The Olive Reader

Brave New World is one of my favorite books because the dystopian world reflects how scary the real world could become.

First, I have to tell you how much I love the new edition of Brave New World.  Everyone I have shown it to is immediately drawn to it, so big thumbs up on the design.  Next, I do love Brave New World.  It is bleak without being heavy handed and is so timeless.  I’m looking forward to the review. 

(The Poisonwood Bible was pretty great too, doesn’t pull any punches.)

I wasn’t a fan of Brave New World and it’s not really safe for me to talk about it, because every time I do I suspect that I might be talking or thinking of some other book.  That’s about how much it stood out for me.  That being said, I didn’t hate it either.  That being said I really enjoyed The Poisonwood Bible, though it’s been so long since I read it that I don’t remember why.  I would love to give it a re-read.

I didn’t like BNW the first time I read it as a sophomore in high school, but when I read it in college I saw so many possibilities.  Reading it now as an adult is a little unsettling that Aldous Huxley had such great insights into the social future.  Love the new edition as well.

Despite the fact that I was a voracious reader throughout school, I somehow never encountered BNW. It wasn’t until I became a teacher myself, and was looking for books that would really promote discussion in my 8th Grade Gifted class that I added BNW to my Literature Circle list. Of course, I needed to read it before they did, and was fully sucked in from the beginning. But what made the entire experience even better was the thought-provoking discussions that came out of these brilliant 13 year olds once they had read it! Fascinating!

I don’t remember much about Brave New World other than the Alphas, Betas and Epsilons, but I know I found it interesting.  And I liked it a lot more than R.U.R. or 1984, which I also had to read in high school. Now that I think about it, I would like to read it again.

i JUST (10 minutes ago) finished my re-read of Brave New World and wanted to stop by and say how grateful i am that you inspired me to give it another chance.

i read it the first time in high school (11th grade, i think) and hated it.  well, that’s not entirely true because i don’t remember much about the book except for the excessive use of soma.  i remember how much i hated the teacher and by association, hated any book that she made us read.

so, a re-read seemed appropriate and i’m very glad i did it.  i didn’t absolutely love it, but i definitely didn’t hate it either.  it was very thought provoking and well written, for sure.

and, i have to agree that the picture of the cover doesn’t do it any justice.  it is an absolutely beautiful cover!  i’ll be back to post the link to my review once its up.

Brave New World was interesting, but it wasn’t my normal cup of tea.  I did like the parallel of the story to what our future or present day is like.  That kind of stuff I do like.

Brave New World represents the ultimate classic. Having read this book many years ago it would be a pleasure to read this new and updated edition.

After the utter confusion that the first chapter was to me, I realized this is the kind of book that may require a second read; it certainly demands your full attention.  I enjoy a good allegory, and putting Huxley’s bizarre puzzle together kept me very intriqued.  I feel that, on the surface, bizarre is a good word to describe this book, but the message is brave.

i’m back!  my review is posted HERE.

since the Olive Reader was kind enough to give me a copy of the book, i’ll be passing it on to a reader.  come by my blog to sign up for the giveaway.

christopher--glad you like the new cover on this edition! this jpg doesn’t do it justice.

nicole--that’s kind of how i felt. i didn’t hate it or anything, but it didn’t resonate with me like it does for so many people.

jennifer w. - i do think his insights about the pressure to be happy were pretty prescient.

jen albaugh - i would love to hear what kids have to say about it. if you’re ever reading a perennial book with your class and want to do a guest post about the experience, let me know!

Erica - You’re right, the image doesn’t do it justice.  I love the raised cover and the metallic finish on the circles.  Whoever was the designer deserves a raise (or at least someone to buy him/her a few drinks).

Hi Erica!

1) Only had that gifted class in my first year of teaching (some 8 years ago!), and I find the reading level a bit complex for many of the Grade 8 students I have taught since then (it’s usually taught in high schools), though I have a VAST classroom Library, and when I feel a particular student would love it, I recommend it! I may have kept some of the orig. notes/essays/projects from that first class, and might be able to cobble something up as a post. I also now want to check my reading lists to see what else I may have assigned that is “a Perennial book”, and I can let you know!

2) I am NOT teaching this year, and may continue the trend for a year or two. I am on leave to focus on my own writing, and actually have a manuscript floating around in the “Perennial universe”, that I (hope) C.K. has had a chance at some point to read! (my pen name is Maureen St. Charles, if that helps). The tricky part for me is that my agent and I recently parted ways, and he has not provided me with a response from Perennial! (It was sent over in maybe July of last year). Is there any way you might be able to help/let me know the status? (feel free to e-mail)

Thanks in advance!

Jen Albaugh

This is such a great resource that you are providing and you give it away for free. I love seeing websites that understand the value of providing a quality resource for free. It’s the old what goes around comes around routine.
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I’ve never read any Kingsolver either, so I’m looking forward to next month! Also, the new cover of Brave New World is amazing. I adore it.

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I hope I’m not too late.  I love Brave New World, but I adore speculative fiction in general.  The integration of social commentary with science fiction was really effective in this book, and it sometimes reads as horror, in terms of the harshness of humanity in the novel. I guess it got to me when I first read it in high school because unlike other dystopian novels I had read (Lost Horizon, Little Prince, Watership Down) this was based on science and technology rather than fantasy, so you kind of feel like it could happen one day, if humanity goes astray.

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