Nicole's review
Erewhon (Dover Thrift Editions) by Samuel Butler
So, I finally finished this 200 page book that I started reading in October! Well, although it took me a long time to get through the book, I think it was worth it. The thing is, it is a very, very thoughtful book - certainly not a light read, so I couldn't read it unless I really had the free time and energy to concentrate. And, if I didn't get through a chapter in one sitting, I usually had to start if over later because I couldn't follow the chapter otherwise. AT ANY RATE, I found this book to be incredibly interesting. It was written during the 1870s (published 1872) and is considered a satire of the [then:] modern day English society. However, there are a lot of themes in the book that hold true today. Butler uses this fictional society (Erewhon) to discuss human nature, the good and the bad. In Erewhon, machines are outlawed, for fear that they may take over the society. Additionally, being sick/diseases is considered a crime punishable by imprisonment, while committing ...more
