Brave New World: With the Essay "Brave New World Revisited"

by Aldous Huxley

Book Overview

Now more than ever: Aldous Huxley's enduring masterpiece ... one of the most prophetic dystopian works of the 20th century (Wall Street Journal) must be read and understood by anyone concerned with preserving the human spirit in the face of our brave new world

Aldous Huxley's profoundly important classic of world literature, Brave New World is a searching vision of an unequal, technologically-advanced future where humans are genetically bred, socially indoctrinated, and pharmaceutically anesthetized to passively uphold an authoritarian ruling order--all at the cost of our freedom, full humanity, and perhaps also our souls. "A genius who] who spent his life decrying the onward march of the Machine" (The New Yorker), Huxley was a man of incomparable talents: equally an artist, a spiritual seeker, and one of history's keenest observers of human nature and civilization. Brave New World, his masterpiece, has enthralled and terrified millions of readers, and retains its urgent relevance to this day as both a warning to be heeded as we head into tomorrow and as thought-provoking, satisfying work of literature. Written in the shadow of the rise of fascism during the 1930s, Brave New World likewise speaks to a 21st-century world dominated by mass-entertainment, technology, medicine and pharmaceuticals, the arts of persuasion, and the hidden influence of elites.

Aldous Huxley is the greatest 20th century writer in English. --Chicago Tribune

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0061767646
• ISBN13: 9780061767647
• Release Date: January 2010
• Publisher: Harper Perennial
• Length: 340 Pages
• Weight: 0.82 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 5.6" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

We live it might as well read it

Some say we live in 1984 but considering the way our society is structured we have long gone past the notion of Big Brother.

Brave New World

I just finished Aldous Huxley's magnum opus about test tube babies and a totalitarian world state. It is that and much more. It's prophetic, philosophical, and beautiful. A truly great read. I'm shocked. It's shocking in a lot of ways. A legit emotional rollercoaster. Another thing that is striking about it is It's age. I can't believe it came out in 1932. The language is still amazingly contemporary for a work approaching 100 years old. Someone today could have written this book. It's wild and masterful. Genius. I love it. If you're even thinking of checking it out, don't hesitate. Just gawddayum.

A story that stands the test of time

I loved so much about this book and I was constantly having to remind myself it was written 90 years ago. First you have the idea of controlling the initial development of every being to have the characteristics that best suit their pre-determined class and role on society, the mentions of various behavior conditioning as the children age to further shape their behavior and preferences depending on their role or the expectations of society, the interesting use of recitations to placate the worried or questioning mind... The main item that dates it is pretty clear, yet it still remains sensical when comparing the "civilized" world to the world where people still get pregnant and give birth. This book easily topped other dystopia I read last year, though the others still have value. I love experiencing a world in a book that challenges our own society's views of norms, rights, and wrongs.

Had writing

It had notes doodles all inside the book, could not read at all.

Condition worse than expected

I ordered a Very Good condition paperback of this book and received a copy with the cover entirely colored in with pen. See all the white space in the picture? I have black pen coloring over the whole thing. Not what I would call a Very Good copy.

Not my personal favorite, but still excellent

Though an excellent dystopian thriller, Brave New World is not my personal favorite. Disclaimer: This is my second reading so my review may be biased. Aldous Huxley was onto something with creating the anti-utopia concept in reaction to H. G. Wells' optimism. Written in the 1930s, this one proved more accurate than the rest of the genre. The dark implications of a "near perfect" society. One where crime, sickness, and disease are near non-existent. But was all that was sacrificed to create this new world worth it? There were some parts that were harder to follow due to the language and structure at the time it was written. Yet, it's timeless enough for one to follow along today. Even if some portrayals may be viewed as problematic today. I did enjoy some of the philosophical arguments towards the end. Huxley places his own personal beliefs in the face of this hypothetical world. The contrasts couldn't be made any clearer between a "savage" and "civilized" society. But I digress. 4/5.

I enjoyed it!

I bought and read this book for a class I took for my English minor, and it was one of my favorite books that we read in the class. I found it really interesting how relevant this book was to today.

Love the book

I love this book, its a very good read.. But I'm not a fan of all the writing on the sides of the pages.

Maybe it's just me

Interesting book, great concept. It wasn't as grasping as 1984, which is really what I was attached to going into this book. Overall it was a good read

Great start but my book was a misprint.

I was a big fan of the story but unfortunately couldn't finish it. I got about halfway through and then it started repeating and skipping certain pages

This book has writing in bright ink all in it. Several flags indicate each chapter. I don't consider

Just starting to read

Took A Long Time To Read A Short Book

Took A Long Time To Read A Short Book