1984

George Orwell's final dystopic nightmare NINETEEN EIGHTY-FOUR, set 35 years in the future, is famous for introducing the phrase "Big Brother is watching" as well as the concepts of "thought police," "newspeak," "room 101" and "doublethink." His long discussion of the government's program of removing words from the language to deprive...more

George Orwell's final dystopic nightmare NINETEEN EIGHTY-FOUR, set 35 years in the future, is famous for introducing the phrase "Big Brother is watching" as well as the concepts of "thought police," "newspeak," "room 101" and "doublethink." His long discussion of the government's program of removing words from the language to deprive citizens of thought to contest government action, as well as the government's permanent war mentality as a means of subjugating it own citizens, are particularly harrowing. It is a literary and political masterpiece from my one-time favorite author and should be required reading for sophisticated students of political history. Made into an unmemorable movie in 1984 starring John Hurt and Richard Burton.   hide

I haven't read this book in over 15 years, and I'm sure when I did the political content went right over my head. Highly recommended! The scenes where Winston is being tortured are quite frightening but his betrayal of julia is the most brutal act of all... The control exercised by the Party reveals the coercive state for what it is, the antithesis of human love. I can't say enough...more

I haven't read this book in over 15 years, and I'm sure when I did the political content went right over my head. Highly recommended! The scenes where Winston is being tortured are quite frightening but his betrayal of julia is the most brutal act of all... The control exercised by the Party reveals the coercive state for what it is, the antithesis of human love. I can't say enough great things about this book, if you haven't read it lately, do it again!   hide

I just don't like the ending, I mean it surprised me and made me kinda sad ha ha

The message is bleak and the ending too depressing, which isn't normally a problem since it's just the perspective of the author, except that this novel's too real and too convincing.