Brave New World

Paperback, 310 pages

English language

Published Nov. 7, 1956 by Modern Library.

ISBN:
978-0-06-092987-9
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OCLC Number:
20156268
Goodreads:
5129

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4 stars (18 reviews)

Originally published in 1932, this outstanding work of literature is more crucial and relevant today than ever before. Cloning, feel-good drugs, antiaging programs, and total social control through politics, programming, and media -- has Aldous Huxley accurately predicted our future? With a storyteller's genius, he weaves these ethical controversies in a compelling narrative that dawns in the year 632 AF (After Ford, the deity). When Lenina and Bernard visit a savage reservation, we experience how Utopia can destroy humanity. A powerful work of speculative fiction that has enthralled and terrified readers for generations, Brave New World is both a warning to be heeded and thought-provoking yet satisfying entertainment.

144 editions

reviewed Admirável Mundo Novo by Aldous Huxley (Folha Grandes Nomes da Literatura, #3)

Sofri de CED, "Criei Expectativas Demais"

3 stars

Esse livro é um clássico do gênero ficção científica distópica, e já em 1932 já previa algumas desgraças em nome do progresso científico. Aliás, se tem uma coisa em que o livro acerta, é na crítica implícita (ou até mesmo explícita) sobre ciência e o progresso obstinado. O dilema moral principal do livro, escrito mesmo antes da Segunda Guerra ou da ameaça de caos nuclear da Guerra Fria, é: ser livre e sofrer, mas poder apreciar a arte e a liberdade e tudo o que implica, ou ser condicionado, manipulado e viver em uma sociedade de castas, mas sem sofrimento e uma vida relativamente digna e feliz (mesmo considerando as castas)?

Na minha opinião, esse dilema moral é realmente interessante e se prova atual mesmo 92 anos após o lançamento do livro. O que eu não gostei foi:

1) A narrativa: achei chata, não me interessou, os personagens não são …

A bit too "on-the-nose"

3 stars

I guess it might be the point of the book, but I couldn't feel that any character was real, everything felt stereotypical; while at the same time that "prediction" of the future does not seem plausible to me.

And I repeat, it might be the point of the book, so, if that is the case, then great job. I just did not enjoy it or gained any interesting insight.

Class and capitalism destroy what should be good

5 stars

What we remember most is how disappointed we were that the story spun all the wonderful potential benefits of science into a dystopia where class and capitalism prevailed. The book disturbingly portrays how a society with admiral goals can go wrong with rigid and fanatical application. Society, it is to flourish, it needs to be open and alive.

Another Authoritarianism dystopian classic. A difficult read however.

3 stars

Read this immediately afte reading the Orwell classic, 1984. I admit, I struggled reading this book. The method of story telling, with the switching of character perspective was difficult to follow. The idea of the book became far more clearer as the book progressed and became clear especially towards the end.

However the ideas presented in the book and their demonstration was thought provoking.

reviewed Un mundo feliz by Aldous Huxley (Ave fénix -- 185)

Review of 'Un mundo feliz' on 'Goodreads'

2 stars

Obra sobrevalorada donde las haya. Es cierto que Huxley es un adelantado a su tiempo ya que describe una sociedad que en algunos aspectos se va pareciendo peligrosamente a la nuestra, pero en mi opinión, sigue un planteamiento erróneo. Desde el aspecto político, describe una sociedad en la que el Estado cubre todas tus necesidades (comunismo) y al mismo tiempo somete a la población a continuos estímulos y drogas para que los ciudadanos crean que son felices (capitalismo), una contradicción como una casa. Entre eso y la burda selección de nombres de los personajes (Lenina, Marx, Trotsky…), es evidente que lo que ha escrito este señor británico de familia acomodada no es más que un panfleto con el que difundir la absurda idea de que “los extremos se tocan”.

Review of 'Brave New World' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

I find the book fascinating in all the reality that the author created. I felt it as if I was in a nightmare. The pace of the book shifts a bit... I do like some of the moments. The audiobook version narrated by Michael York is very very good.
I couldn't help comparing it to 1984, maybe because my reading of that one is still fresh. In comparison I find this less beautiful and more frightening. The usage of England and the vocabulary of the era strikes as an odd thing. :) I guess this book feels closer to current western civilization than 1984 and I couldn't detach from that feeling. Kudos to Aldous

Review of 'Brave New World' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

In some ways a rather predictable read (at this point) for anyone who reads dystopian literature; people equal sheep and all that. There were some key differences however between this book and say 1984, V for Vendetta etc that make it extremely intriguing.

Sexuality was perhaps the most obvious. In most dystopian novels the authoritative government has mostly forced people into nuclear family groups that lack any sort of emotional connection and generally squelching that part of human nature. At this point I have no idea what Huxley’s actual views were, but if I had to guess I would say they probably run more conservative then Orwell’s. Of course, as illustrated by this and other books, both extremes are dangerous.

The Utopian element of it all was another strange aspect. In most dystopian novels the society is failing and/or people are miserable to one degree or another. In Brave New …

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Subjects

  • Passivity (Psychology) -- Fiction
  • Genetic engineering -- Fiction
  • Totalitarianism -- Fiction
  • Collectivism -- Fiction

Places

  • London