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 Such a Powerful Book on State Control November 28, 2007
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
George Orwell's "1984" is such a powerful read, and a fascinating look into the world where one is under control of the State through the "Big Brother."
There is one quote that stood out for me from this book:
"Who controls the past controls the future; who controls the present controls the past."
What if this "Big Brother" is true? Now that would be a terrifying thought...
1984 November 4, 2007
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
This book provides a dark, claustrophobic, but compelling vision of the future. It isn't always comfortable reading, but you are engrossed in the concept and the relationships in the book. One mans struggle against the totalitarian system is fascinating to read and the ideas of societies development is scary to consider. A classic book, well written and should be on every bookshelf.
A deep insight into the rule of a fascist state November 2, 2007
6 out of 6 found this review helpful
A powerful book, that eerily depicts the direction the world is going where truth is shunted and lies are promoted by all the mainstream media. The three slogans of the Party as described in book is very familiar with what we hear from our leaders in these times:
War is Peace
Freedom is Slavery
Ignorance is Strength
Orwell paints a picture of how this fascist totalitarian state is controlled by control surveillance, the new language of Newspeak and the three main ministries that are:
"Ministry of Peace", which concerns itself with war
"The Ministry of Truth", which takes care of news, entertainment, education etc. in short translated as the place of propaganda
"The Mihistry of Love", which is concerned with law and order and according to Orwell the most frighening one.
It is truly a must read book as the rise of fascism is happening. Can also highly recommend seeing the movie called "V for Vendetta", as it is also set in a fascist environment, that closely resembles the one George Orwell depicts in this book.
Can recommend the book "Political Ponerology" to understand how a society becomes a fascist state.
1984 - not 1948 Soviet Union, but Britain in the 21st century August 17, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This political satire, written in the post-world war two years, does not merely refer to states then existing, such as the Soviet Union. It was also a satire on the development of society in wartime Britain; some of the terms used were already in use at this time eg Mininfo for the Ministry of Information, based in the University of London building in central London. This was the basis of Winston Smith's Ministry of Truth, Minitru, and it was where Orwell's letters etc were subject to censorship.
Moving on to the Britain of the twenty first century, just one further element of the novel is coming true in 2007. CCTV cameras, long a feature of town centres in this country, are now being augmented by loudspeakers, from which unseen and unknown voices can offer direction to the citizens should they commit a minor misdemeanour. In the same way that Orwell's telescreen can order Oceania's citizens to follow Big Brother's directions
these new loudspeaker cameras can both issue orders, and, by subsequently watching the citizen, see that the orders are obeyed.
Orwel highlighted the fact that, using the slogan War is Peace, the government of Big Brother maintained a constant war to ensure that its citizens wwre ever vigilant, and ever obedient. Despite the efforts of the Thought Police, and the entire government apparatus of Oceania, the activities of "enemies", led by Emmanuel Goldstein, never seem to diminish to seem close to final defeat. A pefect counterpart exists today; despite the tremendous number of CCTV cameras watching Britain in 2007, more, it is said, than in the rest of Europe combined, crime never actually seems to decrease. Are the cameras effective? In reducing or eliminating crime, seemingly not. As part of an apparatus to make people "feel" secure, the cameras play an ever greater part in moving Britain towards the ultimate state, one where Big Brother will be watching you.
What can I say but... August 5, 2007
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
It is clear from the very first page of this brilliant work why Orwell's 1984 is a world renowned classic. We see in our times, today, much of his prophetic vision unfolding. His use of fictional nation-states renders this a timeless work, for even in a future where the nations of today may no longer exist, this novel shall endure.
How Orwell managed to bring to the forefront the hopelessness of oppression and the terrible suffering of people under the crushing force of tyranny is without question among literature's finest accomplishments. I try to imagine that if in the Universe mankind is not alone, how fortunate we are to have within our achievements as a race a novel such as this. Especially when juxtaposed to all of humanity's shameful acts.
Along with Aldous Huxley's Brave New World 1984 is a must read and a must have in any library.
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