Jana Giles answers “What's the difference between Brave New...”

Sujoy Desai asked this question about Brave New World and Brave New World Revisited:

What's the difference between Brave New World and Brave New World Revisited? Is Revisited like an updated version or a supplement? Which one should I read first?

Jana Giles I prefer the essays. They are as relevant and piercing as they were 90 years ago. The satirical novel is effective but sometimes clumsy. Read novel fi…moreI prefer the essays. They are as relevant and piercing as they were 90 years ago. The satirical novel is effective but sometimes clumsy. Read novel first, essays second. The essays are not a commentary on the novel per se; he does dispute with Orwell about whether hard or soft power will dominate totalitarian governments, and the main thrust of the essays is to argue for soft power. I'd say that soft totalitarianism (Huxley's) is what "democratic," capitalist governments practice, while hard power (Orwell's) is practiced by governments more typically recognized as oppressive (Stalinism, etc.)(less)

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Brave New World and Brave New World Revisited

by Aldous Huxley

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