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I'm currently in the middle of rereading this. Anyone else read it? What did you think?

Pretty good. Not the best book I've ever read, but it's a good read, with a few interesting concepts.

When it first came out it was probably ground breaking and amazing, now that I have read other similar things it is just an ok read. I wouldnt re read it.

i've not read it, but one of my schools english teachers, Mrs. Mckeenan (Arsy, no sense of humour hypocrit) told me that i should read it.

I liked it, but re-reading it now it seems a bit cliched.

Fatherland - by Robert Harris, depicted a totalitarian state much more believably for me.

Also, Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Five is a fantastic song by Wings.

Reliant121 wrote:i've not read it, but one of my schools english teachers, Mrs. Mckeenan (Arsy, no sense of humour hypocrit) told me that i should read it.

And not a very good teacher, it seems.

mrs. Mckeenan is such a hypocrit! She told someone In my class to get a sense of humour. SHE CAN BLOODY TALK! She has the same personality disposition as a world war I dreadnought.

Works well for toilet paper, thats about it.

Are we talking about Orwell's 1984? I haven't read it in literally about 20 years, but I enjoyed it. However, it's not paramount sci-fi - it's far better from a general writing standpoint than a sci-fi standpoint; Orwell is a little too steadfast and obvious in his opinions to make it as great from the dystopian aspect as, say, Fahrenheit 451.

Another tip fro 1984 fans would be a short stroy from a Dutch writer, called Ferdinand Bordewijk. He wrote it with two other stories in a single volume. the titles of these stories are Blokken, Knorrende Beesten and Bint. If you can, read them in Dutch, because it will probably be boring if you read a translation. It is the same kind of absolute superstate as seen in 1984, butwith even less personality in it. Although it may sound dull (it actually is) it is still in certain aspects, an interesting book to read.

shran wrote:...If you can, read them in Dutch, because it will probably be boring if you read a translation...

As soon as I learn to read Dutch, I'll check it out.

i'd be willing to help you on that one

It's a good book, but depressing in it's lack of hope. Orwell was dying when he wrote it, and much of what he believed in had failed. Unlike many other socialists of the era, he saw that the great communist experiment of the USSR had led to a terrible dictatorship, and his forthright criticisms had led to him been somewhat frozen out by his fellow leftists. I kind of picked up a vibe of despair when I read the book, which saddens me as I rather admire Orwell and wish his passing had been a bit happier, if you see what I mean.
It's worth reading some of his other stuff, as well. I rather enjoy some of his journalistic writing such as Homage to Catalonia and Down and Out In Paris And London, with thier crisp style and dry wit.