goodreads pushed me to copy and paste this into my blog. and so! here we go!
weee:
1984 by George Orwell
My review
rating: 5 of 5 stars
For some reason i thought i’d read this book before. but clearly no. It is amazing, and unsettlingly timely.
It’s weird to think that these issues of where society might be going was very alive in 1948 (when written). But today, in 2009, it seems far less people are thinking about such large issues.
the introduction for this edition (by thomas pynchon) claims the appendix at the end might be seen as optimistic. that the gloom of the book might be seen in a positive light if it was distant history. I think this misses the point, and is more a sign that Pynchon either needs to find happiness or wants to charm you with the angle he’s uncovered.
i thought it much more likely that the ending post-narrative is there to remind you of Winston’s job: editing history. It’s hard to summarize… but i think in a way, Orwell is showing us how he is re-writing the future by ending with the past.
Anywho. hell of a book. Doubt many modern american’s could muster the attention span to read it entirely, much less think about what it is laying on the table. but here’s to hoping!