03/2008 Winner: 1984 by George Orwell

[Chuck]

GWCers have spoken, and this month we're all diving into some classic sci-fi: George Orwell's 1984. Obviously the year in question has come and gone, and we're not living in the world Orwell imagined.

He certainly couldn't have predicted Big Brother.

But then again, his vision of things-to-come still seems relevant -- and certainly lives on in our culture.

This classic is available widely in used book stores -- I scored a paperback for $1.50 this last weekend! -- and new copies are available in multiple printings from Amazon and many, many others.

I read this back in high school -- and once later -- but I'm looking forward to giving it a more adult read, and I'm really looking forward to discussing it with you.

[dxf]

Excellent graphic on the home page, but if Orwell had a little more David Lee Roth in him, maybe the book wouldn't be such a downer.*

* Very dry (and lame) joke.

[Chuck]

Excellent graphic on the home page, but if Orwell had a little more David Lee Roth in him, maybe the book wouldn't be such a downer.*

* Very dry (and lame) joke.

No more dry (and lame) than mine in the graphic.

[dxf]

[/

[GalaxyRanger]

Has anyone seen the movie? Is it good? Worth checking out?

Plus, never forget one of the greatest hommages to the book:

[evenspeed]

Hi everyone, I've listened to the podcast for more than a year (since the Rolling Stone article). But really haven't participated on the forum until now. I just bought a copy of 1984 and look forward to group reading it with you guys.

[Lady D]

Welcome evenspeed!

[evenspeed]

Anyone get the version of the book with the forward by Thomas Pynchon? (The centennial edition) What did you think of that forward, a little preachy? Maybe I'll have a different opinion at the end of the book.

[CoolBeans1908]

I read this book a few years ago but I thik I was too young for it (around 13) although still thought it was amazing. Hearing about it on the podcast makes me want to read it again. I do have the Pynchon intro version but I skipped it before so I'll have to see about it in my re-read.

Parts I remember particularly liking include

SPOILERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The whole fact that Smith thinks it's 1984, so it could still be set in the future when reading today. Very clever IMO.
It was my first intro to the idea that governments could be controlling what the public thought. Strong, pondering stuff for my younger self.
The thought police...scary stuff
The Ending, although ti bummed me out totally it still thought it was great.

[SeraphX]

It's probably one of the most important novels of the latter half of the 20th century and it only continues to increase in relevance.

The most interesting thing about the novel is that it presents an extremely complex satire on overt tyranny while still being an enthralling read; it's one thing to write a philosophical treatise, quite another to write a badass, page-turning novel. It's truly a stunning feat.

I'd also like to turn some attention to the novel's style; I think Orwell gets billed as being a somewhat purple-prose writer, but 1984 is a lean, almost Hemingway-esque, read. There is little superfluous language.

1984 will endure, as it has already, for a long time. So long as men desire power, the novel will continue to be relevant.