1984

Rating:
Summary: A Classic.
Review: Orwell's striking story about the dangers of, basically, communism. It still strikes a chord ALL these years later. It may seem daunting, being an "out of touch old book" but better chance than not, you'll love it. ~Andy

Rating:
Summary: DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER!
Review: Big Brother's watching, and there's no escaping him.1984 is the story of Winston Smith, a employee for the Ministry of Truth, and how he tries to escape the wrath of big brother, and even tries to.well you'll just have to read the book to find that out.This book is full of twists and turns, that will leave you on the edge of your seat, up to the last four words. oh by the way "war is peace freedom is slavery ignorance is strength." and "2+2=5"

Rating:
Summary: A must-read
Review: In "1984", Winston, the main character, finds himself dissatisfied with a world he feels powerless to change. Cameras are everywhere, and no one knows when they are being monitored. Furthermore, government spies abound, and children are taught early on to snitch on someone who is being disloyal. Public records are constantly altered to ensure that "Big Brother" is seen as flawless and all-powerful. Unable to hide in the shadows any longer, Winston begins to search for others who are equally disatisfied. As the story unfolds, the uneasiness builds as Winston tries to find a way to thwart the seemingly unstoppable Big Brother.

Privacy advocates often reference "1984" for its nightmarish vision of a world where one's every move is monitored. Equally unnerving are the descriptions of an all-powerful government that can hide the truth by altering documents and that "reprograms" those who disagree. If you're sleeping too well at night, this is a book for you. It should be read by everyone who's ever considered the importance of freedom.

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Summary: 1984: A Future that Might Have Been but Wasn't
Review: The world of George Orwell's 1984 is a dirty world that is filled with equally dirty people. This filth is both external and internal. There is scarcely a page in which Orwell does not describe the run-down condition that is Oceania. Grime sems to cover each wall and window. Elevators break. Nearly all moving devices need continual repair. The only device that is guaranteed to work is the ubiquitous telescreen. The characters are the human equivalent of their eroding technology. Almost everyone is fat, gross, balding, or otherwise plain ugly. Winston Smith, the hero, is described in terms that make the reader wonder why his lover, Julia, fell in love with him. It is this preoccupation with grubbiness that serves as a subtext to point out that the world of Oceania is the inevitable result when the beauty of individuality is removed and the uncaring and life-denying collective psychology of the state is substituted. When the only ones in a society who seek to celebrate their independence of mind and body can do so knowing full well that their discovery is certain, then their relationship takes on a significance that is worth the terrible cost. For most of the book, Winston and Julia tap dance around each other before finding out that each is not alone. When they couple sexually, their orgasm is a political statement. The next logical step is to find others like themselves. They believe that Winston's boss, O'Brien, is a kindred soul who is also a member of the secret brotherhood. He gives them a book to read which explains the principles by which the group's members live. Ironically, to become a member of this group dictates that both Winston and Julia must merge into the group's collective consciousness more thoroughly than demanded by Big Brother for his group, the symbol of the party that governs Oceania. Their relation is detected nearly at once, but the party allows them to continue until it decides to arrest them. O'Brien is really a traitor to the probably non-existent brotherhood, and it is he who interrogates both Winston and Julia. O'Brien is described as an aging but still vigorous torturer. In fact, he uses his wrinkled face as a metaphor for the futility of Winston to seek to enhance his own psychological life by engaging in forbidden love. Winston is thoroughly beaten, humiliated, broken. His de-evolution from Thinking Man to Orthodox Man is both rapid and irreversible. As he stares into the mirror, O'Brien tells him that if Winston believes himself to be the last free thinking man on earth, then the wreck that stares back at him merely punctuates the party claim that the individual counts not at all in the political scheme of things. When Winston acknowledges that he now loves Big Brother, the reader can see that this love is not the love of emotion but one of indoctrinated and inculcated values, and thus not worthy of the term 'love' at all. The tragic irony is that the reader can see this even if Winston Smith cannot.

Rating:
Summary: ... Rather Weird
Review: A great book a little scary with the idea... that BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING... although we always think of who wathing us in public the idea of being watched in work and in your house kinda brings an idea of the Nazi Gestapo back, terrorizing you in your house and in public if they think your against the government body.

Rating:
Summary: very critical but this is the best book ive ever read
Review: people are complaing about the plot but i found this book extremely entertaining and i cannot look at the world or listen to the news the same way. Read the dictionary of newspeak terms at the end and you wont be as depressed when you are done (still not a happy ending but atleast big brother falls)

Rating:
Summary: A twisted eery tale
Review: This is one of the most disturbing stories ever written. But it is done so perfectly. If you want to read about messed up polatics and a twised state of human affairs than this is the book to read. It had parts where my brian would tingle as it talked about the economics behind war the the strength in developing a conflict. It was truely remarkable. A very influencial peice of literature.

Rating:
Summary: Dark and Bold
Review: 1984 is written in the style of the "negative utopia." It is a dark vision of a future society in which personal freedom has been destroyed and in which a small group have established dictatorial control over the many. It was written mainly as a warning against authoritarianism and totalitarianism.....not just the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany, but also against the totalitarianism of the mind that is currently evolving in capitalist culture as well. Orwell was a socialist. This is only relevant to counter those who say that Orwell was criticizing socialism. He most certainly was not...socialists stand for personal freedom and economic democracy.

This is a very well written book with a good plot. Orwell's vision was a clear one and a danger that has not entirely been eliminated today.

Rating:
Summary: A Word To Those Interested In This Book
Review: Quite a dark story. It became boring at times and had a bit too much informational writing. Definitly not your average story. Well written. The plot was okay. Read it if you want the experience. I would recommend Animal Farm over this if you are looking for dystopian socities. It is much more light hearted and easier to read.

Rating:
Summary: A perspective into the Future....
Review: I read this book in an honors lit class in 9th grade and was surprised to find that it was not a suspended book at my high school yet (and at the same time I was glad it wasn't). Now I am a Junoir and able to fully apprieciate the well written polital novel. As I recall, it is about a man named Winston and is based in the furture where the government was nearly in complete control over a person and their thoughts. This place is Oceana which is located in London and at war or allienced with East Asia and Eurasia (Winston is the only one who knows the truth to this and is therefore especially watched closely as he contains top secreate information from the "Truth Ministry"). Big Brother is the politacal party that controls London and the secrete police is basically it's secrete weapon to reading the peoples thoughts and killing them off. Winston falls in love with a woman (illigally) named Julia and therefore ends up joining the Brotherhood (good political party against Big Brother). Here we see telescreens that are hidden all over secrete and public places to moniter peoples movements and thoughts. Winston gets caught doing something he wasn't supposed to be doing and is sent to one of the prisons (the most interestingly detailed part in the novel). Here Wiston must face the ultimate punishment of his life...his own fear. Read it, ponder over it, and fear it, and enjoy it. I've even heard that today London has at least 1 survalence camera for every 15 people (sounds kind of like the telescreens to me).....