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1984
NOTE: Item is an edition meant for English learners, It's the book but with simplified wording, meant for English learners.
Classic / British English (Available February 2008) Winston Smith lives in a society where the government controls people's lives every second of the day. Alone in his small, one-room apartment, Winston dreams of a better life. Is freedom from this life of suffering possible? There must be something that the Party cannot control something like love, perhaps?
Classic / British English (Available February 2008) Winston Smith lives in a society where the government controls people's lives every second of the day. Alone in his small, one-room apartment, Winston dreams of a better life. Is freedom from this life of suffering possible? There must be something that the Party cannot control something like love, perhaps?
76 pages, Paperback
Published February 21, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
June 8, 2022
I knew that reading 1984 right after Plato’s Republic would be a good idea. It’s hilarious in contrast. The ideas portrayed as brilliant solutions on the latter are carried here with excellent cynicism.
While I also prefer A Brave New World in content, the cathartic and gorgeously realized worldbuilding of Orwell’s dystopia is far more engaging than I expected. Seriously, I never bothered with it because I knew I was going to like it well enough, but also understood that there were many classics I could read before instead. Surely, the book is out of surprises by now, I thought. Turns out I was wrong. The book is well worth reading, and every little bit as relevant as it was seventy years ago.
Love it when a classic lives up to the hype.
While I also prefer A Brave New World in content, the cathartic and gorgeously realized worldbuilding of Orwell’s dystopia is far more engaging than I expected. Seriously, I never bothered with it because I knew I was going to like it well enough, but also understood that there were many classics I could read before instead. Surely, the book is out of surprises by now, I thought. Turns out I was wrong. The book is well worth reading, and every little bit as relevant as it was seventy years ago.
Love it when a classic lives up to the hype.
July 29, 2016
Óriási regény. Nem is tudom mit mondjak.
Zsigeri borsódzás és bőröd alá mászás.
Nehéz, nyomasztó, száraz, de megéri.
Bővebben: http://pupillaolvas.blogspot.hu/2013/...
A huge, huge piece of work. I'm out of words, because words couldn't explain this book crawling under your skin, making you shiver from the inside out, making you realize lots of things...
A heavy, grim, prosaic novel, but it's worth reading.
Zsigeri borsódzás és bőröd alá mászás.
Nehéz, nyomasztó, száraz, de megéri.
Bővebben: http://pupillaolvas.blogspot.hu/2013/...
A huge, huge piece of work. I'm out of words, because words couldn't explain this book crawling under your skin, making you shiver from the inside out, making you realize lots of things...
A heavy, grim, prosaic novel, but it's worth reading.
July 3, 2024
Ja kijk het is goed, maar het is niet goed omdat t is samengevat en je te veel mist😚✌🏻
July 10, 2014
I read this and really thought it was amazing, but I don't think I can write a proper review of it (or my version of a proper review anyway) until I've actually read the unabridged version. When I bought this I didn't realise it was the unabridged version, so got a bit of a surprise to see how thin the book was. ;)
I'll be getting my hands on a full copy at some point in future and reading it then. For now I will say, wow, talk about a depressing concept! And yeah, it took me ages to read this tiny book, but that was because I was MEANT to read it for a book discussion, which always means I'm going to slack off with the reading.
I'll be getting my hands on a full copy at some point in future and reading it then. For now I will say, wow, talk about a depressing concept! And yeah, it took me ages to read this tiny book, but that was because I was MEANT to read it for a book discussion, which always means I'm going to slack off with the reading.
September 15, 2025
How can two and two make five?
نسخة مختصرة من الرواية العظيمة 1984، مجمعة كل الأفكار وقادرة توصل المشاعر لدرجة أنك مش هتحس انها مختصرة معظم الوقت.
تنفع جدًا للي حابب يقرأ الرواية وبيمل بسرعة، كمان لغتها بسيطة نوعاً ما ومناسبة لمستوى متوسط وقبل متوسط.
نسخة مختصرة من الرواية العظيمة 1984، مجمعة كل الأفكار وقادرة توصل المشاعر لدرجة أنك مش هتحس انها مختصرة معظم الوقت.
تنفع جدًا للي حابب يقرأ الرواية وبيمل بسرعة، كمان لغتها بسيطة نوعاً ما ومناسبة لمستوى متوسط وقبل متوسط.
January 9, 2019
Foi uma versão resumida, preciso reler.
May 19, 2021
Premier livre en anglais...
May 22, 2021
J'ai acheté par erreur une version coupée.
October 30, 2023
no es la versión original, es una acortada q tuvimos q leer para el colegio
está bueno, las cosas q no me cerraron seguro fueron porque justamente está acortado
recomendadooooo
está bueno, las cosas q no me cerraron seguro fueron porque justamente está acortado
recomendadooooo
December 24, 2012
A disturbing book.
Orwell describes a dystopia that at the same time is a statement of his clear opposition to totalitarian governments. The narrative is well-written and fast paced (with a slight exception during the reading of "THE BOOK") and the reader is constantly wondering what will come next, just like Winston (the main character) does.
The most negative thing I can say about this book is that it is a reflection of reality and the cruelty of "Big Brother"'s regime is clearly inspired in the totalitarian movements of XX century. In other words, this "flaw" is not Orwell's fault. Rather, he has done a wonderful job in showing us the depth and width of evil in human totalitarian governments; he has exposed the flaw in us humans. Still, do not expect to find in this book a mere façade used by Orwell's to denounce his historical context; he has gone much deeper than that! When I finished the book I could not help it but wonder what a psychological burden should have been for Orwell to write such a book. 1984 is a heavy, disturbing work. But maybe it is precisely because of this that is worth a reading. Somehow this book manages to awake an awareness to our environment and to make us thankful for the things that many times we take for granted.
A masterpiece, hands down.
Orwell describes a dystopia that at the same time is a statement of his clear opposition to totalitarian governments. The narrative is well-written and fast paced (with a slight exception during the reading of "THE BOOK") and the reader is constantly wondering what will come next, just like Winston (the main character) does.
The most negative thing I can say about this book is that it is a reflection of reality and the cruelty of "Big Brother"'s regime is clearly inspired in the totalitarian movements of XX century. In other words, this "flaw" is not Orwell's fault. Rather, he has done a wonderful job in showing us the depth and width of evil in human totalitarian governments; he has exposed the flaw in us humans. Still, do not expect to find in this book a mere façade used by Orwell's to denounce his historical context; he has gone much deeper than that! When I finished the book I could not help it but wonder what a psychological burden should have been for Orwell to write such a book. 1984 is a heavy, disturbing work. But maybe it is precisely because of this that is worth a reading. Somehow this book manages to awake an awareness to our environment and to make us thankful for the things that many times we take for granted.
A masterpiece, hands down.
March 20, 2021
It's been almost 12 years since the last time I read George Orwell's "Animal Farm", and I remember it was a truly marvelous reading experience. At the time I could not really understand Capitalism or Communism in the Soviet and the US, so could not extract the essence from the allegory. On the other hand, this time, my expression towards his novel is absolutely different.
The story begins with the scene where Wilson, who has dangerous thoughts in a crazy society ruled by the party, which admires Big Brother as the head, writes a diary in secret.. He writes all about his antagonism towards mad management including forcing the citizens to speak Newspeak, so that limits their thought and controls them to hate love and compassion.
The climax was quite shocking, although inexorable. It encouraged me to imagine what kind of society we live in, and I sometimes dreamed about Oceania (the name of the county Wilson lives in) in my nightmare.
The story begins with the scene where Wilson, who has dangerous thoughts in a crazy society ruled by the party, which admires Big Brother as the head, writes a diary in secret.. He writes all about his antagonism towards mad management including forcing the citizens to speak Newspeak, so that limits their thought and controls them to hate love and compassion.
The climax was quite shocking, although inexorable. It encouraged me to imagine what kind of society we live in, and I sometimes dreamed about Oceania (the name of the county Wilson lives in) in my nightmare.
January 2, 2024
I've heard multiple people describe George Orwell's 1984 as "the best book" they've ever read or "a book everyone needs to read". I wholeheartedly disagree with both statements. Orwell built an interesting world, the concept is almost genius and it's clear why 1984 is considered a classic in the dystopia fiction genre. Unfortunately, Orwell is a man, and this is very clear in the book. The very strong misogyny shown both by male and female characters has no purpose. It adds nothing at all to the book, taking away from the quality instead. I am a strong believer in the idea that everything in a story needs to have a purpose, to lead the reader towards something, at least if the book should be considered a masterpiece or classic. Well, Orwell failed disastrously in this regard. I am disappointed and frankly mad that I wasted 2 hours on this book.
December 12, 2012
Penguin readers level4
December 11 80minutes
7 words summary government restrict watch life diary break language
If government keep watch your life for your safe, is it ok?
No, it is not. I think government infringe human right!
Should languages are united only 1word all over the world?
No, they should not. I think language is a kind of culture. It is boring if there is no differences in the world.
December 11 80minutes
7 words summary government restrict watch life diary break language
If government keep watch your life for your safe, is it ok?
No, it is not. I think government infringe human right!
Should languages are united only 1word all over the world?
No, they should not. I think language is a kind of culture. It is boring if there is no differences in the world.
September 21, 2013
I read this because of a book club at school. It is well written and it really gets you thinking. It is just very very strange and a tad scary too. When it was written it would have been set in the future, but obviously we have past 1984. And the similarities between now and the book 1984 (not the actual 1984) are creepy. I almost feel like while reading it that this book was like from the party and was messing with my mind. hmm... A very intriguing read. (I did enjoy it though... I think)
July 30, 2018
It presents a scary, gruesome face of the future. I am impressed that the author came up with this image back in 1948, which is on par with our present to some extent.
Inspite of this, I found the writing a drag and some parts of the narrative repetitive.
A must read book but not fan of the writing style.
Inspite of this, I found the writing a drag and some parts of the narrative repetitive.
A must read book but not fan of the writing style.
January 21, 2009
So far it is an amazing story of a totalitarian government and how they keep control. The thoughts of the character seem rebellious so far, creating the feeling of individuality in this character among the sea of gray and mundane Oceania provides in 1984.
July 25, 2016
Timeless and imaginative classic. I would only caution that too many people relate it to every single thing happening in the world today. It more aptly describes modern day North Korea but of course this is even an exaggeration (albeit the closest example).
August 22, 2019
I liked this simplified version of the original book and also enjoyed the audio CD pack it comes with. The story retold by Mike Dean was a very helpful for my intermediate students and they found the cover illustration by Stefan Holliland quite cool and very dramatic as well.
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January 16, 2009its kinda like a like a ya
January 16, 2009
I just loved it.
February 7, 2009
A chilling story that depicts what might come our way
June 24, 2009
Amazing.
May 26, 2009
Oranges and lemons.
May 9, 2011
Messed up. Read it as a teen.
June 16, 2011
As I thought, a mindfuck. George Orwell was a genius.
April 26, 2018
This particular issue is a Penguin Reader. Enjoy the preface, abridged story and activities in the final section of the book. Making the classics accessible to all readers. Recommended.
April 30, 2024
3 y media en realidad igual leí la versión adaptada [GUNSHOT]
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews