1984

I feel like I should give this a higher rating for its literary fame. The writing was great. The philosophical aspect was, well, philosophical. But damn, I didn't like the outcome of the story.

Este libro me sorprendió completamente. Como los personajes son tan retorcidos y uno cree que los conoce, pero lo que tus creencias, tus luchas o la tortura que sufrís pueden cambiar totalmente a una persona. Nos muestra que la ignorancia es igual a ser controlado, a ser un esclavo. Este libro no tiene un final feliz. Y eso es lo que amo de Orwell, es realista, no te va a dar el final que quieras, sino el que te haga odiar al mundo y darte cuenta que lo que el escribió en 1950 es verdad hoy en día. Este hombre era un genio y siempre lo voy a adorar.
No se como hacer la reseña de un libro tan impresionante. Muchas personas dicen que no pueden elegir un libro favorito, pero yo sí, y es este.

So as I was reading through this book, I kept having to go back and reread, try and understand and press forward. I finally finished it and while I understand the political aspects of the book, it was one of the hardest and worst books I have read. Not one that I could or would recommend out.

Fantastic. I've read it before, of course, but not in a couple of years and you do forget the details. In fact, I forgot some entire chapters. Orwell remains as pithy and as politically sharp as ever

This book was not supposed to be an instruction manual.

If you can feel that staying human is worth while, even when it can't have any result whatever, you've beaten them.

What thought-provoking and insightful novel. A truly compelling analysis of the psychology of power and human nature.

This was one of the most intense reading sessions I've ever had. I would often forget I am in the safety in my own bed and experience alarming levels of anxiety.

I sympathized with Winston from the first pages, even though he wasn't exactly a likable character. His experiences and emotions seemed so genuine that he felt like a real person to me. A real person stuck in one of my ultimate-nightmare scenarios. Big Brother, IngSoc, Newspeak, the Ministry of Love, the Ministry of Truth, Room 101, the telescreens, all represent horrid concepts I hope people will forcefully fight against if they're ever materialized.

In addition to the captivating plot, I savored the writing style as well. My favorite paragraph from the book was that in which Winston was recalling fragments about his childhood, especially about his mother. I remember thinking that it was one of the most beautiful pieces of writing I've read in a long time. Another part of this book I thoroughly enjoyed was Goldstein's essay. I think it's a sagacious take on society.

The world envisioned in 1984 did not quite materialize, though some people might argue that it actually did, but in a more subtle manner. With all the regulations and surveillance people face today it could all go terribly wrong, if the power ended up in the wrong hands.

Beyond it being an engaging, beautifully written book, this represents quite a milestone in my life. It forced me to think about what kind of a person I would want to be when faced with dire circumstances, it made me reevaluate some of my ideals and principles.

I consider it a failing of my education that I never had to read this in all my years of schooling. I should have gotten around to it earlier, but whatever. Now I've read it and I can have a fuller appreciation of all the references to it.

There's not a lot to say because it's all been said before. It was troubling and intense, if a little slow at times. It feels all too real and, at the same time, hard to wrap your brain around. I'm glad to have read it and I'm sure I'll read it again at a different stage of life.

gr8 book
very depressing and no hope at all

I've never read a book that was so brilliant and depressing at the same time.

I always find dystopian literature pretty interesting and a bit frightening. The most frightening part is that much of it, including 1984, is based on actual events. 1984 is largely based on the Soviet Union as well as Nazi Germany. My father saw me reading it and mentioned that it was much more frightening when he read it before 1984. However, horrible futures like this still have the potential to become reality, which is why it is important for us to learn from history and prevent the development of a future dystopia.

Perfection! That's how I would describe this book. The Emmanuel Goldstein book, near the end of 1984, is just the best piece of dystopian literature ever written. The tools for mass population brainwashing are all there. Although based on socialist Russia, we can see how many of the books elements can be applied throughout history and specially today. Keeping people miserable and ignorant is a powerful tool to keep the ruling class in power. And if you think they're not suffering enough, double it down!

This book saddens me in so many ways. But I see how it was a warning of what we can be if we let human kind follow a certain path. It's disturbing how very close I think we could be to a society similar to that in this book. Even more disturbing is that there are pieces of it already in place in our society, whether we realize it or not.

This review has not been approved by the Ministry of Truth. It will not be approved. It contain radical thoughts which counter Big Brother. It also has too many italics.Classic. What is a classic? And what makes a classic novel? According to nearly every list produced by every opinionated and reputable source, George Orwell's 1984 is a classic novel.Call me Emmanuel Goldstein, but I wouldn't call it a classic. Well, maybe I would. It's not the classic part I have a problem with so much as it is the attachment of the word novel. 1984 is a classic essay on the theory of political science. In fact, of all the essays I've ever read on the theory of politics, it is my favorite.Admittedly, I feel a little stupid. You see, there are these “novels” that people call classics. Many of them I love. Occasionally, however, I come across one that makes my head spin. What is it that fans of literature see in books such as 1984 or Camus' [b:The Plague 11989 The Plague Albert Camus http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1166490673s/11989.jpg 2058116]? There is no story, no character development—nothing that makes these works literature. Clearly, I'm missing something here—an unabashed love for the most “classic of classics”—and for that I feel really, really dumb.What makes 1984 so great?Where are the rounded, interesting characters? Winston is boring. Julia is drab. O'Brien is the greatest menace since the Ferengi first terrorized the Enterprise on Stardate 41386.4. Was Orwell's intent to show how these characters were devoid of personality because of their environment? Possibly. Even so, that doesn't mean that it has to be done so poorly (see [a:David Mitchell 4565 David Mitchell http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1277505879p2/4565.jpg]'s [b:Cloud Atlas 49628 Cloud Atlas David Mitchell http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1316037895s/49628.jpg 1871423] for clues on how to create characters and tension within a oppressed society).Where is the story, the experience for the reader? When it comes to actual story, 1984 is spread thin. I estimate that about eighty percent of its content could be removed without any damage to the story whatsoever. Orwell tells the reader about the history of the world for forty pages, tells the reader about the semantics of newsspeak for the next twenty pages, and then shows the reader a few pages of actual scene.So what am I missing?I will admit that Orwell was right on throughout much of his incrimination of big government. In a satirical fashion, he nails what the superpowers have been up to for the last seventy plus years. Periodically he may have been a little off, but largely he was spot on. He was one smart cookie; however, that doesn't mean that he was one talented novelist.Regardless of the techniques and how well Orwell did or did not utilize them, the problem was that in the end I was not convinced. The story didn't draw me in. The characters held none of my sympathies. The world they lived in was as artificial as the cardboard cutouts of a high school play. Point made, Orwell? On many it seems it has been made. Me, I'm not a believer.

Brilliant!

Terrifying.

I read this in my sophomore year, and even though that's only a couple months ago, I loved analyzing this book with my class and going over almost every little detail of this book. It's like a wake-up call, and a scary one at that.

Full review at sff book review.

By far one of the scariest and most important books I have ever read. Thinking about it still chills me to the bone. Not only does it offer a great and thrilling story, vivid characters, and fantastic writing, but it is also as relevant today as it must have been for Orwell when he wrote it in 1948. This is not a happy read, it will not make you feel good, it will not leave you much hope, but it will make you think and question our society. And that may just be the most important thing.

Absolutely horrific portrayal of a ‘dystopia', where human rights are completely disregarded and quaility of life is non-existant.

I found it particularly disturbing that children can easily betray their parents or that a ‘wanderer' wearing the wrong shoes can be vapourised.

The Party's control over language and history enables its absolute dominance over society. If they control memory; they control history - if they control language; they control thoughts.

A thought-provoking read, and though you may be depressed after reading it - at least you will have the option and the right to read whatever you want.

Big Brother is watching you!

Quando si cerca di fare una recensione ad un classico come 1984 di Orwell non è che si può inventarsi di certo qualcosa di nuovo o di illuminante che già non sia stato detto in precedenza. Per conto mio posso solo affermare che sono stato contento di aver colmato questa grave lacuna grazie al suggerimento di una persona che mi ha spronato nella lettura.

Il libro è davvero bello e visto che molti prima di me hanno già analizzato e recensito tale scritto sotto gli aspetti sociali/politici/psicologici, mi limiterò a dare un giudizio sulla storia pura e semplice che ho trovato più di tutt'altro avvincente e affascinante.

Mi è piaciuto più di qualsiasi altra cosa e si fa davvero fatica a trovare qualcosa che non convince in 1984, l'epilogo, che ho trovato superbo. Una degna nota finale per un libro che non può certo mancare nel bagaglio di un bravo lettore.

I personaggi sono eccelsi, non ne trovo uno che non sia all'altezza della storia, anche l'ambientazione dell'intera vicenda è costruita nei minimi dettagli e rende perfettamente l'idea di quel totalitarismo crudele e perverso presente nella storia.

Davvero un classico da non perdere, anche se non si vuole ma non ne si potrà fare a meno, andare ad analizzarne in toto i risvolti sociali e politici di un tale scritto.

Trovo difficile aggiungere qualcosa di un libro di cui è già stato detto e scritto tutto...Posso solo dire che è da leggere assolutamente: è raro che un libro riesca ad avere una storia interessante e allo stesso tempo a porre così tanti spunti di riflessione sul mondo e sulla vita.

I have heard about it and virtually everyone understands the big brother references. It is worth reading to really understand the reference. It is oddly remincent of the movie the Matrix. (I know that 1984 was written long before the Matrix, but I saw the Matrix long before I read 1984.)

Clearly there is a undercurrent about the meaning of truth and postmoderism going on in the book. What is odd is how dated the book feels in regard to socialism. Capitalism is pretty much not mentioned, but the socialism of the book is gone and has been for a long time now. I would be interested to have someone write a capitalist focused 1984.

A favorite for sure, one of the most riveting books I've read.

The epitome of a dystopian novel.

This is one of those books that I wanted to read simply because of how much people talk about it (even today). I finished it this weekend and all I can really say about it, is it's INTENSE. It's a book that needs to be read, but not one that I'd ever want to re-read. A scary look into government control, so well written that at times I would close the book and look around, feeling like I was being watched.

I decided to re-read this in English. I had forgotten many details but I still remember how terrible the Finnish translation for the word telescreen is. The book is a classic, often quoted and badly misunderstood. It was banned in Soviet Union and censored in Finland. Although it's pretty good description of a dystopian society, it also focussing too much on technical details instead of the characters. Good but could be better.