Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

[Terri2]

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley is a dystopian novel, first published in 1932. Set in London in 2349, the novel anticipates developments in reproductive technology, biological engineering, and sleep-learning that combine to change society.

Have you read it? Did you like it? What thoughts do you have concerning this book?

[knightss]

i just picked this book up last night. i made friends w/ a borders employee and he recommended it so i picked it up lol. i also picked up Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut i should get to these within the next week or two.

[ImpishOne]

This is one of my most favorite books. It's amazing how Huxley's words can still resonate as soundly today as they did almost 80 years ago. Consumerism, drugs, and the dangers of governmental control are still problems that people are still facing today. It's a fantastic novel.

[knightss]

I just finished this book the other day. I thought it was amazing. I like how he tied shakespeare into the book. I do have a question though.. he talks about Soma (the drugs that give you a 'holiday') in an negative or evil aspect.. meanwhile huxley himself was an avid lsd user and his wife even gave him lsd two hours before his death at his request. I just thought that was a little odd.

[lifelongreader]

I love this book - it is like a reflection of society and how it is set up. It is fact, not fiction (IMO). I have not read it for years, but will read it again soon.

He was a man way ahead of his time who knew how society was going to progress/regress.

[bibliolatrist]

I just finished this book the other day. I thought it was amazing. I like how he tied shakespeare into the book. I do have a question though.. he talks about Soma (the drugs that give you a 'holiday') in an negative or evil aspect.. meanwhile huxley himself was an avid lsd user and his wife even gave him lsd two hours before his death at his request. I just thought that was a little odd.

I love this book also! There is so much to think about while reading it; it's definitely a book that can be read a few times and still remain original.

Regarding the soma: in my understanding, the difference is that soma is a form of government control forced upon the people, whereas his LSD usage was more an act of personal choice to further his creativity and expression (all of which -- choice, creativity, and personal expression -- were banned in the novel's society).

Huxley advocates the individual's free choice, but he also used his drugs creatively and for intellectual purposes (as opposed to the stoner couch potato who wastes his life doing nothing -- much like those on soma, who are too drugged out to care what is going on around them).

So I don't think his point is so much about drugs being bad or good -- I think it's more about how and why one takes them.

Of course, I could be totally wrong.

[bernie]

Bear in mind Brave NEw World was written in 1932, long before LSD became popular (or even invented). Huxley certainly wasn't silly enough to go for the "all drugs bad" line of argument.

It is one of my favourite books - 1984 beats it as my favourite modernist dystopian novel but Huxley's writing and reflection of the fears and issues of his time is absolutely stellar.

[knightss]

That makes a lot of sense biblio, thanks =)

[paperbackreader]

This is a classic. No doubt about that. Its foresight is legendary. And its science is eerly prescient. That said, I must say - altough it is intriguing - it is a shame that the narrative force of the book seems to play second fiddle to the science.

Huxley has managed to write the definitive FUTURE novel. No-one else - particularly after 1984 - will get close.

[Stewart]

I thought it an average novel, at best. My review is here.

Huxley has managed to write the definitive FUTURE novel. No-one else - particularly after 1984 - will get close.

Quite. Perhaps you should read We by Yevgeny Zamyatin, the 1922 novel (grandfather to the dystopian subgenre) that Huxley took his inspiration from.

[Kyle22]

This book is an absolute must-read. I cannot believe it was written so long ago. I'm worried the world is headed in this direction.

[blushingmilk]

Absolutely loved it.

[Stunt Penguin]

I thought it an average novel, at best. My review is here.

Huxley has managed to write the definitive FUTURE novel. No-one else - particularly after 1984 - will get close.

Quite. Perhaps you should read We by Yevgeny Zamyatin, the 1922 novel (grandfather to the dystopian subgenre) that Huxley took his inspiration from.

We by Yevgeny Zamyatin is really good.

[newspeak]

I just finished this book the other day. I thought it was amazing. I like how he tied shakespeare into the book. I do have a question though.. he talks about Soma (the drugs that give you a 'holiday') in an negative or evil aspect.. meanwhile huxley himself was an avid lsd user and his wife even gave him lsd two hours before his death at his request. I just thought that was a little odd.

I can't speak for Huxley, but most authors are self-reflective. He may have recognized his own weaknesses and used them in his writing.

[newspeak]

Regarding the soma: in my understanding, the difference is that soma is a form of government control forced upon the people, whereas his LSD usage was more an act of personal choice to further his creativity and expression (all of which -- choice, creativity, and personal expression -- were banned in the novel's society).

Don't fool yourself. The government originally tested LSD as a mind control substance on troops. Obviously, it didn't work, and it leaked into the civilian population.