Rating: Summary: Not as straightforward as I remembered Review: Having read this book for a high school English class about 10 years ago, I recently stumbled across it and decided to read it again. What struck me this time around was that Huxley's vision of "Utopia" was not as purely evil as it is often portrayed, but only excessive in its manipulation of every aspect of its citizenry's existence. Nor is the Reservation that John was raised on some sort of idyllic throwback to a happier time in human history, for it was just as unforgiving of difference, of variation from the norm, of free thought, as the "civilized" London. This time, I read the novel as an appeal towards finding a medium between these two extremes. That's what John set out to do at the end, to find a way of life that he felt that he had earned and that he deserved through patience and struggle, and not handed to him because he was decanted as a certain category or denied him because he physically differed from those around him. Huxley's greatest prophesy was the way the Savage's struggle was turned into entertainment for the masses. Our own culture seems to have become just like the one in the book, where if it isn't recorded and broadcast to the masses, it doesn't count. A world where every intimate detail of the private life of an individual is deemed the property of all, valid to commented upon and ridiculed, subverted and manipulated to fit the agenda of anyone who so chooses to use it.
Rating: Summary: bad Review: although the ideas and concepts that huxly thought up were astonding and tantilizing, sometimes he seemed to drift off and lose the whole meaning. maby i feel this way because i'm on;y 15 and i was forced to read this book rather than choose it. but i believe that huxly had potential for a wonderful book but brave new world was not.
Rating: Summary: A good and different kind of book. Review: This was a boook that I really enjoyed reading. It was interesting to see how Huxley saw the future and what he thought it would be like. He did a great job with the details and the characters in the book. I usually don't like scientific books but this one was very interesting and well written. I recomen this book to everyone. Althought it was confusing at times, it was fun to read and I didn't mind that I HAD to read this book.
Rating: Summary: Timeless Review: A moral warning for those who would accept the erosion, then substitution, of religion and piety by govenment and rationalist-humanism.
Rating: Summary: A Terrifying but Relevant Prediction Review: Aldous Huxley may have a been an indulger of hallucinogenic drugs and had some morose thoughts but his novel, Brave New World, is amazing. Despite the fact he accurately predicted prozac and ridilin with "soma", he knew quite a few pertinent traits of human nature. If we were given perpetual "happy drugs" wouldn't it be too tempting to toss it out to the intolerant masses? The conditioning of people is, while dehumanizing, a plausible possibility to satisfy lower classes' boredom and grief. Ignorance is most definitely bliss. Huxley asks us if happiness and proficiency are the only important questions in society. John the Savage arrives with beautiful ideas of art and lost culture, most notably his amiable obsession with Shakespeare. The beginning is slow but effectively disturbing; however, we are soon drawn in by the "Woody Allen" personality of the musing, negatively ruminating Bernard Marx. Lenina reveals the "slacker" in all of us who wishes not to think, not to know, and simply enjoy themself for granted. Some reviewers have complained about the lack of original characters or meaningful plot. This novel is supposed to be satirical, forewarning, and cathartic for thinkers. The discussion between Mustapha Mond and John is fantastic and thought-provoking; it is like nourishment for speculative minds. John's fatal suicide represents the essential tragic nature of man. To understand government manipulation and the reality of the human situation this novel is a must-read.
Rating: Summary: Good book with interesting social commentary Review: I recently reread Brave New World for a college freshman english class. I definitely think I enjoyed it better the second time because I took the time to analyze the story. I think Huxley paints a terrifying picture of a future without individual freedoms. The absence of disease, old age, sexual repression, etc. was certainly attractive. Although the society seems to have no problems or ills, none of the benefits outweigh the lack of individual freedom or free thought. Members of the society are conditioned to the point where their thoughts are not their own. These thoughts are responses that the Controllers have deemed to be appropriate for the entirity of society to learn. Also, members of this society are not allowed to choose their occupations. They are conditioned from their creation to unquestioningly enjoy their jobs with no possibility of change. This does not seem ideal to me. I would never give up my right to choose my fate for a seemingly easy existence. The world in the book is devoid of life because it eliminates the pain and loss that is an important part of our existence. I don't want the easy way out. I want the full monty.
Rating: Summary: Interesting, fun, and exciting to read Review: The Brave New World was an assigned reading for an English class. At first I didn't know what to think, but in the end, I liked the book. Although I don't agree with the exact concepts of the book, it was very interseting and kept my attention. The book presented ideas that most of us don't ever think about. I don't think that I'd ever want to live in such a world, but reading about one was fun. It's one of the best books I've read in quite a while. It seemed to have a little bit of excitement, mystery, fact, and certainly fiction. I think one of my favorite moments was when John began throwing the soma out the hopsital window. What excitement it was to see him finally stand up for what he believed in! I didn't like the ending of the book as well as the rest, but it seemed appropriate to have John kill himself. It was his only escape from this society. At first I thought this book was crazy and hopeless, but in the end, I enjoyed it a great deal. It may have even opened my eyes a little more!
Rating: Summary: Hits on predicting the future but doesn't everyone Review: I really did not like the book. The author got somethings right about things today. But anybody predicting the future gets something right.I was bother by the lack of God in the book.
Rating: Summary: Some truths about society,most do hit predicting the future. Review: This book can be related to the society in whole. Most books can do this. Some things bother me about the book. I was mostly confused what his point was while I was reading the book.I really did not care for it. NBC
Rating: Summary: How close are we to the Brave New World? Review: This is a good book. The only thing that I did not like was the ending of the book. Although it was symbolic, it left you hanging and wondering what would happen next. The interesting thing about this book was that, Huxley wrote it so long ago that he could not have possiably know what was going to happen in the future. The funny thing is that the book is starting to come true in some ways. Recentley, scientist have made advances in the study of cloning and been successful in recreating animals. This book seems like a prophecy of sorts.
|