[.ca] Brave New World & Brave New World Revisited (ISBN 0307356558)

They don't get much better than this!:
You *MUST* read this book! Huxley wrote a masterpiece of a book in "Brave New World". "Brave New World Revisited" is a fantastic critical analysis of "BNW", how it differs with Orwell's "1984", and the world as Huxley saw it some 30 after the book debuted. His commentary and social criticism cut deep, and this cautionary tale is perhaps more applicable today than it has ever been (as evidenced in George W. Bush's reference to "BNW" in his speech concerning government funding of stem cell research). This surely is an important book. The amazing thing is, though, that even as such, it is a thrill to read. The dialogue is snappy, the narration rich, and the scenarios hilarious and frightening -- often at the same time. This is SF at its best. This is SF as literature. I cannot sing the praises of "BNW" highly enough. I will waste no more of your time talking about it -- use it to read this book instead! Recommended for: Everyone (even those who don't normally read SF)

The Dictatorial Happiness:
I would like to keep this short. We all know what the book is about: the bankruptcy of the individual. It's just that most people seem to miss a point: the society depicted in this book is obsessed with being happy and banning every form of discomfort out of their lives. Now there are certain people in this novel who rise up against this society but, I think, their motives are misunderstood: most people seem to think these dissenters are fighting for the right to be free so they can be happy in their own individual way. Actually they are fighting for the right to be unhappy, to suffer. For the greatest freedom you can enjoy as an individual is the right to be your miserable self.

Magnificent:
And prophetic, are the words that best describe Huxley's work in "A Brave New World". When you read the explanation to all psychological, economical, philosophical and social factors that lead to the creation of this book, in "Brave New World Revisited" you'll not only learn about all those subjects in great extent, but you'll realize how close to truth his fiction is. I am amazed at the genius of such creation in the first half of the twentieth century. Huxley's scientifical background is perfectly well constructed and perfectly well explained, A must read for anyone who calls himself literate.

Excellent piece of work:
This book is a terrefic piece of work and it always amazes me when I think that this book was written nearly 70 years ago. If you do not fear Big Brother, Genetics, and other such things you will after you read this. I was forced into reading this in High School...and thank God I was. This is an absolutely amazing piece of classic writing that seems frighteningly close to the not so distant furture.

Brave New World:
Nothing about this book really caught or held my attention. The premise of the novel is of course very original and a thought provoking idea, but the novel just didn't live up to the ever-present hype that surrounds it. I gave it three stars for the originality of ideas and detailed descriptions of future distopia, but in the end this novel did nothing for me. "1984" was much more effective and interesting in my opinion.