Read a Good Book Lately?

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I read Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. I mostly read it because I saw a used book for a dollar and was like "I've heard of this". It's kind of a dystopian sci fi but from a different angle. It's often contrasted with 1984 by Orwell. While Orwell's dystopia is one where oppression is sustained with fear, Huxley's is sustained with pleasure. People are are not allowed to be free in Orwell's while people don't want to be in Huxley's. Through conditioning and biological manipulation Huxley sees a society that is in a never ending cycle of oppressing itself, that doesn't fight to end oppression but to make it work.

I quite enjoyed this book. I do like some sci fi but am not especially drawn to dystopian stuff, but definitely an interesting book. First of all, it's an easy read. By that I mean the prose goes down very smooth. That's all the more impressive given all the sci-fi gibberish peppered throughout regarding embryos and chemicals and behavioral conditioning. And despite all that, the prose is very compelling and the characters are quite interesting and seem to avoid falling into exactly the type of roles you might expect them to at the beginning. It totally makes sense in the context of the story but a weaker author might feel more compelled to squeeze certain characters into certain roles. Without getting into spoilers, there's one character who seems to be set up to take on the system. But he turns out to be kind of just a petty and selfish person who is trying to get the most out of the system he can. He's unsatisfied with what the system has provided to him, less than with the system itself, and why wouldn't he be? Why would he imagine another way having not been in our shoes as the reader and knowing there is another way? He instead serves to introduce an outsider who can envision another way because he knows another way.

I agree with the stereotype that this is a good companion to Orwell. I think it really provides an interesting perspective on dystopia that you do not get elsewhere. The oppression is a warm blanket, not shackles, but the results are the same. And is that not more frightening? What will break the oppression if no one opposes it, and who would oppose it if everyone feels happier for having been oppressed?

I don't suppose this would lend itself that easily to being a movie. Not that it couldn't be made into a good movie, but sci fi isn't cheap from a production standpoint and the book is very much about subtle processes and long conversations, so not blockbuster material probably. It could be a good TV show though. TV tends to work more for those contemplative type of sci fis, although movies do tend to work for an ending with this type of tone. I'd be interested either way.

Good book. I'd recommend.

For all of the poetry lovers:

Lock Her Up by Tina Parker. "It is an examination of the platitudes, misdiagnoses and treatments administered to women who needed succor not restraint, understanding not punishment; women who had been set aside by their families or bored husbands, were abused, widowed or Expand post

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Mick Eggins

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- Debra Holland
- Maurice Vaughan
4 weeks ago

Obviously...

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Rose Dupuis

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- Mick Eggins
- Maurice Vaughan
2 days ago

Mick Eggins, I enjoy reading books made into film before as it adds much more depth to the film. What I appreciate the most is the incredible talent the actors bring to the script. It amazes me that t...

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- Maurice Vaughan
1 day ago

Rose Dupuis great point of view. thank you for your thoughts. I still have to watch the second Avatar, I feel bad. I lived the first but find it hard to get 3 hours. terrible excuse, I know...

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- Mick Eggins
- Maurice Vaughan
15 hours ago

Mick Eggins the Avatar films become so much more with each one. Listening to the few interviews with James Cameron gives beautiful insights to his purpose for those films. And The Way of Water fantastic, I've yet to watch Fire and Ash. you enjoy your week.

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- Maurice Vaughan
9 hours ago

Rose Dupuis oh great, thank you. I will take the time to check them out

Scott Evans

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- Kevin Aguirre
- Maurice Vaughan
6 days ago

I'm reading a pretty good book right now called The Man Who Saw Seconds. It is about a guy who can see 5 seconds into the future, and he uses his power to fight hundreds of cops at a time.

Michael David

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6 days ago

Dark Places by Gillian Flynn

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- Kevin Aguirre
- Maurice Vaughan
2 days ago

I recently read a series of Scottish bookshop mysteries. by Paige Shelton. if you like international low-key mystery. Another series on Kindle unlimited was a 9 book series starting with Tuyo. No spoi...

Kevin Aguirre

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- Maurice Vaughan
13 hours ago

oooo these all sound really cool thanks everyone! all of them very interesting

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- Maurice Vaughan
2 days ago

Since I was 8 years old I am never without at least one book at hand. There is such wisdom held within the thousands of books I've read over the years. Yes books refine who reads them. If you visit th...

Douglas Self

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2 people like this
- Don Zorbas
- Maurice Vaughan
3 weeks ago

Definitely one I will check out. Thanks, Debra!

Don Zorbas

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1 person likes this
- Maurice Vaughan
2 weeks ago

Thanks for sharing.

Michael Bret Hood

Love Jonathan Haidt's work. Great recommendation!

Alex Tur

Hey, Sydney S. Something tells me this will be a sequel to my existing series, which I'm currently working on—reading, rereading, revising, adding to, and adapting for TV. )

Unfortunately, I find it di...

Cynna Ael

It's currently on sale in the Kindle side for $2.99 for a limited time. Definitely worth investing in.

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- Maurice Vaughan
3 weeks ago

Thank you, Nawaf Al Janahi . I will check it out.

Maurice Vaughan

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2 people like this
- Alex Tur
- Heather Gill
1 month ago

Hi, Heather Gill. I just looked up Unreasonable Hospitality. It sounds interesting. I added it to my read list. Thanks.

Sydney S

Will check out, thank you Heather!

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