely an interesting read. It made me think ALOT, and I liked the idea of the whole thing, really. Newspeak, Big Brother, The Fury was it? Or was it The Hatred? I forgot. Very interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kreader Posted May 6, 2009 Share Posted May 6, 2009 I last read this book in my teens and I still remember it. Especially an poignant part where the guy is in a caf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Escargot Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 Interesting review Bagpuss, I enjoyed reading it. I found 1984 quite slow at the start too but once it got going it was a great story, I always felt sorry for Winston. I agree with you. I don't think a book has ever been more relevant to our time than Nineteen-Eighty-four is today. yeah, I think so, too. Everywhere are cameras, you need an ID, etc... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rawr Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 I started this, but put it down which is a bad idea as now i have to re-read it all. Though i am definitely looking forward to it, the whole idea is very very relavent in this modern age i think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimmy619 Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 One of my favourite books. It is still very relevant now despite it being written so long ago. I have read this book loads of times and I still love it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peacefield Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 Excellent book! Both this one and Animal Farm will always remain on my top list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 A really interesting read Janet (sorry if I am repeating myself), pretty powerful stuff for its time, I have yet to watch the whole of the film but the book is better. 'Animal Farm' is excellent too, a well written book and as relevant now, as it was then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted May 14, 2009 Author Share Posted May 14, 2009 I only gave this 6/10 when I read it, but it stayed with me for a long time afterwards and having mulled it over in my mind, I think that was a bit low and I'd probably revise it to 8/10 just for the fact that it made me think so much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 I only gave this 6/10 when I read it, but it stayed with me for a long time afterwards and having mulled it over in my mind, I think that was a bit low and I'd probably revise it to 8/10 just for the fact that it made me think so much. Interesting post Janet, I enjoyed reading it, I was the same after reading both books, I kept thinking about them, they do stick with you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BookJumper Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 A relevant and extremely well-written book to be sure; however not one I could say I enjoyed reading as such. It was the same with Burgess's "A Clockwork Orange". You could say I'm thematically squeamish - disturbing dystopias aren't really my cup of tea (even more so if they're well-written, as that only makes them play more vividly in my head-movies) I'm afraid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimmy619 Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 I like a dystopia! (well, you know what I mean!). I compared 1984 with A Handmaids Tale for my A-Level and rate both books highly. I like books that leave me something to think about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raven Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 I only gave this 6/10 when I read it, but it stayed with me for a long time afterwards and having mulled it over in my mind, I think that was a bit low and I'd probably revise it to 8/10 just for the fact that it made me think so much. I still find myself thinking about it now, and it's been a good two or three years since I read it. I really should read it again at some point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitegold Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 1984 is my favorite book! I had to read it in highschool, and I surprisingly loved it (even with all of the tedious work assigned with it) I love dystopian literature. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raven Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 Have you read A Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dimitra Posted October 24, 2009 Share Posted October 24, 2009 I finished it today. My feelings are complicated. I can't apply terms like "enjoyment" in this book, because it is by far the most pessimistic book I've ever read. And, I;m not sure how to explain this, but I'm not sure what exactly wanted to pass with this end. There's no hope at all after all? Was it an allegory for something else? Was it somewhat ironic-it? must be. You can say that the books contains many truths inside, thought I don't accept all Orwell's beliefs. I tend to be a more optimistic person. But I think that the term a brilliant read could be applied, because it was really well written and very thought-provoking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raven Posted October 24, 2009 Share Posted October 24, 2009 I can't think of another book that has made me think as much whilst I was reading it (to the point where I would have to go back and re-read the last few lines because my mind had gone off on a tangent all of its own!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BookJumper Posted October 25, 2009 Share Posted October 25, 2009 My feelings are complicated. I can't apply terms like "enjoyment" in this book... [yet] it was really well written and very thought-provokingMy feelings exactly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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