This is a book that should make you think. Written in the late 1960's, the subject material applies just as well to our society in the 2000's. The book speaks to a utopia and the possible downsides to such. It also hit a note with me regarding our recent trends about things we are doing right now with national security and the terrorist threat. I see a great loss of personal freedoms occurring right now in the U.S. in the name of keeping us safe from personal harm. What are we giving away with this?

I personally think the book was being addressed to the "Great Communist Threat" that was perceived in the 50's and 60's. I feel that the author was trying to present communism as a threat to the world at that time. Even though this book has communism as a main plot, the ideas in the book are still relevant if thought about in other ways. This book would make a good topic of discussion for a college freshman reading list or even for a introduction to politics class.

Do I recommend this book? Yes. It can be read as just a good read if the reader doesn't want to think, but I suspect that it will cause the thinking about the underlying social structures of society and government never the less.