Author: Aldous Huxley
Originally published: February 4, 1932
Genres: Novel, Science fiction, Dystopian Fiction
Number of pages: 268
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley Summary and Review
I loved this book! It’s incredibly unique, and even though Aldous Huxley wrote it in 1931, it remains popular and timeless. If you enjoy books about utopian societies or novels like 1984 by George Orwell, you’ll likely appreciate this one. It’s not a particularly long read, but it captivates you right from the first few pages.
Imagine visiting a world where even people aren’t born in the traditional way. In this society, the government controls everything—starting with the genetic makeup of individuals and the way they are brought into existence.
It’s a society of what I’d call “zombies,” yet, interestingly, everyone in this New World seems happy. They have their own set of values, which differ greatly from ours, but feel completely natural to them.
In this Brave New World, these people are happy.
The book isn’t difficult to understand, but I’d recommend it to readers who enjoy classic literature and are in their 30s or older. I don’t think younger readers, around 22 or 23, would fully appreciate it since they may lack the life experience to grasp its political and social nuances.
Brave New World Review: Key Themes and Insights
In this New World, where everything—even the birth of a child—is controlled by the government, Aldous Huxley explores how easily societies can be brainwashed and how simple it is to control a crowd.
Stability and the absence of volatility create the perfect environment for individuals with average or low IQs to feel safe and follow orders without question.
Interestingly, a few individuals in this society, who have somehow developed greater intellectual depth, experience loneliness and yearn for more. Huxley masterfully captures emotions that we, as ordinary people, face in our everyday lives.
At one point, the author even draws a direct comparison between the fictional world and ours by referring to an ordinary person as a “Savage.”
Huxley conveys profound philosophical insights about society, faith, government, and the values of life. At times, I felt my brain was on fire, fully immersed and satisfied by the depth of his thoughts.
Here are a few quotes that I loved:
” If one’s different, one’s bound to be lonely.”
“But truth’s a menace, science is a public danger. As dangerous as it’s been beneficial. It has given us the stablest equilibrium in history.“
“But as time goes on, they, as all men, will find that independence was not made for man—that it is an unnatural state—will do for a while, but will not carry us on safely to the end.“
“Yes, we inevitably turn to God; for this religious sentiment is of its nature so pure, so delightful to the soul that experiences it, that it makes up for all our other losses.“
“The gods are just. No doubt. But their code of law is dictated, in the last resort, by the people who organize society; Providence takes its cue from men.“
Books Similar to Brave New World
If you enjoyed Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, you might also appreciate these thought-provoking novels:
- George Orwell – 1984
- Ray Bradbury – Fahrenheit 451
Both novels share themes of societal control, the loss of personal freedoms, and the impact of conformity on human nature.
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