Dystopian Literature: A Theory and Research Guide

by M. Keith Booker

Dystopian literature is a potent vehicle for criticizing existing social conditions and political systems. While utopian literature portrays ideal worlds, dystopian literature depicts the flaws and failures of imaginative societies. Often these societies are related to utopias, and the dystopian writers have chosen to reveal shortcomings of those social systems previously considered ideal. This reference overviews dystopian theory and summarizes and analyzes numerous dystopian works.

By reviewing the critical thought of particular dystopian theorists, the beginning of the volume provides a theoretical context for the remainder of the book. Because dystopian literature is so closely related to utopian writing, the reference profiles and discusses eight important utopian works. The rest of the book includes entries for numerous dystopian novels, plays, and films. Each entry summarizes the work and discusses dystopian themes. The entries include short bibliographies, with full bibliographic information provided at the end of the volume. This comprehensive guide covers the full period from Thomas More's Utopia to the present day.

Genres: Nonfiction

424 pages, Hardcover

First published May 30, 1994

Reviews

[Ietrio · Rating 1 out of 5]

A fascinating book that brings the World of 1984 closer to us. In this one, Booker is going to tell you how you must feel and the right way to decode literature. An excellent example of Room 101.

Oh, the text itself lacks literary value.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Intersting work, which includes an immens list of important utopian/dystopian novels/plays/films.

[Enrique · Rating 1 out of 5]

¡¿Pero cómo se puede escribir un libro tan peñazo sobre un tema tan interesante?!
La bibliografía empleada para escribirlo parece útil, no obstante.

[Airaology]

A lot of references.

[Gwen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just read the introduction for my dystopia class. The text was pretty thick. When time permits I'll probably read the rest, though since it's a reference book at the library I can't check it out...

[Brianna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this useful while teaching my recent class on Dystopian literature. Both the fiction summaries and the introductions various theorists were useful supplements for my students.