Brave New World

When I was in high school I had to read 1984 for my English class.  It was an interesting book.  At the time I had never really read anything like it.  The ending was less than I desired but the book really did make one think about oppressive governments and the importance of history. Then, in college, I read We at the recommendation of one of my friends. We is basically a Russian version of 1984. It doesn't bludgeon the reader quite so much with the symbolism and allegory and I think it might be a better story. When I finished reading We, I was talking about it to some of my other friends and they were comparing it to both 1984 and Brave New World, a book I had heard of but never read. Fast forward a few years and I pick up one for cheap in a used bookstore. Fast forward a little further and I am reading it.

The book is not very long, less than 180 pages, but it is filled with poignancy. It was written in 1931 and, unlike many books written at that time, it still manages to hold up as a plausible future. The basic premise of the book is that people are divided into castes and their start taking place at conception. However, there is a drug, soma, that makes people happy and it is a fundamental part of everyone's life. Obviously, if this is the future it is still a long way away, but the basic aspects resonate well.

What this book also has that 1984 and We lacked is a sense of humor. It is by no means a comedy but it is not afraid to do something funny once in a while to lighten the mood. 1984 especially feels almost like it is weighing you down as you read it, with all its furtiveness and secrecy. This book takes a more lighthearted approach. The dystopia shown here is only a few degrees away from what could be considered utopia. That acknowledgement is perhaps a little scary, but surprisingly true. I can certainly say that I would be more comfortable living here than in just about any other dystopian future.

Overall, I would give this book a 89%.