1984

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Summary: Unbelievably believable
Review: The scariest, deepest, most intesting, and undoubtedly the best book I've ever read. When I started it, I couldn't put it down. When I finished it, I couldn't pick it up for fear of paranoia. Even now, after I've finnaly somewhat gotten over it, there are still some nights I can't sleep thinking about this unbelievably incredible book. It's ten times scarier than any Stephen King novel, and it's at least as deep, if not deeper, than anything written by Poe or Shakespeare. This book should undoubtedly be a requirement for anyone in the entire world living under any form of government. The story takes place in 1984, but it could be set in 2084 and not much would change. There is absolutely nothing I've ever read which even comes close to projecting the kind of heavy, depressing, absolute fear which uterly consumes the reader and stays with them forever. Of course I would recommend this book, but I must warn that it can't be treated lightly. It will send you to the edge of paranoia, and throw you into a smothering kind of depression. This is not a book you will soon forget, and it's not a book you can read without questioning everything you think and believe. You'll never hear the phrase "Big Brother is watching you" again, without chills going down you're spine, and fear filling every corner of your being

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Summary: A timeless classic that's an unforgettable must-read.
Review: This is the timeless classic which the term "Orwellian" and "Big Brother" are derived. This terrifying look into a possible future in which the Government "Big Brother" holds total control over the populace. Orwell's vision of the future still holds very true to this day and is a must-read for anyone concerned about the future of technology and governmental control. -Hans Chen

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Summary: You wanna be suicidal?
Review: Orwell tells a story about Winston Smith, a man living in the utopian world of 1984! The book deals with his struggles, and eventually, the story's end is so depressing that in the end, you may want to commit suicide or take up liquor. BEWARE

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Summary: A great book about what the world will be like in "1984"
Review: This book is wonderful. It goes into detail about how the government can do pretty much whatever it wants. In the book the government controls all the people through tv and torture if you do not do exacly what they tell you to. People are punished for having their own opinions. This book is a must read, despite its age.

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Summary: Orthodoxy is unconsciousness . . .
Review: Orwell writes beautifully of the horrors of a future without thought, without love, without language. This book is about the erasing of memory and with it the human soul. Finally we have the articulation of pure hell where a human being is likened to a cockroach . . . watched, forever, watched.

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Summary: Classic Liturature, bleak future, epic in scale
Review: 1984, written sometime in the 50's as far as i know. Takes Soviet Style goverment and brings out its darkest future. (Big Brother) Orwell himself a socialist, offers intelligent and passionate reflections of his anxieties. Read this novel before grabbing a 'why the USSR broke' book written by some self rightous Political Science phd. who unwittingly butchers Orwells 'big brother' to fit his narrow understanding. Not that there aren't good books on Soviet and Russian History, which you may want to look for after reading 1984

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Summary: 1984 is a captivating classic
Review: 1984 Review

George Orwell's novel, 1984 is classic, thought provoking literature that everyone should read. 1984 relates to many of the radical ideas of the communist era. Orwell points out the fake reality portrayed by the government with his incorporation of such things as "victory cigarettes and victory gin." This story exhibits the reality of life in many small, exploited countries.

The exaggerated ideals 1984 expresses, represents the oppression felt by many in the world that is gilded by a thought of true freedom. The story is very descriptive and allows the reader to feel the true emotions that the main character, Winston Smith is feeling. Orwell shows that in our world everything is deceptive to reality. Conformity is the main concern for the masses working for the elite and even the name Winston Smith is symbolic for this lack of individualistic qualities. This book shows the militaristic tactics used by the government of "Big Brother" to inspire people to work and keep an interest in the common good. Every four years the government of Oceana started a fake war with one of the other two super powers to maintain the work ethic and inspiration of the slaving people in the middle class. Winston represents all people who rebel against the system and know that the illusions presented by the government of aristocrats are wrong. He represents the middle class which work as tools of the elite and the proletarians are the people who the government leaves to their own ignorance. 1984 holds a great amount of symbolism and connects fiction with the real world. This book is a must read for everyone and to me, quite possibly one of the greatest books ever written.

Rating:
Summary: Hands down, the best book written in the last 100 years.
Review: Anybody who has not read this book is depriving themselves of great literature. Not only does it depict a perfect example of a negative utopia, but it illustrates the way people were thinking at the time it was written. George Orwell is one of the best writers of all time, and this masterpiece is a prime example why. Once you crack open this book, you cannot put it down. Bottom line, you need this book.

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Summary: George Orwell's classic 1984
Review: I can't say anything that probably hasn't been said already. Orwell's most famous novel warns us against the power of propaganda. "Big Brother" has become common to our language and culture.

This isn't Blair's best work, however. This and ANIMAL FARM are only really read because they warn against Communist propaganda. As mentioned in the beginning, Orwell was a social democrat (although, I would say libertarian socialist). He greatly sympathized with the anarchist movement in Spain (Homage to Catalonia). In fact, the communist attack against the anarchists is probably what inspired him to write stories like ANIMAl FARM and 1984.

I was disturbed to see a previous reviewer say something like, "If this book is properly read and understood, you will become a Libertarian."

Blair's best stuff is actually against propaganda systems found in so-called democracies like the United States and Britian. The Soviets had an extensive system, but it wasn't very effective. They kept people in line through violence, mostly. When the ability to coerece decreases (like in relatively free societies eg The United States) the need to propagandanize increases. This has really become apart of mainstream doctrine. To take a quote from someone not so mainstream, "Propaganda is to a democracy what violence is to a dictatorship." -- Noam Chomsky

It should come as no surprise why Orwell's most popular works are anti-communist...

Rating:
Summary: Futuristic Nightmare
Review: What exactly is the truth? It's whatever I tell you it is. This attitude exemplifies the overall tone of 1984. Its actual English definition is any systematic, widespread dissemination or promotion of particular ideas, doctrines, practices, etc. to further one's own cause or to damage an opposing one. However, the Newspeak word, doublethink, would suffice in 1984.
In 1984, classism and government conspiracies are taken to the extreme.
The proles, and inferior class, are treated as animals, incapable of intelligent thought. For this reason, Party rules do not apply and everything goes.
Party members, anyone above the prole working class, are subject to a government invasion of every inch of their lives. They have been brainwashed by Party ideology since day one.
Orwell's "negative utopia" is striking, yet I find the novel to be drab and depressing. Rarely am I inspired to read on; all I have to look forward to is another vaporization. The last chapter was literally torturous, yet I kept reading so as to put Winston, the protagonist, out of his misery.
It is also a bit of a stretch to say that deleting words from a language would render its speakers unable to express emotions or intelligent thought. New words would be invented as they have for thousands of years.