First published 1949

304 pages

Fiction, Social Commentary, Dystopian

Ever since high school, this book has been on my to-be-read list. In the English classes I took, we read many well-known assigned books, but 1984 must have fallen through the cracks. It felt more important than ever to get this book under my belt.

This dystopian novel is set in a totalitarian London called Oceania "where big brother is always watching" and people's thoughts are policed. This novel is terrifying in direct comparison with modern politics, a must-read as an introduction to the ideas of government surveillance and thought policing. It's simplistic but powerful, possibly made more impactful for its simplicity. There is no hiding behind symbolism, this book says what it means, and it means business. It is a deeply disturbing but very real commentary on authoritarian regimes and how they strangle the life from their people. It is a disturbing but easily digestible book. Even if you've read it before in high school, rereading it with a different lens, a more mature and aware lens, is necessary. 

Note: It is based on the book "We" by Yevgeny Zamyatin which is also on my to-be-read list.