Brave New World in Apocalypse Whenever

May 05, 2010 Cecily rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: classics, scifi-future-speculative-fict

Wow, how does such a slim volume explore so many BIG issues, whilst also telling an interesting story?

Although published nearly 80 years ago (1932), it presciently exposes many issues that are problematic in our time: consumerism; the nature of happiness; what it means to be civilised; cloning and other reproductive technologies; parenting, families, loyalty, promiscuity; recreational drug use; social mobility and equality of opportunity; individualism versus group loyalty; pornography; benevole ...more

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Apr 13, 2009 Judy rated it it was amazing

Shelves: my-2024-books, sci-fi-fantasy

This was a re-read since I found a copy of this book on audio. Huxley created a wonderfully complex future world in which all variation is controlled, created, and planned. Humans are grown in labs and designed and/or conditioned to be happy in their predestined roles, whether in a factory or in a service role or in management. Happiness and promiscuity are expected, drug use ("soma") for peaceful enjoyment are encouraged, and words like family, mother and father, are heard with horror and disgu ...more

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Oct 30, 2011 Bonnie rated it really liked it

Shelves: sci-fi, classics

Just reread it, having last read it as a teen. While I remember it being a somewhat startling book, I don't think I got all the Ford and Freudian references back then, so very enjoyable. And did not remember the moving and tragic ending. ...more

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