Matthew M. Conroy reviewed The Iron Heel by Jack London
Review of 'The Iron Heel' on 'Goodreads'
2 stars
Starts well, but becomes tedious about half way through once the "action" starts.
Paperback, 251 pages
English language
Published July 25, 2006
The Iron Heel
by Jack London
4 stars
(12 reviews)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Iron_Heel Generally considered to be "the earliest of the modern Dystopian," it chronicles the rise of an oligarchic tyranny in the United States. It is arguably the novel in which Jack London's socialist views are most explicitly on display. A forerunner of soft science fiction novels and stories of the 1960s and 1970s, the book stresses future changes in society and politics while paying much less attention to technological changes. Table of MY EAGLE CHALLENGES JOHNSON'S ARM SLAVES OF THE MACHINE THE PHILOMATHS ADUMBRATIONS THE BISHOP'S VISION THE MACHINE BREAKERS THE MATHEMATICS OF A DREAM THE VORTEX THE GREAT ADVENTURE THE BISHOP THE GENERAL STRIKE THE BEGINNING OF THE END LAST DAYS THE END THE SCARLET LIVERY IN THE SHADOW OF SONOMA TRANSFORMATION THE LAST OLIGARCH THE ROARING ABYSMAL BEAST THE CHICAGO COMMUNE THE PEOPLE OF THE ABYSS NIGHTMARE THE TERRORISTS' to 'Set in the future, "The Iron Heel" describes …
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Iron_Heel Generally considered to be "the earliest of the modern Dystopian," it chronicles the rise of an oligarchic tyranny in the United States. It is arguably the novel in which Jack London's socialist views are most explicitly on display. A forerunner of soft science fiction novels and stories of the 1960s and 1970s, the book stresses future changes in society and politics while paying much less attention to technological changes. Table of MY EAGLE CHALLENGES JOHNSON'S ARM SLAVES OF THE MACHINE THE PHILOMATHS ADUMBRATIONS THE BISHOP'S VISION THE MACHINE BREAKERS THE MATHEMATICS OF A DREAM THE VORTEX THE GREAT ADVENTURE THE BISHOP THE GENERAL STRIKE THE BEGINNING OF THE END LAST DAYS THE END THE SCARLET LIVERY IN THE SHADOW OF SONOMA TRANSFORMATION THE LAST OLIGARCH THE ROARING ABYSMAL BEAST THE CHICAGO COMMUNE THE PEOPLE OF THE ABYSS NIGHTMARE THE TERRORISTS' to 'Set in the future, "The Iron Heel" describes a world in which the division between the classes has deepened, creating a powerful Oligarchy that retains control through terror. A manuscript by rebel Avis Everhard is recovered in an even more distant future, and analyzed by scholar Anthony Meredith. Published in 1908, Jack London's multi-layered narrative is an early example of the dystopian novel, and its vision of the future proved to be eerily prescient of the violence and fascism that marked the initial half of the 20th century.
Zivan reviewed The Iron Heel (The Jack London Series) by Jack London
Review of 'The Iron Heel (The Jack London Series)' on 'Goodreads'
3 stars
The Iron Heal is an early 20th century book and it feels that way.
Most of the book is made up of a series of lectures given by the socialist revolutionary leader to various people. Laying out his political ideology and plan of action.
The rest of the book consists of the horrific results of the revolution.
The reason I'm giving the Librivox version of The Iron Heal 4 stars is the excellent narration and my love for history.
The tale is told from the perspective of a historian presenting an ancient manuscript written by the wife of a famous revolutionary.
As a former history student this kind of presentation really appealed to me and helped me get over the constant harping on the virtues of socialism.
Despite being a social democrat myself, I find it ironic that as it turned out, socialist revolutions of the kind described here tended …
The Iron Heal is an early 20th century book and it feels that way.
Most of the book is made up of a series of lectures given by the socialist revolutionary leader to various people. Laying out his political ideology and plan of action.
The rest of the book consists of the horrific results of the revolution.
The reason I'm giving the Librivox version of The Iron Heal 4 stars is the excellent narration and my love for history.
The tale is told from the perspective of a historian presenting an ancient manuscript written by the wife of a famous revolutionary.
As a former history student this kind of presentation really appealed to me and helped me get over the constant harping on the virtues of socialism.
Despite being a social democrat myself, I find it ironic that as it turned out, socialist revolutions of the kind described here tended to raise the kind of murderous totalitarian regimes attributed to capitalism here.
