Island
by Aldous Huxley
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Read in July, 2007
As much as I'd like to shake it off, I can't quite get past the feeling that Huxley's critique of Western developmentalism, which I pretty much agree with, might not.. well, be quite served as well as it ought to have been by his own vision of the Good Society. The feeling that yes, given such and such fortuitous set of pre-existing conditions, combined with such and such rational application of supra-utilitarian psychology, transcendental humanism, "neurotheology," eco-anarchist mutua...more
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Read in March, 2008
This is a book to read and re-read for the philosophical and spiritual issues that it examines. The utopia of Pala is examined by an outsider, much like ourselves. Will has been brought up through the typical patriarchal pedagogy, which resents and demeans anything different.
He learns to embrace a parallel if not complementary way of living. The Palanese integrate teachings across philosophies (not just religions) of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Christianity and accept the spectrum of individu...more
He learns to embrace a parallel if not complementary way of living. The Palanese integrate teachings across philosophies (not just religions) of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Christianity and accept the spectrum of individu...more
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Read in June, 2006
recommends it for:
Hippies pretending to be Yuppies.
My GRE Test Prep book says that qualifying and generally narrowing the scope of your thesis does not in any way undermine the effectiveness of your argument. On the contrary it makes the argument appear scholarly, more convincing. The persuasive power of Huxley’s utopia similarly rests in a kind of measured ambition. That is, while it is certainly naïve to assume human beings will ever solve all of their important problems, it also cannot be denied that these problems are all too often cause...more
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Read in March, 2006
Huxley writes about a utopian society and points out many of the downfalls of western society. What I liked about this is that he offered alternatives/soltutions to these negatives.
He describes a new way to raise children called mutual adoption that "guarantees children against injustice and the worst consequences of parental ineptitude".
He addresses the western healthcare and describes his vision for the way it should be:
"It’s fifty percent terrific and fifty pe...more
He describes a new way to raise children called mutual adoption that "guarantees children against injustice and the worst consequences of parental ineptitude".
He addresses the western healthcare and describes his vision for the way it should be:
"It’s fifty percent terrific and fifty pe...more
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Read in January, 2002
Published in 1962, the year before his death (which occurred on the same day JFK was assassinated), Island is the antithesis of his earlier-acclaimed Brave New World. Whereas Brave New World describes the epitome of a dystopian future, Island is a richly imagined utopian realm.
Pala, a fictional island, is home to an undisturbed and prospering society — that is, until a skeptical journalist named Will Farnaby is shipwrecked upon its shores. As much a philosoph...more
Pala, a fictional island, is home to an undisturbed and prospering society — that is, until a skeptical journalist named Will Farnaby is shipwrecked upon its shores. As much a philosoph...more
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Read in February, 2007
Island describes a fictional utopian society and serves as a counterpoint to Huxley's (and other's) earlier dystopia novels. Despite having been written nearly fifty years ago, many of the themes, such as corporate imperialism and energy consumption, remain (painfully) relevant today. Huxley describes an island nation that has managed to conquer most of society's ill's and is being threatened by the corrupting influence of western culture. This book is very clearly written from the perspective o...more
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Read in August, 2007
This book was so jam-packed with ideas and opinions, it was nearly impossible to put down. You really get the sense of this being Huxley's last book and of him lying all of his beliefs right out there for you to interpret and assess. And seeing as how I agree with pretty much everything he says, I thought this book was awesome. My only complaints would be that since he has so much to say, the book is essentially plot-less, with 95% of the time dedicated to describing his utopia/dystopia scenario...more
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Read in April, 2008
Another novel I picked up becuase it was noted as an influence on the Lost Tv show (dont hate me, please)
It was just ok for me. I am not sure what i was expecting, but this novel just didnt even come close. Basically, I feel like I read an essay by Huxley on what he felt the perfect society was. The only reason it is a 'novel' is becuase he created characters to explain it all to us.
There was no meat in this storyline, no real action or emotions to really build on, or to get you involve...more
It was just ok for me. I am not sure what i was expecting, but this novel just didnt even come close. Basically, I feel like I read an essay by Huxley on what he felt the perfect society was. The only reason it is a 'novel' is becuase he created characters to explain it all to us.
There was no meat in this storyline, no real action or emotions to really build on, or to get you involve...more
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Has a copy to sell/swap
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Read in February, 2008
recommended to Mark by:
Allysonrecommends it for: Susie
Great content but the writing style bumped me. The 90% exposition and 10% narrative mix is awkward. The fact that every character, even the children, rant on manifesto style often takes you out of the already thin story line. Yet Huxley's thoughts are dense and fascinating. His deconstruction of Western civilization is excellent. I share his appreciation of the joy and freedom that the Buddha's teachings can bring but the Buddha never spoke of the utopia that Huxley puts forward in his novel. My...more
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Read in May, 2008
This book starts out brilliant, but after a while, what starts as a really interesting, deep character piece becomes a torrent of philosophical and descriptive monologues by inhabitants of this utopian island. The book spends too much time developing its philosophy and sort of loses what I felt was the heart of the book, the story of a man who can't take yes for an answer finally learning to say yes.
But maybe that's just what happens when you read utopian fiction. You spend a lot of time j...more
But maybe that's just what happens when you read utopian fiction. You spend a lot of time j...more
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This book has some really great ideas about little things that we can do to make this world a better place. It has great suggestions for how we can raise our children to be more loving and non-violent, how to embrace the inevitability of death, and puts into perspective the truly important things in life. However, when Huxley explains that the easiest way to experience enlightenment is through eating mushrooms, I have to admit, the book became a bit less interesting and powerful. It sure bega...more
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Read in January, 2006
recommended to Belinda by:
Quoted in Eckhart Tollerecommends it for: Students of Buddhism, but not to the prudish
This book was referred to in a talk by Eckhart Tolle, regarding the part in the book describing the birds of the island that were trained to say, "Right here, right now, attention!" I thought the idea so unusual that I had to read it to see in what context the story would include such a thing.
The book had appealing elements and does not have a happy ending, I would say. It allowed me to explore some of the elements that I could imagine if a world was not based on the bigger, better...more
The book had appealing elements and does not have a happy ending, I would say. It allowed me to explore some of the elements that I could imagine if a world was not based on the bigger, better...more
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Read in January, 2002
Not nearly as good a novel as Brave New World, but interesting nonetheless. What might be most surprising at first is the inverse relationship this utopia has to the dystopia Huxley writes about some thirty or so years before. Soma and forced polygamy give way to...psychedelic mushrooms and either polygamy or monogamy (chosen instead of forced). Anyway: a tad dry, but if you have some time to kill, it's a good counterpoint to Brave New World.
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Read in January, 1990
Thirty years after the classic dystopia Brave New World and towards the end of his life, Huxley crafted this model of a utopian society, working out kinship structures, ritual practice, political processes and the ultimate challenge of living within the international context of resource avarice. I read this a long time ago and it often comes unbidden to my mind, reminding me that another world is possible.
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Read in January, 2004
Island is an interesting novel that Aldous Huxley wrote at the end of his life. As such, it is interesting to glean from Island the lessons that Huxley has learned in life. Even more interesting is comparing and contrasting the society in Brave New World with the one in Island to decipher whether or not Huxley actually believes that the existence of a utopia is possible, and if so, what it would entail.
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Read in January, 1985
recommends it for:
philosphers
A refreshing view of life - the lsd Huxley experimented with shows its influence in this thoughtful novel. Short on plot and with no memorable characters, the story serves as a vehicle for some interesting and useful ideas. I particularly liked the exotic birds, flying freely around the island, trained to repeat "Here and Now boys, here and now" to remind the inhabitants to live in the present.
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recommends it for:
lovers of utopian dreams
Jeepers, I had almost completely forgotten how much I loved this story about a Polynesian secular-Buddhist paradise. The details and history of this island kingdom are explored through the eyes of an injured traveler. Shangri-la in the South Pacific. Naturally, this being Huxley, there is a poisonous snake in paradise. Thanks to Fostergrants for reminding me of this guilty pleasure.
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Awesome utopian book. If you read Brave New World and thought "Hey, some parts of that wouldn't be so bad" you should definitely check Island out. It's an exercise in two-sides-to-every story: in both, the populace is given drugs, instructed in sex etc. but Island has a completely different view on the matter. Just goes to show you how a few experiences with mescaline can change a man.
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Over a thousand birds inhabit the island mimicking the word,"Attention", reminding people to pay attention to everything they do. From the beginning, children are taught to do things with "the minimum of strain and maximum of awareness". By the time children are fourteen they've learned to get the best objectively and subjectively out of any activity.
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Read in July, 2003
Between really interesting and a blatant treatise on the use of psychotic drugs. For once the system was completely sound, happy and prosperous. That is until the evils of religion, modernization and industrialization rear their ugly head. All put together the novel puts together a good tale, but only a bit that you can take away.
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