Rating: 
Summary: Are we there yet?
Review: BNW set the standard for all the dystopian authors that follow, but it is fundamentally different from works such as Orwell's 1984, which though actually a criticism of early cold war brinksmanship and militarism, has been boiled down to 1984=communism=bad. Orwell was trying to make more complex points, but this was highjacked. The association of the dystopian genre with criticizing communism was reinforced by Ayn Rand's work Anthem which was used to advance her own wacky "-ism". However one views communism or socialism, to exclude any self-examination of our capitalist consumer culture through these works, in the post-cold war world, is in effect a declaration that these books are irrelevant. Huxley's brilliant work, however, is undeniably a jab not at authoritarian communism, but crony capitalism and mass consumption for social control. Not only does this make Huxley's work the most relevant to our time and the most prescient, but it also reflects that he had a clear vision of emerging trends in his own time. BNW was written as, thanks to plastic and the Ford assembly line, Americans and Britons for the first time were starting to buy huge quantities of STUFF and advertising rose exponentially with the formation of the radio giants that now comprise the six outlets for all media content in the US. The role of consumer goods, exemplified by soma, was to placate the masses; it's a literal interpretation of the Marxist phrase "opiate of the masses". The hyponpaedic verses of "ending is better than mending" echo the sentiment of today's consumer-driven society. If only Huxley had predicted television.
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Summary: The Futuristic World Seen Through Huxley's Eys
Review: The thought of God not being part of todays society would be almost absurd to those, and the thought of a man such as Ford, being referred to as God would be almost even more absurd. Huxley creates a vision of a perfect society. Where man plays God, and produces people in assembly lines, just as Henry Ford did. Shows how Karl Marx's theories were taken to their extremes and shows how Fascism could not work without some sacrifice. And above all shows the importance of human will, self consciousness, and the importance of liberty and freedom. This book should be shared with all of those who are interested. Because it shares knowledge, its shares more than knowledge, it shares wisdom about humanity, and about what we take for granted. This book is a must for avid readers.
Rating: 
Summary: A superb prophetic exploration of the human condition
Review: An excellent exploration of the human condition and a superb prophecy on the possible future of society. Strange and almost frightening at times, the plot is not fast flowing but rather an examination of the main character's emotions and opinions on society. A thought-provoking and philosophical book, Aldous Huxley's Brave New World is deep and meaningful. Whether looking for an interesting read to relax or a somber and philosophical view on the human condition, Brave New World will provide what you are looking for.
Rating:
Summary: Pretty good...
Review: I didn't have anything to do and this book was laying around at work so I read it for a couple days (and finished it). I didn't even realize it was written in the 30's until about halfway through when I checked the copyright date, I just thought it was written in England or something. It's about an alternate future where people are born in labs and live their life like drones (kinda like the original The Time Machine). You've gotta have an open mind if you're gonna read this because it could be seen as controversial with all the lab babies and drugs and stuff. But, overall, yeah, if it's sitting there and you have nothing to do go for it!
Rating:
Summary: Thought-provoking
Review: Before looking up info on the book, I thought it must have been written during the hippie era, warning about what might happen if the government took control of our lives. The book is insightful, the characters' thoughts and feelings changing dramatically over the course of the story. The characters start out satisfied with their lives in "civilization", where humans no longer have to deal with sexual reproduction---babies are made in factories, and there are distinct ranks and advantages among the people as they grow older. Upon meeting more people, and experiencing more of the so-called uncivilized section of the world, the characters begin to wonder if "civilized society" is as great as it is supposed to be...
Also very thought-provoking, as it explores a world none of us have ever known, and probably don't want to know.
Rating: 
Summary: Avoid if possible
Review: This book was awful. I had a horrible time reading it. I don't care if it's supposed to be a prediction of a bad future, there's no excuse for the [stuff] this person spits out. The ending was unfulilling, too.
Rating: 
Summary: A Yawner
Review: I failed to find this book very engrossing. The impact of the book would have been greater when it was released. Huxley's ideas were provocative and prescient at the time it was first published. 27 years of cultural osmosis led me to deem trite his ideas on genetics, communist utopias, vice, scientific advancements, and inventions. His idea that the human spirit can be decanted from the body through conditioning and selective genetics is hopefully wrong. I prefer to think of the two escaped characters in Ayn Rand's Anthem who are fiercely independent despite being conditioned in a futuristic communistic utopia.
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Summary: Never Gets Old
Review: I first read this book about 30 years ago and it is just as fresh and relevent today as it was back then. It involves a "perfect" society where people are conditioned at birth to accept the station they are assigned in life. Sexual inhabitions do not exist. As a result all people are happy and crime is virtually unheard of. This "perfect" society is threatened by a group of "savages" who want to overturn society and bring things back to the way they were before. Compelling reading. This was probably the inspiration for the film "Demolition Man."
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Summary: A somewhat flawed vision of an utopian society
Review: NOTE: Let me preface this review by stating that if I could, I would give BRAVE NEW WORLD 4.5 stars out of 5. Aldous Huxley's BRAVE NEW WORLD provides us with a startling vision of the future. His is a world where individuality and independent thought have been entirely replaced by man's constant attention to our primieval senses of taste, touch, smell, and physical pleasure. The class system is in full force, operating on the basis of genetic engineering and predeterminism. Everything is ordered, and everyone is satisfied. There are several problems inherent in Huxley's idea of the future. Unlike George Orwell's "1984," which I fully recommend as a more salient and powerful vision of human nature operating in unintended ways, BRAVE NEW WORLD fails to address several key issues, only one of which I will raise. Men who create change through science are singularly independent and creative. These men, if not other men, will undoubtedly realize that the progression of science, and thus mankind, can only occur through the continuous invention and dissemination of novel ideas. The very idea of genetic standardization goes against one of the fundamental principles of life science: diversity in genetics. The universal, centralized genetic engineering proposed in BRAVE NEW WORLD (without which his utopia cannot exist) can only occur under very specific and thus highly unlikely conditions. This logistical weakness reduces BRAVE NEW WORLD from a potential masterpiece to merely a good book. Admittedly, Huxley causes us to think about very pertinent issues; however, the flaws in BRAVE NEW WORLD reduce the applicability and force of his ideas. We are able to dismiss them as amusing and frightful, but highly improbable. On the other hand, a truly masterful vision such as "1984" contains dilemmas stemming from paradoxes within human nature which cannot be resolved. Overall, I would recommend purchasing this book for its ability to provoke thought. It's also written with an entertaining and effective style which adds to the readability. However, note that there are some logistical problems that you will notice if you do a careful reading.
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Summary: I loved this book even though it was extremely disturbing!!
Review: I honestly loved this book. The first time i read it I was senior in highschool and just did what I had to do to get by for class. When I actually opened it and read it for real, my eyes opened up truely to a brave new world! Although this book is disturbing and messes with your mind in an ethical way, it also opens you to show the world could actually become liek this one day. Although we may not me labeled "Alphas", "Betas" , ect., our society today does have the upper class, middle class, and lower class each with tehir repective roles in society.
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