Aldous Huxley's Brave New World

by Harold Bloom (Editor), Aaron Tillman

- Presents the most important 20th-century criticism on major works from The Odyssey through modern literature- The critical essays reflect a variety of schools of criticism- Contains critical biographies, notes on the contributing critics, a chronology of the author's life, and an index- Introductory essay by Harold Bloom

Genres: Literary Criticism, Classics, Fiction, Science Fiction, Literature, Dystopia, Essays

165 pages, Library Binding

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

Harold Bloom was an American literary critic and the Sterling Professor of Humanities at Yale University. In 2017, Bloom was called "probably the most famous literary critic in the English-speaking world." After publishing his first book in 1959, Bloom wrote more than 50 books, including over 40 books of literary criticism, several books discussing religion, and one novel. He edited hundreds of anthologies concerning numerous literary and philosophical figures for the Chelsea House publishing firm. Bloom's books have been translated into more than 40 languages. He was elected to the American Philosophical Society in 1995.
Bloom was a defender of the traditional Western canon at a time when literature departments were focusing on what he derided as the "school of resentment" (multiculturalists, feminists, Marxists, and others). He was educated at Yale University, the University of Cambridge, and Cornell University.

Reviews

[Jane]

Somewhat more useful than Readings on Brave New World from Greenhaven Press.

[Jarah Huth]

Aldous Huxley’s dystopian science fiction novel really makes you appreciate the society we live in today. In the World State, there is no family, marriage, history, or books. The government was able to create this type of society due to major technological advancements, giving them the power to condition and control their people however they want. Brave New World is also terrifying in how it mirrors the real world. The society in the novel was created as a means of fixing political and social chaos that erupted as a consequence of a World War. This is reflected in the real world by the fact that multiple totalitarian dictatorships like Mussolini’s Italy, Nazi Germany, and The USSR were all created as a means of remedying the chaos caused by the first World War.

[Alexandra Maybeline Adelaide Jovovich-Olovsdottir]

first mention of designer babies. quite interesting. everyone in modern [east/north/middlesouthcentre] asia [shanghai / hong kong / etc] / japan still lives like this though, since before the 1920s or opening of china in the 1940s to the western world.

[Mattijs Harst]

must read.

[Vladimir]

I read it to the meeting of two misfortunes. It seemed too banal. But they say evil is banal.

[Analjaq]

This is the pick when you ask your boomer English teacher about science fiction.

[Carolyn]

I read this in high school, 1992 I believe, and I really, really liked it. I couldn't tell anyone, though, because it was high school and all the cool kids were mad that Mr. Whittaker was making us read it. "Ugh, it's soooo, like, loooong" they said. "this is sooo gay! Like, gag me" they said. "Soma, sooooma, it's like, that's all this book is about. How booooooring" they cried. "I totally agree!" I said while silently hating them.

Has anyone ever told you "the world needs ditch-diggers too?" My dad used to say that. No body wants to be a ditch-digger. Not in this world. In the Brave New World, though, people are bred to be ditch-diggers. They are bred to want it. And as long as they are properly drugged, they'll keep wanting it.

Read away.

[Lance]

A very dark tale that is fairly entertaining, but did take some effort in parts to work through. Staying with my regularly vague review format here, if you like dystopia and horror this should be right in your wheelhouse. If you get a little too fazed by mildly erotic sequences you may need to avoid.

General synopsis: The majority of the novel follows a 'perfect' society and one outsider's opinion of it when thrust into it and all things related to it.

In my opinion, time well spent and a relatively short read at that.

[Austin]

Read this in high school and -- 10 years later -- taught it to college freshman. A great book about ethics and enlightenment and power in society. It's dark, but illuminating.

[Wambulus]

Been while since 1994. Fuck it, I'm going to get drunk.