Classics Without All the Class discussion

We are adding a new element to our reviews. Mark your review either


Bookshelf: Book you loved and would buy and keep
Library Bag: Book you would liked, but would just borrow
Donation Box: you hated it, get rid of it now.

This thread will have spoilers since it is your overall opinion of the book so beware!

While this story ended tragically, I would bookshelf it. I thought it was fascinating and insiteful.

Definitely Bookshelf

Amusing system, considering I borrowed it from the library....! I would rate it bookshelf.

Definitely bookshelf. A book this bonkers and brilliant has to be kept in sight and in mind.

Bookshelf. It is definitely not a book that can be absorbed completely in one go.

Library Bag. I am sure most of you will disagree with me, but I have mixed feelings about this book. I liked the message of the book. It is definitely thought provoking, but I was a little put off with Huxley's storytelling. I found the story a little flat and I could not relate to any of the characters.

I am glad I read this book though. It had been on my "to read list" for years. It does leave you contemplating the meaning of true happiness.

Bookshelf. For quite a while I was prepared to vote "Library Bag" but the novel is sufficiently thought-provoking and entertaining (if in a disturbing way) that I conclude it deserves a place on the Bookshelf.

Library Bag. Like Laurie, I'm glad I finally read this, but wasn't excited enough by the writing to read it again soon - like say, anytime in the next decade. After that, if I've forgotten how tragic it was I might give it another go. The ideas were interesting and I'll be thinking about it for some time I'm sure.

Shea wrote: "Bookshelf. It is definitely not a book that can be absorbed completely in one go."
I absolutely agree with this!

Laurie wrote: "Library Bag. I am sure most of you will disagree with me, but I have mixed feelings about this book. I liked the message of the book. It is definitely thought provoking, but I was a little put of..."

I totally agree. I really want to like this book, because I think the concept behind it is brilliant, but I find that the characters are just so flat and underdeveloped. I am still reading so we will see if m y opinion changes by the end.

Bookshelf, definitely. I read through this rather quickly, so I am already looking forward to reading it again. I'd like to learn a little bit more about Henry Ford before reading again - I am highly curious as to why Huxley chose him as the God 'replacement'. Also, I struggled with some of the vocabulary so next time I will have the dictionary nearby while I read.
However, I am kind of disappointed in the plot. In the first few chapters, I actually loved the way Huxley just jumped in to the story, and gave very little actual description of the current state of the world. The reader is left to figure it out through the context of the characters conversations and actions, and I found that style of story telling just fascinating. And then, chapter 3! Alternating viewpoints so quickly and with no marked way to tell whose was whose. The book could have stopped there and I would have loved it. But, I think the point of the book was to showcase Huxleys ideas, not tell a story, and in that he succeeds admirably.

Library. I'm glad I read it because these elements have used so many times after this, but some how it didn't work for me. But message was interesting and worth checking.

Bookshelf definitely. I found it haunting. Though I did find the way that the story leap frogged character narratives mildly disconcerting, I have to disagree that the characters were poorly developed. I must consider that, excepting John, the characters are intentionally flat. "Civilization" has stripped them of all struggle and pain and left them absent any experiences that would build character and make them interesting. For all intents and purposes, the people of the World State are walking, talking cardboard cutouts of humanity and Huxley does an excellent job of making them believable.

Bookshelf. It is game changing!

Bookshelf. One point that I thought was especially well illustrated was that the pursuit of happiness lies in direct contrast with the pursuit of truth & beauty. If you only want happiness, you can be satisfied with self gratification. But if truth and beauty are your aim, you must be willing to experience pain, loneliness, rejection, and delayed gratification of your desires.

Library. Bookshelf only because it's a classic and worth pushing on others. I agree with Reija. It didn't totally win me over so I may only read it once twice more if ever. I'm more interested in learning about Huxley and his views and inspirations though.

Bookshelf, all my classics would be bookshelves, but this is worth keeping and re-reading periodically.

This is a book that will have a nice happy home on my kindle bookshelf (for now) until I get a physical copy. I feel the need to share this book with my future children and even friends/family. I agree with @Poiema the pursuit of happiness throughout the book and contrasted with self-gratification...This provides a lesson in happiness one is not often taught but should be learned. This book showed me what life would be like without the things that make me happy (family, friends, husband, childbirth). These are things that can, easily, be taken for granted. Huxley provided a healthy dose of thankful medicine for me...If that makes sense.

Library Bag. It likes me very much, ma I don't think that I'll read it again soon, although I consider it a classic. I appreciated ambientation and the society's description, but once is more than enough.

While this book stirred emotions and generated some interesting discussion I do not think it is a book I would reread. I cannot see myself reading this book a second time! I would have it in a library bag.

Bookshelf!

Some where between library and donation box. Some interesting ideas over shadowed by old straight white man not liking how the world is changing.

Reading this reminds me of an article I read which points out of the 3 classics of dystopia (the two mentioned above and 1984) only 1984 holds up as relevant. Both Bradbury (whose book reads as a screed against tv from a novel writer) and Huxley (the world is terrible cause people are no longer religious and have greater sexual freedom) come across as being on the wrong side of history. I agreed with the article on 451 but I think Huxley has some good points on problems of consumerist society and the application of eugenics.

Found said article talking about 1984 and Brave new world. Also compares for whom the bell tolls to Orwells experince in figthing in Spain. The jist of the article is more about the revelance of the viewpoints of classic authors to us today.

http://chiusse.wordpress.com/2013/01/...

This book is a classic and sits proudly on my shelf.

Definitely bookshelf for me!

Definitely donation box for me!