1984
Ratings3,866
Average rating4.2
“Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past.”
In the post apocalyptic story that could almost be a reflection of current times what we find is a representation of how far control and power will take us. In short this story is a nightmare of the world we currently live in. One Party controls all that happens and trust is something that can not be afforded to another, but it has been made as a weapon against the inhabitants of that world. In this sick twisted fantasy everything that defines humanity is used as a weapon against itself. To wage war against a people you need not use weapons, but their very essence against themselves to make them conform. This is exactly what Orwell uses to show how easy it is to get the outliers to buy in. Man can be destroyed, but ideas live forever. Kill man's ability to think and you direct his footsteps.
This is probably one book that was on my TBR list for the longest time. I wasn't sure if I would like it and it felt quite gloomy. When I read an article that the sales of this book had risen unexpectedly after the election, I decided it was time. This time I chose to try an audiobook. This book is a whole scary world unto itself where individualism is punished and groupthink is praised. History is revised based on current circumstances and books are destroyed everyday. As I was going through the book, I realized the reason for its increased sales – it was sounding eerily familiar to the current political climate of fake news, dark money and ultra partisan yes men. Everyone needs to read this book and strive hard individually to make sure our society doesn't end up like Oceania
4.5 stars. This book certainly is a must-read. It's far darker and complex than many dystopian books I've read, ranging from existentialism to the nature of authoritarianism. Pleased that I finally got the chance to read this classic.
Interesting to be reading this book now, as its prequel is being serialised in newspapers across the globe.
It's so disturbing to read one of the fiercest critiques of the dangers of totalitarian communism and realize the similarities with the new Trump regime. It's well worth reading for anyone who hasn't lately.
One of my favorite. In this book, George Orwell took a leap in to the future of societies and rightly predict how societies would be. I said “rightly” because I so much believe in his point of views
This was one of the few mandatory reading books I actually enjoyed in high school. Unfortunately, my feelings for this book have changed since then. I'm not such a fan of the monotone way of life depicted and the parts I enjoyed - the romance - was fleeting. The end was drawn out, but I can understand the intent. Overall, I'd suggest leaving this book to the poor high schoolers.
Художественной ценности в книге мало. Читать ради красивых предложений — можно и не начинать. Зато мысль, вопросы — это да. Эту книгу нужно прочитать и купить себе домой, пока ее не запретили :-) Думаю, события и мир, показанный в «1984-м» несколько утрированы, но первые звоночки уже поступают. Маловероятно, что в реальной жизни все будет так как описано в книге, но частично уж точно. Большой брат смотрит на тебя.
“Under the spreading chestnut tree, I sold you and you sold me”
This one's about the helplessness of an individual against a collectively powerful oligarchical authority. The abject side of rebellion. Despite its vague and gloomy storyline, the message this book delivers is unabashedly thought provoking!
Ultimately in Orwell's words,
“War Is Peace”
“Freedom Is Slavery”
“Ignorance Is Strength”
This writin draws into the story as it unravels from secret resistance and love which was the result of sole connection between same-minded; to confusion and capitulation of body and mind.
Two words recurrently came to my mind while I was reading the book – “Hauntingly beautiful”.
That's how brilliant this book is. I would've given it 10 out of 5 stars, if I could. Orwell delivers a masterful stroke of fiction – or is it fiction? It seems more like a premonition of sorts, a guide as to what could possibly happen in future if we're not careful. I had heard about what a genius Orwell was - and though I got a taste of it in “Animal Farm” – “1984” was kind-of-a full blown force hitting your face!
In short, this is a story of the world in a dystopian setting, where a Totalitarian empire presides over much of humanity, controlling them in every aspect possible – down to their thoughts. A world where every action of yours is recorded and monitored by the “Telescreen” – not unlike the “All-Seeing Eye” from Lord of the Rings.
With all of the debate surrounding the FBI vs. Apple case and NSA and privacy, I fear we are slowly reaching towards the Orwellian universe. With that in mind, I think this line summarizes it the best – “1984 was a warning, not an instruction manual”.
Exceptional but the end is a bit abrupt and not as far fetched as the rest of the book.
বইটা বেশ। প্রথমত সাইজে ছোট, লেখকের গড়ে তো রিয়ালিটিতে একজন ব্যর্থ বিপ্লবী কাহিনীর নায়ক। রিয়ালিটিটা ইন্টারেস্টিং, হীরক রাজার শাসনপদ্ধতির সাথে বেশ মিল আছে। বইয়ের মেসেজটা ততোধিক ইন্টারেস্টিং, রুম ১০১ মেরে ফেলে না, ভালোবাসা ভুলিয়ে দেয়।
বইয়ের ডিটেইলসে যাওয়া ঠিক হবে না। ছোট বই, পড়ে ফেলা ভালো।
This is a frightening book that everyone living a a free country should read. Thought police, erasing the past based on propaganda in vogue at the time and a new language where words mean what you are told they mean. I am glad I read this book; should probably read it again. Does it sound familiar; it should because we are living it now. It can (and has) happened so fast.
This book suffers from what I like to call “being wordy”. As in it sometimes gets so convoluted that it throws me right out of the book and it's hard to get back into it.
It's not the worst thing I've ever read, but it's not the best. Still better then The Handmaid's Tale, another...flawed...dystopian novel.
I like it enough that I'll read it again, and I might have to because some of it just went right over my head. So I'll hold off on giving a “final” review.
But from just my first read through...it's good, if a bit dull and “wordy” at times.
The classic. I never knew how many references were to this book that I hear all the time, now I understand. After Snowden's revelations, this book is as frightening as ever. The one thing I kept thinking when reading this book is that in many ways today's world is worse.
Though a bit heady and expository at times, this a not only a great book, it is one of the most important books ever written. We are always closer to this fictional society than we think.
Well I've read it twice before but I'm sure each time I read it I'm more disturbed and more shocked!!
I can only hear about a book so long before eventually reading it. Although 1984 is known for it's totalitarian state where everything is watched by the government, what interested me most were the ideas around war involved in the book. The perpetual war idea hits closer to home now than anytime in our countries history – with the Afghan war hitting 12 years.
Utterly hopeless was my feeling as the ambient jubilation slides back into normalcy. That is how this book ended, and how it made me feel. While politically brilliant in its explanation of potential dangers facing modern governments, I will hold to my three star rating.