Rating: 
Summary: The threat of "Brave New World" gone? That would be nice...
Review: I see that some reviewers are saying the threat of a world similar to that in this novel is farther away than ever. That would be nice. Increasingly, I'm interpreting sci-fi dystopian/utopian novels not as warnings of a dire future but condemnations of a nasty present. And though this book was written in 1932, as civilization increases its messages only become more pertinent. I just finished reading this book today, and it would probably be wise to wait longer before reviewing it, but what the hell. Huxley's "brave new world" can be read as a brilliant satire of consumer society and civilization itself, in which people avoid feelings, pain, and confusion through drugs, work, and a tunnel vision that is reinforced by societal "conditioning" (though I would argue it's part of human nature as well). I was troubled by the Savage's masochistic tendencies, and confused at times as to what Huxley really thought of the Savage's over the top behavior, in the pursuit of sensation and actual feeling. Because the Savage goes so far over the top by the end, I can only assume that Huxley feels he's gone too far in the opposite direction, pursuing pain and denial simply because they are values opposed to the society he hates. Though the book is a brilliant critique, not just of society but of the way the human mind strives to shut out anything unfamiliar and uncomfortable (this is where the book's true greatness lies, I think), I'd consider deducting a star simply because it's more of an essay told in novel form than a full-fledged story. Many pages are devoted to pure description of the society, albiet cloaked in the dialogue of characters rather than in the narration, and sometimes this overshadows the characterization and story development. But the opening chapter uses an interesting, almost "cinematic" technique of "crosscutting", which can be exasperating to read but is original at least. And the characters are actually quite convincing and recognizable, especially Bernard...it's as if George Costanza from Seinfeld wound up in a future society (see Woody Allen's Sleeper). It's brimming with fantastic ideas, but I don't think it's fantastic storytelling. Nonetheless, that a minor quibble, because it's very readable and extremely insightful. Pick it up right away. 5/6
Rating:
Summary: My favorite book
Review: Amazingly creative story that brings up huge questions about the meaning of life, happiness, and God. Bernard Marx lives in the "perfect" new world and visits New Mexico and ends up bringing back a savage. The savage poses many of the questions that the reader must ultimately wrestle with. The story is based off of Aldous Huxley's theory that drugs are the solution for mankind; give healthy, normal people drugs and they will derive the true meaning of life. In short, drugs can help people have a great experience anytime they wish. The drug in Brave New World is called "soma," which in ancient East Hindu myths was the drug used to keep the gods content. It is interesting to note that Huxley was a firm believer in the concept presented in Brave New World -- he made his wife promise to give him LSD when he was dying so that he could reach a truth in his own head. Ironically, it is Huxley's view of life that tells me that there must be a higher purpose, and this point is truly driven home through the Savage in the story. The Savage sees the fleeting and meaningless moments in the "brave new world," and this really makes the reader think about what truly matters in life.
Rating:
Summary: A near future.
Review: The first dystopia I've read is Fahrenheit 451 for 7th grade english. Now, I can't stop reading dystopias! My dad told me Brave New World was a good book, so I started. I think this is the closest dystopia likely to happen. A sex-crazed world who thinks it's animal-like to have children naturally. I love the idea of a class system from the super-human double alpha plus to the grovelling Epsilon-Minus. And Soma, "a gramme is better than a damn." The freaky part about that drug is that something very similar to that now. And it doesn't make you happy, but sort of clueless, like an infant curious about the world. My favourite quote is from Benard Marx, as he refers to the way men talk about women, "As if they were a piece of meat." I use that quote all the time now when a man says something sexist. John the Savage is my favourite character, because although he is referred to as a savage from the savage reservations, he is actually the smartest person on the book. (Well, maybe Mustapha Mond is.) And just in case you don't know why it's called Brave New World, In Shakespeare's "The Tempest", The character Miranda says:
O, wonder!
How many goodly creatures are there here!
How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world,
That has such people in't!
Rating:
Summary: into medialis they do go, yes
Review: there were corollary tendency. without sshining light the new generation do you? uh?
Rating:
Summary: wkrc wcpo cpo
Review: Obviously the first Chichester subsumes your knowledge of
chirally identified dna fullerene polymers.
Hard to filter.. Given the Anfinsen graft and ectopic seizure
shown at 6 of Jones.. a trace.
The moral seizure of ocular brain dysfunction on the dock to
Montauk assures the driver passes up the yellow cake and
mainframes you are being so dutiful about.
Your Artemis Yahoo is a floating tachyonic decimal point.
I think you get the ppoint.. Psychiatric penal plenaries are
like you, krc, visitor, welcome in the birefringence of this
sentence.
Your are formaldehyde tupperware conveyers. anti cash root
mechanics after omniscient advertisement... the eeg echelon
racket you fell into so innocently.
Memento mori continuum, remember innocence.
You are interdimensional travelers with free lance press
credential of the tachycardia probe. Feel of it. You will
find yourself in a hypnotic reverie of restless limbs
then a crouch trying the thigh muscles to stand. The Bornea
bromelia is blooming next to the Arabidopsis.
No flourescent dyes today, eh?
adv.
Rating: 
Summary: A Classic with a Lasting Message
Review: I liked this book because, even though it is a historical classic, its relevance spans decades. Perhaps its a bit eccentric in its view of the future, but none in that genre would be readable without an element of exasperated disbelief. I enjoyed the book, but I would recommend 1984 or Animal Farm, for their similar messages, before I would recommend this book.
Rating:
Summary: afraid of the classless society
Review: I just finished reading Brave New World.
Here is my take on it.
Huxley was an aristocrat from the upper echelons of British society. He was extremely well-heeled. His family was incredibly distinguished in politics, arts and science.
No doubt Huxley, like his peers, also kept vivid memories about the horrors of World War I, the Great War. Indeed, Brave New World was written during the inter-war period. The gruesome nature of WW1 left its indelible mark on every living person in Europe.
Being an aristocrat, and witnessing the horrors of WW1, Huxley was desparately afraid of the complete breakdown of the hierarchical society in which he was so comfortably placed. It is clear that he was terrified, for example, by the prospect of biological weapons spoiling everything. (By his own admission he did not forsee nuclear weapons, thank goodness.)
The Bolshevik revolution in Russia, with the rise of the working man, must have also played heavily on this young aristocrat's mind.
Also, the development of awesome new technology such as the mass production of automobiles and other consumer goods seemed to signal, to Huxley, a breakdown in conventional society in which the great refined men of arts and science dominated.
So, Brave New World is Huxley's reaction to these traumatic events. The book is his concept of what would happen if you combine the horrors of modern warfare, the rise of the working class, and the advent of high technology.
But, you see, it did not turn out like that. Nothing like it.
Huxley remained convinced, for example, that society had to be stratified into classes. Well, sir, it doesn't. Notice in Brave New World the prominence of Alphas and the lowly status of the Epsilons. Well, lo and behold, the real-life Huxley was an Alpha-Plus!
Huxley simply could not envision a society in which a person of modest background could become an Alpha-Plus through hard work, grit, and innate intelligence. Huxley believed that Alpha-Plus's were born as Alpha-Plus's and Epsilon's were born as Epsilon's, as simple as that.
So, the fact that babies are decanting from bottles in Brave Bew World as Alphas, Deltas, Gammas, and Epsilons is actually a strange comfort to Huxley. Although he realizes that the concept is an abhorrent one, the bottom line is that the class hierarchy is preserved in Huxley's Brave New World, to his advantage! Isn't that interesting?
Well, I could go on, but I have made my main point. I could say that the novel is poorly written. Or I could say that most of what Huxley forsaw did not turn out to be true and most of what turned out to be true Huxley did not forsee. But that would be unfair, and once could level the same criticism at Jules Verne and H.G. Wells without really getting anywhere.
So, I leave with the final thought of the day...
Huxley did not believe in the concept that human spirit is distributed equally into all of us, from the poorest of the poor to the richest of the rich. Huxley believed that the lion's share of the spirit went to the aristocratic class. That is why they are the aristocrats: because at birth they received the lion's share of human spirit! Well, balderdash to you, Mr Huxley. Your Brave New World will never come to pass because you and your ilk and never going to be put back in charge.
Rating:
Summary: Not the best written dystopian literature, but still good.
Review: I first read this book while I was a freshman in high school and it was the first book I read that really made me question society. I remember thinking, "wow, this could happen." Several years later when I was in college I had to read it for a Politics and the Arts class. After reading lots of really good literature, I found Brave New World to be a little less well-written than I had once thought. However, I now appreciate the storyline much better and I can now see how society is moving toward this type of society. If you enjoy dystopian literature I recommend this one.
Rating:
Summary: New World Order
Review: 3 1/2 Stars
Replace soma with television, harvest centers with embrionic stem cell research and controllers with the United Nations and you know where we stand right?
This is a very light and entertaining book that will only take a few hours to finish, but you will think about it for many more. Its dystopian entertainment value more than makes up for its simplistic writing style.
Rating:
Summary: Brave indeed
Review: BNW opened my eyes to see how our society could be and how closely related it is to the society in the novel. I think BNW is more philosophical then it is a fantasy novel. I don't think Huxley is a great author, but he had a great idea, and he got the point across. There were a few parts that seemed incomplete, however I would recommend this book to anybody for it's analytical views about the goal of society and its interesting themes. ]
I have two other great books to recommend: Children's Corner by McCrae and Of Mice and Men by Steinbeck
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