Nineteen Eighty-Four

336 pages

English language

Published Dec. 25, 2020 by Penguin Random House.

View on OpenLibrary

4 stars (296 reviews)

Nineteen Eighty-Four: A Novel, often referred to as 1984, is a dystopian social science fiction novel by the English novelist George Orwell (the pen name of Eric Arthur Blair). It was published on 8 June 1949 by Secker & Warburg as Orwell's ninth and final book completed in his lifetime. Thematically, Nineteen Eighty-Four centres on the consequences of totalitarianism, mass surveillance, and repressive regimentation of persons and behaviours within society. Orwell, himself a democratic socialist, modelled the authoritarian government in the novel after Stalinist Russia. More broadly, the novel examines the role of truth and facts within politics and the ways in which they are manipulated.

Also contained in:
Novels (Animal Farm / Burmese Days / Clergyman's Daughter / Coming Up for Air / Keep the Aspidistra Flying / Nineteen Eighty-Four)
Novels (Animal Farm / Nineteen Eighty-Four)

173 editions

problematic but relevant

4 stars

A lot to unpack in this book. The lead character (Winston) has some pretty misogynistic tendencies, and there's not a single female character in the book with any depth whatsoever. This can be explained to some extent by the fact that it was written in the 40s, and that Winston has been subject to psychological manipulation essentially since birth.

Problematic elements aside, this provides an interesting dive into the world of psychological warfare, which remains relevant to this day.

Faut-il relire "Mille neuf cent quatre-vingt-quatre" ? --> OUI

5 stars

Faut-il relire "Mille neuf cent quatre-vingt-quatre" ?
Ma réponse est clairement oui.
Et pour de bonnes raisons :

  • Cette édition est une meilleure traduction de l’œuvre originale
  • Le monde évolue et « Mille neuf cent quatre-vingt-quatre » n'a en rien perdu de son acuité. Il est même encore plus juste !
  • J’ai changé. J’ai trouvé dans cette relecture des thèmes, des passages qui m’ont échappé

De plus quelques vidéos récentes m’ont apporté des éclairages plus que très utiles

Alors lire 1984 en 2022 ?

George Orwell étire la réalité des régimes autoritaires pour en faire un régime absolu, total.
Alors oui l’Angsoc n’est …

Review of 'Nineteen Eighty-Four' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

The contributions of this book are far too grand for me to go into all details here. To make it short, I believe that Orwell provided a fitting explanation of how individual thought is suppressed under totalitarian regimes. The principles of doublethink are also used in democratic states whenever it is politically necessary to hold two conflicting opinions. I even claim that it is a politician's most essential skill to perform this mental gymnastics convincingly.

However, this propaganda does not necesarrily manage to convince everybody. Regardless of the political system, it seems that generally, the people under its influence tend to root for it. But also regardless of the system, the capacity for subversive ideas can never be eliminated. Whether this capacity is actually of any use, though, depends on the system. The dystopian world of 1984 deals with subversive thoughts in such an efficient way, that revolutionary spirit is …

Review of '1984' on 'Storygraph'

3 stars

1984 is one of those cultural touchstones that stay relevant decades after it publishing, decades after the people and regimes it critiques are long dead. It's imagery and the world it paints is extremely evocative and by far carries this book, despite it's lukewarm romance plot. If anyone reads any of 1984, they should read Goldstein's book. It lays out an almost autonomous accumulation and misuse of power that remains relevant today in every country.

Review of 'George Orwell\'s "1984"' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

A masterpiece, as a political theory. Haunting futurology. Dense and heavy description of its society. However, i found the technology framework poorly detailed, which should act as an important pressure point, a tension instrument for the whole concept.

Review of 'George Orwell\'s "1984"' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

Re-read during the pandemic. Had been meaning to do so as it became clear that its lessons were not heeded but put into practice. Fortunately, incompetence has hindered success. But the cruelty and indifference behind the actions is eerily reminiscent of big brother.

Review of 'George Orwell\'s "1984"' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

This was even better in the reread. The writing is so crisp, the ideas so relevant.

I'd read critiques and was psyching myself up for disappointment, it had been years and years and years since I'd read it. Luckily I found out that - while the critiques weren't totally off the mark - they weren't anywhere near strong enough to take away from the power and timelessness of this work.

Newspeak alone makes this a legendary work: doublethink, facecrime and duckspeak are almost comically relevant today.

reviewed Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell (The Complete works of George Orwell -- v. 1)

Review of 'Nineteen Eighty-Four' on 'Storygraph'

5 stars

There are a few things that I find riveting in 1984:
- The idea that information control can shape reality. I first read 1984 in college, before algorithms played such a huge role in our lives. Today the notion that influencing information access can shape a populations' perception of the world, encourage opinion, shape our behaviors is all too real.
- The sense of hopelessness is absolute. I've never felt so mournful finishing a book. At the end, the world of individual liberty and hope has just completed fading from view. As Winston capitulates, the state continues its inexorable march to consuming the whole of the human experience, subverting romantic relationships, subverting the relationship between children and parents, even purging language of unorthodox concepts.

I probably shouldn't read books like this on the road. What a downer.

Review of '1984' on 'Goodreads'

2 stars

A frightening look at the dangers of total government control, the loss of freedom of speech and thought, and the importance of continuing this discourse before it happens to us. Some might say it already has, but this book shows how terrible it really can be.

“He who controls the past controls the future. He who controls the present controls the past.”
― George Orwell, 1984

avatar for NoahFahlgren

rated it

5 stars
avatar for jiewawa

rated it

5 stars
avatar for maciek

rated it

4 stars
avatar for frank

rated it

5 stars
avatar for noisenerd

rated it

4 stars
avatar for ya

rated it

5 stars
avatar for Beja87

rated it

4 stars
avatar for SuperSantiEgo

rated it

5 stars
avatar for neul

rated it

3 stars
avatar for roof77

rated it

4 stars
avatar for phocks@book.dansmonorage.blue

rated it

5 stars
avatar for herrherrmann

rated it

5 stars
avatar for mika

rated it

4 stars
avatar for Scopique

rated it

3 stars
avatar for mananabanana

rated it

4 stars
avatar for yasharz

rated it

5 stars
avatar for madklowns

rated it

5 stars
avatar for niibek

rated it

4 stars
avatar for 04n0

rated it

5 stars
avatar for patatita

rated it

5 stars
avatar for Davokadoh

rated it

5 stars
avatar for Beanalby

rated it

5 stars
avatar for oreoteeth

rated it

5 stars
avatar for lemay

rated it

4 stars
avatar for fernando.lago

rated it

5 stars
avatar for bioscape

rated it

4 stars
avatar for adastrame

rated it

5 stars
avatar for mastar2323

rated it

5 stars
avatar for foxm

rated it

5 stars
avatar for pd-bomber

rated it

3 stars
avatar for torin

rated it

3 stars
avatar for kursis

rated it

4 stars
avatar for Lunartech

rated it

5 stars
avatar for mebitek

rated it

4 stars
avatar for js

rated it

5 stars
avatar for iamtom

rated it

4 stars
avatar for d4rko

rated it

5 stars
avatar for IntrepidTiger

rated it

4 stars
avatar for forvrin

rated it

5 stars
avatar for biblio_creep

rated it

5 stars
avatar for Lordtrips

rated it

5 stars
avatar for CMGX9

rated it

3 stars
avatar for Noxus

rated it

5 stars
avatar for markm

rated it

5 stars
avatar for stalecooper

rated it

3 stars
avatar for Swarming

rated it

2 stars
avatar for DWise

rated it

4 stars
avatar for Cariann

rated it

4 stars
avatar for tjrourke

rated it

5 stars
avatar for SteelRabbit

rated it

5 stars
avatar for Tuhnsoo

rated it

5 stars
avatar for abelazo

rated it

5 stars
avatar for acdha

rated it

3 stars
avatar for serverbee

rated it

4 stars
avatar for Lantern

rated it

4 stars
avatar for Tinche

rated it

5 stars
avatar for thursday

rated it

5 stars
avatar for Nostradamnit

rated it

5 stars
avatar for Anders_S

rated it

4 stars
avatar for Yogthos

rated it

5 stars
avatar for Geekess

rated it

3 stars
avatar for isla

rated it

4 stars
avatar for stochita

rated it

5 stars
avatar for hastur

rated it

4 stars
avatar for avengero

rated it

5 stars
avatar for yatzy

rated it

4 stars
avatar for maleo

rated it

5 stars
avatar for t3mujin

rated it

5 stars
avatar for Fllu

rated it

5 stars
avatar for Phiznlil

rated it

4 stars
avatar for steh

rated it

4 stars
avatar for fear025

rated it

5 stars
avatar for hearse

rated it

5 stars
avatar for smyth

rated it

5 stars
avatar for bashfulpuppy

rated it

5 stars
avatar for thepanie

rated it

3 stars
avatar for venya

rated it

4 stars
avatar for RyanHyde

rated it

5 stars
avatar for zz

rated it

5 stars
avatar for eyolf

rated it

5 stars
avatar for Chris_Newton

rated it

5 stars
avatar for mellow

rated it

4 stars
avatar for TimMason

rated it

3 stars
avatar for mayorbeetles

rated it

5 stars
avatar for Mantrack

rated it

4 stars
avatar for Tario21

rated it

5 stars
avatar for Dezik

rated it

5 stars
avatar for potherca

rated it

4 stars
avatar for zelse

rated it

4 stars
avatar for NaClKnight

rated it

4 stars
avatar for statori

rated it

4 stars
avatar for timthinks

rated it

4 stars
avatar for BookThief

rated it

4 stars
avatar for Qwaint

rated it

5 stars
avatar for joergr

rated it

5 stars
avatar for iyamwhoiyam

rated it

3 stars
avatar for pablohevia

rated it

5 stars
avatar for avid-reader

rated it

5 stars
avatar for albalafarga

rated it

4 stars
avatar for dianamontalion

rated it

3 stars
avatar for ike

rated it

5 stars
avatar for Scoured8735

rated it

4 stars
avatar for georgewhatup

rated it

5 stars
avatar for treelzebub

rated it

5 stars
avatar for juliancervos

rated it

5 stars
avatar for scythum

rated it

5 stars
avatar for Rinn

rated it

4 stars
avatar for mckmak

rated it

2 stars
avatar for jankmammal

rated it

4 stars
avatar for GooseThief

rated it

4 stars
avatar for Kamirose

rated it

3 stars
avatar for EnglishMobster

rated it

5 stars
avatar for mariechen

rated it

3 stars
avatar for struppi

rated it

3 stars
avatar for wdavery

rated it

4 stars
avatar for Kahoaa

rated it

4 stars
avatar for rmellema

rated it

5 stars
avatar for sa_zh

rated it

4 stars
avatar for sbobcat

rated it

5 stars
avatar for Stonebender

rated it

3 stars
avatar for zeitwidrig

rated it

4 stars
avatar for Ba5ilisk

rated it

5 stars
avatar for Silval

rated it

5 stars
avatar for Sarja

rated it

3 stars
avatar for carlbrown

rated it

4 stars
avatar for leifbhammer

rated it

5 stars
avatar for Sam316

rated it

4 stars
avatar for Shepy

rated it

5 stars
avatar for ericthomas

rated it

4 stars
avatar for HerrXRay

rated it

4 stars
avatar for agessaman

rated it

4 stars
avatar for dean

rated it

5 stars
avatar for Sugarwhatbro

rated it

5 stars
avatar for antoniodair

rated it

4 stars
avatar for headache

rated it

4 stars
avatar for getsemani

rated it

5 stars
avatar for overtsun

rated it

5 stars
avatar for bmazzoni

rated it

2 stars
avatar for Holler

rated it

3 stars
avatar for OWL4C

rated it

4 stars
avatar for thakurprateek

rated it

5 stars
avatar for shithead

rated it

3 stars
avatar for IX

rated it

5 stars
avatar for KyleStewart

rated it

5 stars
avatar for rulism

rated it

4 stars
avatar for Twine3515

rated it

5 stars
avatar for snigor

rated it

4 stars
avatar for sienna

rated it

4 stars
avatar for adridaine

rated it

5 stars
avatar for davidstosik

rated it

4 stars
avatar for sls

rated it

2 stars
avatar for Olcia

rated it

5 stars
avatar for Stalwart

rated it

4 stars
avatar for sinsunday

rated it

5 stars
avatar for linse

rated it

5 stars
avatar for corvusolty

rated it

3 stars
avatar for Archbishop

rated it

4 stars
avatar for kiri_nezu

rated it

3 stars
avatar for ToddSchroth

rated it

5 stars
avatar for matthewmincher

rated it

5 stars
avatar for max.prime

rated it

5 stars
avatar for tobna

rated it

4 stars
avatar for jzj195

rated it

5 stars
avatar for elreycriollo

rated it

4 stars
avatar for Clemence

rated it

4 stars
avatar for Asusana

rated it

4 stars
avatar for Aendil

rated it

5 stars
avatar for syrr

rated it

5 stars
avatar for elongatedborzoi

rated it

4 stars
avatar for diontryban

rated it

5 stars
avatar for cheziceman

rated it

4 stars
avatar for obijuan@lectura.social

rated it

5 stars
avatar for Ramirenko

rated it

5 stars
avatar for Express7686

rated it

4 stars
avatar for RupertOwen

rated it

5 stars
avatar for childeofentropy

rated it

5 stars
avatar for Beldam

rated it

3 stars
avatar for Elspeth

rated it

5 stars
avatar for BojanB

rated it

4 stars
avatar for ion

rated it

4 stars
avatar for ospalh

rated it

5 stars
avatar for abon

rated it

5 stars
avatar for jumpinggrendel

rated it

5 stars
avatar for joejoh

rated it

5 stars
avatar for Flusaka

rated it

4 stars
avatar for chadkoh

rated it

5 stars
avatar for curtdubya

rated it

4 stars
avatar for racer983

rated it

5 stars
avatar for Kaslov

rated it

5 stars
avatar for Isoprenoid

rated it

5 stars
avatar for cwzp

rated it

5 stars
avatar for flobin

rated it

4 stars
avatar for fakelvis

rated it

5 stars
avatar for Nachtfalke

rated it

5 stars
avatar for mcnugggzs

rated it

5 stars
avatar for robhedges

rated it

5 stars
avatar for paulfidalgo

rated it

5 stars
avatar for Jeff

rated it

4 stars
avatar for lamnatos

rated it

4 stars
avatar for Luke@bookrastinating.com

rated it

5 stars
avatar for benwerd

rated it

5 stars
avatar for vrtxd

rated it

4 stars
avatar for ianatxt

rated it

5 stars
avatar for ink-and-wax

rated it

5 stars
avatar for capelz

rated it

4 stars
avatar for coppelia

rated it

5 stars
avatar for lukaswm

rated it

5 stars
avatar for iyamwhoiyam

rated it

3 stars
avatar for teerav

rated it

4 stars
avatar for JAPipes

rated it

3 stars
avatar for andyo

rated it

5 stars
avatar for Elam

rated it

5 stars
avatar for dylanmo

rated it

4 stars
avatar for Vintervind

rated it

5 stars
avatar for amyshideler

rated it

4 stars
avatar for dejangod

rated it

5 stars
avatar for rslomkow

rated it

5 stars
avatar for stjep

rated it

4 stars
avatar for bashfulpuppy

rated it

5 stars
avatar for jackhaggett

rated it

3 stars
avatar for DannyPelvic

rated it

4 stars
avatar for Arta

rated it

5 stars
avatar for Lewistrick

rated it

2 stars
avatar for cobralvx

rated it

2 stars
avatar for NineMileTower

rated it

4 stars
avatar for daddy32

rated it

5 stars
avatar for jennyfern

rated it

5 stars