by George Orwell (Author), Erich Fromm (Foreword)



Editorial Reviews

"Outside, even through the shut window pane, the world looked cold. Down
in the street little eddies of wind were whirling dust and torn paper into
spirals, and though the sun was shining and the sky a harsh blue, there
seemed to be no color in anything except the posters that were plastered
everywhere."

The year is 1984; the scene is London, largest population center of
Airstrip One.

Airstrip One is part of the vast political entity Oceania, which is
eternally at war with one of two other vast entities, Eurasia and
Eastasia. At any moment, depending upon current alignments, all existing
records show either that Oceania has always been at war with Eurasia and
allied with Eastasia, or that it has always been at war with Eastasia and
allied with Eurasia. Winston Smith knows this, because his work at the
Ministry of Truth involves the constant "correction" of such records.
"'Who controls the past,' ran the Party slogan, 'controls the future: who
controls the present controls the past.'"

In a grim city and a terrifying country, where Big Brother is always
Watching You and the Thought Police can practically read your mind,
Winston is a man in grave danger for the simple reason that his memory
still functions. He knows the Party's official image of the world is a
fluid fiction. He knows the Party controls the people by feeding them lies
and narrowing their imaginations through a process of bewilderment and
brutalization that alienates each individual from his fellows and deprives
him of every liberating human pursuit from reasoned inquiry to sexual
passion. Drawn into a forbidden love affair, Winston finds the courage to
join a secret revolutionary organization called The Brotherhood, dedicated
to the destruction of the Party. Together with his beloved Julia, he
hazards his life in a deadly match against the powers that be.
Newspeak, doublethink, thoughtcrime--in 1984, George Orwell created a
whole vocabulary of words concerning totalitarian control that have since
passed into our common vocabulary. More importantly, he has portrayed a
chillingly credible dystopia. In our deeply anxious world, the seeds of
unthinking conformity are everywhere in evidence; and Big Brother is
always looking for his chance.

From AudioFile
Orwell's classic continues to deliver its horrible vision of totalitarian
society. Once considered futuristic, it now conjures fear because of how
closely it fits the reality of contemporary times. West's precise
pronunciation and strong, intense voice provide the narration and all
individual parts. The three major characters are individualized through
vocal emphasis, tone and interpretation of each character's personality.

West simultaneously weaves the spell of Big Brother while subtly
emphasizing the complex emotional and intellectual annihilation of each of
the characters. Starting with a detached approach, West intensifies
emotions and ends with a finish that leaves the plot firmly embedded in
the listener's mind. P.A.J. An AUDIOFILE Earphones Award winner.
(c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine

Product Details

Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Signet Classics; Reissue edition (July 1, 1977)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0451524934