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4th out of 58 books
—
23 voters
Brave New World Revisited
When the novel Brave New World first appeared in 1932, its shocking analysis of a scientific dictatorship seemed a projection into the remote future. Here, in one of the most important and fascinating books of his career, Aldous Huxley uses his tremendous knowledge of human relations to compare the modern-day world with his prophetic fantasy. He scrutinizes threats to huma...more
Paperback, 123 pages
Published
September 5th 2006
by Harper Perennial Modern Classics
(first published 1958)
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I am pleasantly surprised. This book was a series of essays about certain social institutions that are slowly making the world more closely align with the future Huxley predicts in Brave New World. I am not sure why Huxley is trying so hard to prove that his predictions are more likely to come true than George Orwell's 1984. Here are some of the main ideas that I thoroughly enjoyed:
"That so many of the well fed young television-watchers in the world's most powerful democracy should be so complet...more
"That so many of the well fed young television-watchers in the world's most powerful democracy should be so complet...more
As expected from Huxley, this is a brilliant collection of essays on our society and its future. I consider it a great supplement to any anti-utopian novel, to be read when initial shock is soothed and there is more room for clear thought.
The fact that it was published in 1959 and sounds, for the most part, like the work of a modern-day social philosopher, doesn't surprise me any more. What continues to impress me is the author's ability to stay away from imposing his own leanings on his prose....more
The fact that it was published in 1959 and sounds, for the most part, like the work of a modern-day social philosopher, doesn't surprise me any more. What continues to impress me is the author's ability to stay away from imposing his own leanings on his prose....more
Dec 15, 2008
Aaron
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
social-science,
social-studies
Unlike the original novel, this book is actually a collection of essays exploring the topics discussed in the original book Brave New World. This book was written 25 years later, and Huxley expresses his astonishment at not only how accurate much of his speculation/prediction was, but just how quickly things had changed.
This book makes more sense to read, of course, after the novel it is based on. It's fairly light reading, and I recommend it to anyone interested in the novel or in social scien...more
This book makes more sense to read, of course, after the novel it is based on. It's fairly light reading, and I recommend it to anyone interested in the novel or in social scien...more
I think in the beginning I was hung up on the fact that this was written in the late fifties, when my mother was still in high school. However, once you get into it, you realize that it's not about that. Most everything he addresses in the book is still a viable concern.
This is not a book of fiction. It's basically a book of short essays that list and address the problems of a growing society to hang onto democracy. It addresses how the population will grow to proportions that will not have the...more
This is not a book of fiction. It's basically a book of short essays that list and address the problems of a growing society to hang onto democracy. It addresses how the population will grow to proportions that will not have the...more
No doubt about it, Brave New World is an important book. When I first read it in high school it was a revelation and a lot more accessible than 1984, which seemed kind of dark, dreary, and difficult at the time. Twenty years later, I find myself rereading 1984 almost annually because it does what great literature can do so well: get under one's skin in a way that is uncomfortable yet illuminating. The world Orwell creates in 1984 is somehow more consistent and believable, the characters more "re...more
This was a book that makes you think! I read it along with Taylor for his Pre AP Lit class this next fall. I enjoyed it! It is a satire written about the world back in 1932. I kept having to remind myself of when it was written - the technological terms that he uses were so real! Sadly, even though it was written as a satire, many of the things talked about are coming true, if they haven't already. Basically it presents a world where everything religious, including God himself, is replaced by te...more
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I was having a discussion yesterday on how to restore the intellectual rigor that American society has indisputably lost. As I stated then, the people of America today do not have the foresight, patience, or diligence to have accomplished what took place during the American revolution and the Constitutional convention. If we had been the colonial citizens, or they had shared our mentality, then there never would have been an America, and likewise would there never have been the concept of libert...more
Wow. But first, Huxley seems really hung up on who's got the most accurate vision of the future: himself or George Orwell. That gets a little distracting. Regardless, some of the points in this series of essary are extremely thought provoking and will leave me chewing for days. Like man is not a completely social animal. More like the wolf than the ant. But with populations booming and cities growing, our environments are looking for like the ant's than the wolf's so what does that mean for us?...more
So, this I read over 40 years ago. Re-reading it is amazing, given the last decade of American life and the balance of personal freedoms vs. the state. For those of you participating in the February Russian classic bookclub, it's good to see the cross pollination of philosophical ideas among authors in the 1920s and 1930s.
p.220: "...that's the price we have to pay for stability. You've got to choose between happiness and what people used to call high art. We've sacrificed the high art."
p.222: "E...more
p.220: "...that's the price we have to pay for stability. You've got to choose between happiness and what people used to call high art. We've sacrificed the high art."
p.222: "E...more
Of course I give the book credit for being ahead of its time, but I actually didn't enjoy this dystopian novel as much as others I've read. And I pride myself on enjoying heavier, thought-provoking books, but this one just didn't do it for me. The ideas were interesting, but the writing didn't really keep my attention and the characters more often annoyed me than not (especially the complainy, one-dimensional Bernard Marx). I almost wish there was more written about the thoughts of the other alp...more
Sadly, I missed reading this in high school. The book, written in 1934, is well ahead of it's time. It mentions genetic manipulation, cloning/splitting, extreme technological advancements that allow us to nearly fly and be endlessly entertained. All of this is set in a utopian society that focuses on comfort and happiness. Of course, certain concessions must be made to reach these goals. The book asked very important questions - what is comfort worth? Is the pursuit of happiness a worthy goal?
M...more
M...more
I have always been averted to reading Brave New World - mostly because the thought of a society like the one in this London scares me. No art, restricted science, and most of all the placidity of the whole place.
I picked this book up for a book club and was pleasantly surprised. I really enjoyed Huxley's style of writing, is character analysis, and how he directly assesses what it means to be happy.
An assembly line culture really would take a toll on civilization and Huxley's weariness of consu...more
I picked this book up for a book club and was pleasantly surprised. I really enjoyed Huxley's style of writing, is character analysis, and how he directly assesses what it means to be happy.
An assembly line culture really would take a toll on civilization and Huxley's weariness of consu...more
Actually I read "A Brave New World", and skipped the "...Revisited" portion which was added to the end of the book. The story was awesome! A great must-read for anyone. The revisited part was Huxley's thoughts on over-population, brain-washing, etc. as they related to the book and the changes that occurred between the publishing of the two. It also is very intersting and thought-provoking if you want to read it... I just skimmed it.
When Huxley wrote it he initially assumed this dystopia would exist 6 centuries down the road. After WWII he commented that "today it seems quite possible that the horror may be upon us within a single century." Although I find Orwell's 1984 a much more timely and accurate portryal of our modern world than Huxley's A Brave New World, BNW touches on issues left unexplored: sexuality and mind-altering drugs. I see plenty of parallels, and hope the world will heed his prophetic counsel of the world...more
Happiness: is it something our governments have to be concerned with?
Our "right" to be happy (if there is any) should not be as important as the freedom to choose it. This book is about a highly advanced society, on which social interaction is absolute and the desire to be alone is frowned upon, seen as abnormal, condemned.
When asked about the similarities between George Orwell's '1984' and this masterpiece, author Aldous Huxley stated "I feel that the nightmare of Nineteen Eighty-Four is destin...more
Our "right" to be happy (if there is any) should not be as important as the freedom to choose it. This book is about a highly advanced society, on which social interaction is absolute and the desire to be alone is frowned upon, seen as abnormal, condemned.
When asked about the similarities between George Orwell's '1984' and this masterpiece, author Aldous Huxley stated "I feel that the nightmare of Nineteen Eighty-Four is destin...more
Not sure why this is considered such a classic. Sure it has interesting components of a an dystopian novel where sex had been removed from reproduction and people were grown for their jobs with various levels of intellect and ability. Social engineering on a grand level. I just didn't find the characters all that believable, more like stick figures for the plot - what plot there was. There were some interesting conversations and philosophy and while the book has been called anti-religious, I did...more
Brave New World presented us with a view of the future both grand and depressing. I was very impressed with the scale of Huxley's writing, from the overview to the details. What may astonish me the most of this work is how complete is seems to be - the reader can imagine how any facet of his life might be in the world as depicted within, and while it is a story rooted mostly in a political view of a possible future, it isn't content to stay at such dry levels and instead brings your emotions to...more
The 2nd book in Corrie and I's Semana Santa Book Club. With only hours left in our break, I guess it's better late then never.
We might be two of the only 30somethings left in the English speaking world who haven't read this one before. Funny how both of our books chosen--this and Atwood's "The Handmaid's Tale"--both have procreation as one of their focuses (Corrie is due in about a month).
...finally finished. My initial review got erased, so here's the abridged version:
I never got excited fo...more
We might be two of the only 30somethings left in the English speaking world who haven't read this one before. Funny how both of our books chosen--this and Atwood's "The Handmaid's Tale"--both have procreation as one of their focuses (Corrie is due in about a month).
...finally finished. My initial review got erased, so here's the abridged version:
I never got excited fo...more
Short and sweet - 4 years before his death, Aldous Huxley published this series of essays covering the different aspects of the sneaky tactics used by the Elite to herd the masses toward a real life Brave New World. He demonstrates how post-war prosperity has made the average person so lazy and spoiled, they'd be willing to give up their personal responsibilities for a life of care-free ease. Likewise, Huxley demonstrates that this fact was no mere accident. Covering the findings of many psychol...more
Warning! This book will make you think. While we are not currently makng physical clones, many exremists are trying to make us mental clones - this book can show you a glimpse of how that society mught turn out.
first off, i have no idea why this book was in the "teen paperback" section. i'd have serious problems if my teen came home with this book without talking to me about it first, and i didn't even finish it.
i have this thing where occasionally i'll try to read Important Books, or classics, or whatever, and almost invariably, it goes wrong. this book is no exception. i hated it. HATED IT. there was nothing redeeming in it for me. the back of it talked about how it's chilling and frightening and ev...more
i have this thing where occasionally i'll try to read Important Books, or classics, or whatever, and almost invariably, it goes wrong. this book is no exception. i hated it. HATED IT. there was nothing redeeming in it for me. the back of it talked about how it's chilling and frightening and ev...more
Aunque algunas de las ideas están evidentemente anticuadas, en conjunto es sobrecogedor cómo este autor fue un visionario al redactar la novela que lo hizo famoso y lo volvió a ser al reflexionar sobre la misma en este ensayo.
Pone de relieve los que considera que serán los problemas más graves en el nuevo milenio, y sorprendentemente en algunos casos no anda desencaminado.
Asimismo, en las manos inadecuadas podría convertirse en un pequeño y básico manual del dictador totalitario del siglo XXI,...more
Pone de relieve los que considera que serán los problemas más graves en el nuevo milenio, y sorprendentemente en algunos casos no anda desencaminado.
Asimismo, en las manos inadecuadas podría convertirse en un pequeño y básico manual del dictador totalitario del siglo XXI,...more
When I read Brave New World, I was struck by how prophetic the book was. It was a good story, and it was well written and would deserve a 5-star review just based on those sorts of literary criteria, but the precision of Huxley's foresight has stuck with me even more. It apparently struck Huxley as well, which is why he "revisited" his Brave New World with this collection of essays. He wrote the novel thinking (believing, knowing?) that these things were going to happen, but what surprised him w...more
Frustrating and disappointing. Though I think I am too used to the dystopian novels of today. The kind that end with hope and the promise of a better future. Or at least, something to hang on to, instead of dangle from. The beginning was extremely dry, I almost put it down several times. But, a few chapters in it does begin to perk up.
The problem is that all the characters are a**h*les. Each and everyone. There was no one relatable or likeable to me. And yet, I wasn't so sure I disagreed with th...more
The problem is that all the characters are a**h*les. Each and everyone. There was no one relatable or likeable to me. And yet, I wasn't so sure I disagreed with th...more
I fucking hate politics.
It's only useful in a very small amount of cases and in the rest of the time it's just a big pile of bullshit that is fed to people in order to keep them at their lower level.
I don't like governments and people that run countries and I really really don't like them in countries like mine or in countries like USA. Somewhere in this world there must be a good president or a nice prime-minister but in my country, that doesn't happen and in the USA it's all just a big scam....more
It's only useful in a very small amount of cases and in the rest of the time it's just a big pile of bullshit that is fed to people in order to keep them at their lower level.
I don't like governments and people that run countries and I really really don't like them in countries like mine or in countries like USA. Somewhere in this world there must be a good president or a nice prime-minister but in my country, that doesn't happen and in the USA it's all just a big scam....more
Just to say, I think the cover really does add to the book and the theme! Brave New World centers in on our world as a distopia, and how humans are controlled and conditioned to be part of this 'perfect world'. Characters push limits to strive to become outsiders and to fit in, all while dealing with the drama of this society and their expectations. Changing the ways of society taskes courage and strength, especially when everyone just wants to keep quiet and fit in. I suggest that children shou...more
I thought it should have been mofe kid appropriot of freindily. Other than that it was a realy good book. some stuff happend in the book that would never happen in real life like creating babies. Theu also tested the babies to a fire alarm. also they electracuted the baby but a very small dose like an eletrical scocite. It would never happen in real ife.
the book is a bad book for kids. One it has adult frendily spots in the book. Two it had parts for grown ups. it should be rated 17&up fo...more
I thought Brave New World, was a great book. Although the book itself was quite demented and weird, the storyline was great, and I’d recommend it to anyone who wants a different perspective of life. Brave New World, written by Aldous Huxley, is a story of society that is without love, knowledge, sadness, or true happiness. The controllers of this world want a successful society, giving them fake pleasures, which people think satisfy them, but take away their humanization. Some people may find th...more
A great Dystopian novel, steps away form the normal post-apocalyptic idea of a new society, and instead focuses on a social upheaval. This concept is what makes ABNW stand out in its class, as there is no public outcry or fear of the past, there is only happiness and uniformity. No active movement to change or revolt, it actually seems to be like a Utopia, provided you are in their society. But the underlying situations, obligations, standards, expectations flow around a deep superiority complex...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goodreads Librari...: changing specific edition information | 6 | 29 | Jan 31, 2013 11:19am | |
| Hey, reviewers, it's "Brave New World Revisited", not "Brave New World"! | 12 | 26 | Nov 09, 2012 10:49pm | |
| Artist's Read: The road so far... | 1 | 3 | Jun 19, 2012 08:10pm | |
| Akins Hollis Engl...: SSR- Marcus | 1 | 2 | Nov 18, 2011 12:02pm |
Aldous Leonard Huxley was an English writer and one of the most prominent members of the famous Huxley family. He spent the latter part of his life in the United States, living in Los Angeles from 1937 until his death in 1963. Best known for his novels and wide-ranging output of essays, he also published short stories, poetry, travel writing, and film stories and scripts. Through his novels and es...more
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“This Power Elite directly employs several millions of the country´s working force in its factories, offices and stores, controls many millions more by lending them the money to buy its products, and, through its ownership of the media of mass communication, influences the thoughts, the feelings and the actions of virtually everybody. To parody the words of W. Churchill, never have so many been manipulated so much by few.”
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6 people liked it
“The principles underlying propaganda are extremely simple. Find some common desire, some widespread unconscious fear or anxiety; think out some way to relate this wish or fear to the product you have to sell; then build a bridge of verbal or pictorial symbols over which your customer can pass from fact to compensatory dream, and from the dream to the illusion that your product, when purchased, will make the dream come true. They are selling hope.
We no longer buy oranges, we buy vitality. We do not just buy an auto, we buy prestige. And so with all the rest. In toothpaste, for example, we buy not a mere cleanser and antiseptic, but release from the fear of being sexually repulsive. In vodka and whisky we are not buying a protoplasmic poison which in small doses, may depress the nervous system in a psychologically valuable way; we are buying friendliness and good fellowship, the warmth of Dingley Dell and the brilliance of the Mermaid Tavern. With our laxatives we buy the health of a Greek god. With the monthly best seller we acquire culture, the envy of our less literate neighbors and the respect of the sophisticated. In every case the motivation analyst has found some deep-seated wish or fear, whose energy can be used to move the customer to part with cash and so, indirectly, to turn the wheels of industry.”
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4 people liked it
More quotes…
We no longer buy oranges, we buy vitality. We do not just buy an auto, we buy prestige. And so with all the rest. In toothpaste, for example, we buy not a mere cleanser and antiseptic, but release from the fear of being sexually repulsive. In vodka and whisky we are not buying a protoplasmic poison which in small doses, may depress the nervous system in a psychologically valuable way; we are buying friendliness and good fellowship, the warmth of Dingley Dell and the brilliance of the Mermaid Tavern. With our laxatives we buy the health of a Greek god. With the monthly best seller we acquire culture, the envy of our less literate neighbors and the respect of the sophisticated. In every case the motivation analyst has found some deep-seated wish or fear, whose energy can be used to move the customer to part with cash and so, indirectly, to turn the wheels of industry.”
Aug 11, 2009 07:07am