Really good to hear your thoughts. I have a similar ranking of the 3 I've read, with 1984 > Brave New World > The Handmaid's Tale. 1984 was much bleaker than I expected. Maybe a tepid take, but I found it still relevant as some political leaders in recent history seem to have used it as a 'how to' guide rather than the warning it is. Aspects of The Handmaid's are worryingly more plausible as time goes by. I'll have to check out 'We' for the worldbuilding, if not the second part of the book. Lovely to see you back. I hope the exams went well.
Thank you for commenting RD 🫶🏻glad to see our opinions align! Yeah it is so scary, certain people using these *warning* texts as “how to” guides… I like how you put that. If you liked Dune’s world building where you see how everything logically flows from a certain punctum (in that case water: it seeps into their custom, clothes, phrasings, etc. but it isn’t overtly infodumped on you) then you’ll enjoy We because the punctum there is everything being “mathematically perfect”. 😊
For me the ranking goes Brave New World > 1984 > Handmaid’s Tale > We. It’s been a long time since I’ve read Fahrenheit 451 so I need to reread it. Currently reading one called It Can’t Happen Here by Lewis Sinclair and it’s alright so far, too.
I love dystopias like 1984 and The Handmaid's Tale because their plotlines imply that their universes were exactly like ours until a structural, authoritarian change came and rewired their societies. So, whenever people say that these stories could happen in real life, that's because the stories have presented themselves as being able to.
I do agree that Brave New World is the most relevant and comparable novel to today's society, especially with the rise of social media. But 1984 is by far the superior novel in every aspect, in my opinion.
I read Animal Farm and ADORED IT. Solid 4⭐️. I had a Kazuo Ishiguro video be requested and it is currently in preproduction so look forward to that one in the coming months ‼️
Of the ones I read I agree with you that '1984' and 'A Brave New World' are the best (and I read those 30 years ago). I also agreee on Bardbury, he's a master of short stories; I still remember 'Martian Chroncicles' and 'Illustrated Man'. By the way, a less known book by Huxley, but quite interesting, is 'Island': an utopia, an alternative response to ABNW, including how psichedelic drugs and sex can turn into positives.
Oooo that’s so interesting!!! If I would’ve known about Island before I would’ve read it for this video to see the contrast. Adding it to the TBR! Thank you for the recommendation 😊
1984 and Fahrenheit 451 and are two of my favorites of all time, and Ray Bradbury one my favorite authors. A Brave A New World is also excellent. Huxley and Orwell approached the same subject from different positions. In the end, the world unfortunately looks a little like each book.
Margaret Atwood has another dystopian trilogy that forsees the fall of mankind. The books are "Oryx & Crake", "The Waterless Flood" & "Madaddam". Trying not to spoil anything but Oryx & Crake follows the storyline of Jimmy before mankind becomes an endangered species. Jimmy is a sort of below average Joe type of guy, a nobody who meets many of the "important players" on why mankind meets its demise. It paints a picture of a future where technology is advanced but morality has devolved. The Waterless Flood is a dual perspective narrative told through the eyes of Toby and Ren. Toby is a middle aged woman who survives the "waterless flood" through her connections to a nature obsessed cult. Ren was part of the same cult as Toby but escaped and became an exotic dancer of sorts. And Ren is Jimmy's ex girlfriend. This book details a survivor's perspective on a world that lives on after mankind suddenly "vanishes" from existence. And who inherits the earth in mankind's absence. Madaddam is the final book in the series and mainly follows the perspective of Zeb, an active but half hearted member of the same nature cult as Toby & Ren. He is one of the few remaining men on earth and is on a mission to find his brother and figure out how mankind can rebound from such a widespread disaster. I tried to be as vague as possible but the storyline has a lot of dark moments that Atwood does not shy away from. There's one really cool aspect of world building that involves bioengineering new animals by splicing the DNA of existing animals to make some Sci-fi recreations. Like Lions and lamb DNA to make Liobambs, racoons and skunks to make Rakunks, Pizzly bears which are grizzly and polar bears and pigoons which are pigs and hunan hybrids, to name a few. But that bioengineering aspect plays a big part in the storyline and raises some great philosophical questions about science, playing god and mankind's place in the animal kingdom hierarchy. My only gripe is that the last book of the series seems less substantial than the first 2. Like Margaret Atwood finished it because she had to but her heart wasn't in the storyline anymore. So parts of Maddaddam feel like they weren't properly fleshed out or were rushed or lacked the depth of the earlier two books. But it still ended better than the last season of Game of Thrones, so its not a complete let down, just not as good as the starting books.
Glad you mentioned BNW. A Clockwork Orange. “I hated it” LOL. Yeah, I get it. The book isn’t as accessible as the movie imo. Movie is pretty dang good. I think the book is an interesting component in a conversation about oversaturation in our society. Too much entertainment = desensitization = ultra violence. I think the concepts are better explored by David Foster Wallace in an interview. My friend Ian has a cool RUclips channel called Write Consicous where he analyzes and talks about DFW & Cormac McCarthy. Check it out if you want. Otherwise, yeah I think I agree about a clockwork orange. I’m a reluctant fan of it
Oooo this is such a great video! Loved hearing your thoughts. I really enjoyed Brave New World and Fahrenheit 451 when I read them years ago. I would love to revisit them, especially Brave New World. I still have yet to read 1984 but I have it on my shelf 😳 biiiig fan of Animal Farm though! I’d love to hear your thoughts on that one
This video is like a rollercoaster ride of emotions! One minute you're laughing about Hugh Grant being slandered for not looking young anymore, and the next minute you're feeling all existential thanks to 1984. 😂 Big Brother is always watching, but at least we can laugh about it, right? 🤣 Also, whoever lied to you about A Clockwork Orange can come sit next to me because I was so confused the entire time too. Those weird made-up words were something else! Thanks for this hilarious and thought-provoking video, Wera! You're the best!
Hey! Good to see you back! Hope your exams went well, I’m sure you aced them! Another excellent video. Love your new microphone! 👍🏼👍🏼 Some good recommendations, I don’t think I’d be able to read A Clockwork Orange though, the movie scarred me enough when I saw it in the theater! lol I may try and pick up 1984 though, that one sounds interesting.. And thanks for the shout out! You really made my day! I didn’t realize that I had fans! lol keep up the good work Wera!
Great video. I don’t think you’re wrong about the relevance of 1984, I feel like a lot of people who talk about things being Orwellian or like 1984, mostly haven’t read 1984. Sorry you didn’t like Clockwork Orange so much. I remember my first experience with it. First couple of chapters felt like homework, then I just read without trying to remember what each word was slang for. Somewhere around the 25% the language clicked for me and I went back to the start and had a way more enjoyable experience. But it was a hell of a barrier to get over. I DNF’d Brave New World many years ago, but I think I might have to give it another look based on your recommendation.
Definitely. People call things Orwellian or Kafkaesque or Dickensian just to sound “well read” without actually knowing what they’re talking about. It annoys me too. But it makes me all the happier when people do know their significance! Yeah I’m so sad that A Clockwork Orange didn’t click for me :/ it just felt like a chore the whole way through but I am glad you got some enjoyment out of it eventually! Thank you for commenting 🤍
@@valliyarnl No, no...I'm just a nit-picky math guy - your point came across just fine. At some point give Virginia Woolf another try - she's great if you get into it (I love Mrs. Dalloway). Also try Manhattan Transfer by John Dos Passos - stretching the boundaries!
@@TheloniousCube I definitely want to give VW another try. I’m thinking of doing a video where I give her one last shot. Maybe “To The Lighthouse” was not the best work to start with?
I actually never thought about the different experience of a Slavic person reading A Clockwork Orange in English before.......because the irony is most people I know (in America) hate the book because they do not like the author's invented futuristic slang and find it hard to follow. He based it on Russian the idea being (since this was during the height of Soviet power) that in the future the USSR would have farther reaching influence on the world. I guess this is far less of a problem for a reader that speaks a Slavic language..
Parable of the Sower would be perfect if you want to make this a series. I've also heard good things about The Road, though haven't read it personally.
Parable of the Sower has been on my tbr for years! I forgot about it until you brought it up. Looking forward to hear your thoughts on it. Great list btw! 1984 and BNW are both deeply unsettling books. I still think about which dystopia I'd rather live in 😂.
Pisałem pracę magisterską o protagonistach XX-wiecznych antyutopii, byli tam Huxley, Orwell i Zamiatin, mi osobiście najbardziej podobał się Brave New World, gdzie przekaz był nieco subtelniejszy niż w Roku 1984, gdzie autor wbija nam do głowy przesłanie z gracją młota kowalskiego ;) niemniej wszystkie lektury świetne ! pozdrawiam autorkę, będę miał Cię na oku - powodzenia !
@@valliyarnl well its a very positive story but the undertones to it and where society is at is insane. If that story was told from anyone else in that world it would be depressing and the only reason its not from the main character is they LOVE all the retro stuff
@@valliyarnl its extremely close but I think some would argue the technology isnt far enough to be cyberpunk yet. Although I would argue the feel and message is very cyberpunk.
They aren't just relevant. They are currently applicable. They will always be applicable. Everyone should have read all of these by age 25. At least in the English speaking world.
You got most of the classic dystopias. Great! I would suggest Jack London's 'The Iron Heel' published in 1908. It's not well written BUT worth a look for it's place in history as probably the first dystopia at least in terms of depicting an authoritarian government. The book predicted WW1, the stock market crash of 1929 and the rise of fascism.
I just finished Handmaids Tale and you’re correct. NOTHING about this book is “enjoyable”. At every page I was furious at something or someone, all I saw were certain political views in the popular culture now and it pissed me off. But it was a fantastic read, I was gripped from the first page. I thought the epilogue was unnecessary, even though it gave some context to the book, I could have been happy without it, left a mystery. I just felt it was anti-climactic as we don’t witness the outcome, we are just told about it. But it is a solid 3.5 out of five for me. Maybe 4 because I’m still thinking about it
****spoilers Handmaids tale****** Very interesting take! For me though, the epilogue elevated the book. The idea of there being 30 tapes organised by two men from the future in what they thought was the most correct form of the story? And then the fact we have 26 or 27 chapters kind of leading me to believe that there were a few of them left out made it so much more compelling to me.
Great video, but could you elaborate why BNW is more relevant to now than 1984? I have only read 1984 and still think of it very often because of a lot of current events, I was asking myself if it may have been different experiences in life that made the difference ( thinking of face id at food banks and many different examples that are not that commonly known or thought about till the end ). Something I feel people don‘t speak enough is the ending, specifically ******Spoiler******** That the only way they have actually won you over is when you also believe in it so resistance comes from with in you. To strengthen your mind and bonds with the people around you is the ultimate way of resistance and as long as you hold onto to it you won, which i know is a very positive view of such a dark book.
Great comment! So in each of the three books there comes a moment where the philosophy behind the regime is explained. In 1984 it is the Red Book excerpts, in BNW it’s Johns speech in chapters 16/17, and in Fahrenheit 451 it’s Beatty’s monologue (this one is spoiler free so I encourage you to search it up!). Where I think 1984 is VERY relevant but mostly in a manner that focuses on an external locus of control (Big Brother always looking at you thru the cameras, erasure of history, thought policing people who don’t agree with you, resource wars fought by countries who aren’t in need but exploit countries who are, etc), I think BNW and F451 are more relevant to us as individuals bc they focus on the internal locus of control. What I mean by this is they focus on how we as individuals change what we value: spending more time passively consuming media instead of actively engaging with it, not caring that much anymore about art or philosophy in school bc as young students we don’t understand the value they bring in comparison with strict sciences that directly contribute to us getting a job/into university, avoiding discussing painful subjects and blocking it out with drugs/alcohol/etc. I think us as individuals can be motivated to make an actual substantial change after reading these books because they mostly talk about things we can mostly easily modify within our own lives, where with 1984 there is this idea of being helpless in front of this greater party/beaurocracy. That being said I do still think 1984 is relevant without a doubt! Also I 100% agree. The ending of 1984 is truly underrated. It was so visceral and terrifying, but motivational in a certain way.
loved the review of brave new world. I can understand the god part of the "science, art and god" not resonating with you, but whilst the book does not make the case for it, I personally interpret "god" or at least spirituality in both the concept of "the absolute" of which we only perceive approximations through the mediums of art and science, as well the sensation of the imperceptible and I think that this conception of spirit rounds that out quite nicely. But great reviews, I'm definitely gonna pick up we
Oooo I like your interpretation, that’s probably exactly what Huxley was going for. I had to cut a clip where I say that my takeaway from that was the importance of quiet reflection and having a moral compass, but what you said rounds the three more. Thanks for sharing!
Fahrenheit 451 and 1984 are two books that really shaped me as a teenager and showed me that classic literature doesn't have to be boring. Glad you got a lot out of both books!
Yes they were fantastic!! Have you read Brave New World? I’d love to hear your take on the final speech about the importance of Art, Science, and God in a healthy society
@valliyarnl I only read a bit of it so I need to go back and finish it. I did like what I read and would definitely want to make my own video on it once I finish it. 😁
i have read both farenheit 451 and brave new world and they say more then what modern media shows and says, and this is what keeps me going back to older dystopias.
Thanks for sharing! I think also a lot of modern dystopians were Young Adult so they just had a very different aim. The Book Leo has a rlly good video on it if you’re interested!
@@valliyarnl That sounds great, thank you for the recommendation! I'll be sure to check it out! You're definitley right, modern dystopias do seem to be mostly YA, not that there is anything wrong with that. For me, time passing definitley makes this genre more interesting, seeing what authors predicted about society against what we have now can be quite eye-opening. Anyway, great video!
You get a personal private quickie review! I gave it a solid 4⭐️. I really enjoyed it. It was so clever how he did the allegory! And once again he really has very efficient writing. Everything packs the intended punch. The pigs were great but I loved the surrounding characters more the horse(if i remember correctly) was my favorite.
@@valliyarnl Glad you enjoyed Animal Farm too. I agree with your rating. It's a great book, but not quite as good as 1984. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
So in Poland up until recently you were able to get an abortion if it was before 8 weeks AND you satisfied one of the following (1) you could prove IN COURT that it was a case of rape/incest/abuse (2) the fetal life was in danger (3) the mothers life was in danger. That’s a general overview but the law was already one of the most strict in Europe. Outrage was caused when the government struck case 2 from the list. So now if you get pregnant, no matter what the status the the fetus is (will be a stillbirth/lethal deformity/ etc) it always has to be birthed. The whole situation became a lot more tragic when a little while after this new legislation was passed, a woman, who was carrying twins, died because one of the twins died in the womb and caused an infection which caused the other baby to die and the mother to go into septic shock a few days later :( It was quite a big deal and sparked the use of a “not even one more woman” (ani jednej więcej) slogan during protests, though they were ineffective.
That’s so awful… I read Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis about the Iranian Revolution and it was very impactful. Do you have novels from Iranian authors to recommend?
@@valliyarnl If you could find The Blind Owl by Sadegh Hedayat, that would be excellent one. Another one that is not a novel but an old love story based on a Great poetry book is Vis and Rāmin by Fakhruddin As'ad Gurgani which has a good English translation and some reviews in youtube. Writing novels is a relatively modern thing here but poetry was at its peak in Iran, no bias 😁
Really good to hear your thoughts. I have a similar ranking of the 3 I've read, with 1984 > Brave New World > The Handmaid's Tale. 1984 was much bleaker than I expected. Maybe a tepid take, but I found it still relevant as some political leaders in recent history seem to have used it as a 'how to' guide rather than the warning it is. Aspects of The Handmaid's are worryingly more plausible as time goes by. I'll have to check out 'We' for the worldbuilding, if not the second part of the book. Lovely to see you back. I hope the exams went well.
Thank you for commenting RD 🫶🏻glad to see our opinions align! Yeah it is so scary, certain people using these *warning* texts as “how to” guides… I like how you put that.
If you liked Dune’s world building where you see how everything logically flows from a certain punctum (in that case water: it seeps into their custom, clothes, phrasings, etc. but it isn’t overtly infodumped on you) then you’ll enjoy We because the punctum there is everything being “mathematically perfect”. 😊
Dystopias still relevant? In this economy? It’s more likely then you think … 🤔
Real
😂
For me the ranking goes Brave New World > 1984 > Handmaid’s Tale > We. It’s been a long time since I’ve read Fahrenheit 451 so I need to reread it. Currently reading one called It Can’t Happen Here by Lewis Sinclair and it’s alright so far, too.
Oh my god the thumbnail 😱😍
Thank u 🥺
I’m very proud of it
I love dystopias like 1984 and The Handmaid's Tale because their plotlines imply that their universes were exactly like ours until a structural, authoritarian change came and rewired their societies. So, whenever people say that these stories could happen in real life, that's because the stories have presented themselves as being able to.
I do agree that Brave New World is the most relevant and comparable novel to today's society, especially with the rise of social media. But 1984 is by far the superior novel in every aspect, in my opinion.
Agreed!
You should definitely read Animal Farm and Never Let Me Go.
I read Animal Farm and ADORED IT. Solid 4⭐️. I had a Kazuo Ishiguro video be requested and it is currently in preproduction so look forward to that one in the coming months ‼️
Of the ones I read I agree with you that '1984' and 'A Brave New World' are the best (and I read those 30 years ago). I also agreee on Bardbury, he's a master of short stories; I still remember 'Martian Chroncicles' and 'Illustrated Man'. By the way, a less known book by Huxley, but quite interesting, is 'Island': an utopia, an alternative response to ABNW, including how psichedelic drugs and sex can turn into positives.
Oooo that’s so interesting!!! If I would’ve known about Island before I would’ve read it for this video to see the contrast. Adding it to the TBR! Thank you for the recommendation 😊
1984 and Fahrenheit 451 and are two of my favorites of all time, and Ray Bradbury one my favorite authors. A Brave A New World is also excellent. Huxley and Orwell approached the same subject from different positions. In the end, the world unfortunately looks a little like each book.
Margaret Atwood has another dystopian trilogy that forsees the fall of mankind. The books are "Oryx & Crake", "The Waterless Flood" & "Madaddam".
Trying not to spoil anything but Oryx & Crake follows the storyline of Jimmy before mankind becomes an endangered species. Jimmy is a sort of below average Joe type of guy, a nobody who meets many of the "important players" on why mankind meets its demise. It paints a picture of a future where technology is advanced but morality has devolved.
The Waterless Flood is a dual perspective narrative told through the eyes of Toby and Ren. Toby is a middle aged woman who survives the "waterless flood" through her connections to a nature obsessed cult. Ren was part of the same cult as Toby but escaped and became an exotic dancer of sorts. And Ren is Jimmy's ex girlfriend. This book details a survivor's perspective on a world that lives on after mankind suddenly "vanishes" from existence. And who inherits the earth in mankind's absence.
Madaddam is the final book in the series and mainly follows the perspective of Zeb, an active but half hearted member of the same nature cult as Toby & Ren. He is one of the few remaining men on earth and is on a mission to find his brother and figure out how mankind can rebound from such a widespread disaster.
I tried to be as vague as possible but the storyline has a lot of dark moments that Atwood does not shy away from. There's one really cool aspect of world building that involves bioengineering new animals by splicing the DNA of existing animals to make some Sci-fi recreations. Like Lions and lamb DNA to make Liobambs, racoons and skunks to make Rakunks, Pizzly bears which are grizzly and polar bears and pigoons which are pigs and hunan hybrids, to name a few. But that bioengineering aspect plays a big part in the storyline and raises some great philosophical questions about science, playing god and mankind's place in the animal kingdom hierarchy.
My only gripe is that the last book of the series seems less substantial than the first 2. Like Margaret Atwood finished it because she had to but her heart wasn't in the storyline anymore. So parts of Maddaddam feel like they weren't properly fleshed out or were rushed or lacked the depth of the earlier two books. But it still ended better than the last season of Game of Thrones, so its not a complete let down, just not as good as the starting books.
Children of Men by PD James, which is also adapted into an incredible movie. It truly is one of the great dystopian novels
im so uncultured that I haven't heard of that one! thank you for the recommendation!
The final sequence of that movie.....just wow how it looks like just 1 long continuous cut. I couldn't look away.
Glad you mentioned BNW.
A Clockwork Orange.
“I hated it” LOL.
Yeah, I get it. The book isn’t as accessible as the movie imo. Movie is pretty dang good.
I think the book is an interesting component in a conversation about oversaturation in our society. Too much entertainment = desensitization = ultra violence.
I think the concepts are better explored by David Foster Wallace in an interview. My friend Ian has a cool RUclips channel called Write Consicous where he analyzes and talks about DFW & Cormac McCarthy. Check it out if you want.
Otherwise, yeah I think I agree about a clockwork orange. I’m a reluctant fan of it
Ja się nie dziwię, że Ty czytasz tyle książek jak masz tak przytulny salon xD
Oooo this is such a great video! Loved hearing your thoughts. I really enjoyed Brave New World and Fahrenheit 451 when I read them years ago. I would love to revisit them, especially Brave New World.
I still have yet to read 1984 but I have it on my shelf 😳 biiiig fan of Animal Farm though! I’d love to hear your thoughts on that one
ADORED Animal Farm 4⭐️. I feel like 1984 is a smidge better so you have smth to look forward to there!
@@valliyarnl OOO can’t wait!! 🤭
This video is like a rollercoaster ride of emotions! One minute you're laughing about Hugh Grant being slandered for not looking young anymore, and the next minute you're feeling all existential thanks to 1984. 😂 Big Brother is always watching, but at least we can laugh about it, right? 🤣 Also, whoever lied to you about A Clockwork Orange can come sit next to me because I was so confused the entire time too. Those weird made-up words were something else! Thanks for this hilarious and thought-provoking video, Wera! You're the best!
Hey! Good to see you back! Hope your exams went well, I’m sure you aced them! Another excellent video. Love your new microphone! 👍🏼👍🏼
Some good recommendations, I don’t think I’d be able to read A Clockwork Orange though, the movie scarred me enough when I saw it in the theater! lol I may try and pick up 1984 though, that one sounds interesting..
And thanks for the shout out! You really made my day! I didn’t realize that I had fans! lol keep up the good work Wera!
Thanks Steve! I definitely hope you enjoy 1984 if you pick it up! Your comments always make me smile 😀
@@valliyarnl 🙂
Great video.
I don’t think you’re wrong about the relevance of 1984, I feel like a lot of people who talk about things being Orwellian or like 1984, mostly haven’t read 1984.
Sorry you didn’t like Clockwork Orange so much. I remember my first experience with it. First couple of chapters felt like homework, then I just read without trying to remember what each word was slang for. Somewhere around the 25% the language clicked for me and I went back to the start and had a way more enjoyable experience. But it was a hell of a barrier to get over.
I DNF’d Brave New World many years ago, but I think I might have to give it another look based on your recommendation.
Definitely. People call things Orwellian or Kafkaesque or Dickensian just to sound “well read” without actually knowing what they’re talking about. It annoys me too. But it makes me all the happier when people do know their significance!
Yeah I’m so sad that A Clockwork Orange didn’t click for me :/ it just felt like a chore the whole way through but I am glad you got some enjoyment out of it eventually!
Thank you for commenting 🤍
i = imaginary (or complex)
pi = irrational
nice set of reviews.
Oh gosh I look really stupid now dont I … 🫣
Thank you for the correction! I hope the point I was making kind of still works/comes across?
@@valliyarnl No, no...I'm just a nit-picky math guy - your point came across just fine.
At some point give Virginia Woolf another try - she's great if you get into it (I love Mrs. Dalloway). Also try Manhattan Transfer by John Dos Passos - stretching the boundaries!
@@TheloniousCube I definitely want to give VW another try. I’m thinking of doing a video where I give her one last shot. Maybe “To The Lighthouse” was not the best work to start with?
@@valliyarnl I don't know - I haven't gotten to the Lighthouse yet - so many books to read!
@@TheloniousCube that is very relatable haha
I actually never thought about the different experience of a Slavic person reading A Clockwork Orange in English before.......because the irony is most people I know (in America) hate the book because they do not like the author's invented futuristic slang and find it hard to follow. He based it on Russian the idea being (since this was during the height of Soviet power) that in the future the USSR would have farther reaching influence on the world. I guess this is far less of a problem for a reader that speaks a Slavic language..
Definitely less of a problem but still super annoying. That book just … yeah not for me :)
Parable of the Sower would be perfect if you want to make this a series. I've also heard good things about The Road, though haven't read it personally.
Parable of the Sower has been on my tbr for years! I forgot about it until you brought it up. Looking forward to hear your thoughts on it. Great list btw! 1984 and BNW are both deeply unsettling books. I still think about which dystopia I'd rather live in 😂.
Haha glad I reminded you of it! Truth be told I realllly hope to not live in either dystopia 🫣
Never seen anyone talk about Camp of the Saints for some reason 🙄
i is for “imaginary,” or, more correctly, complex numbers. Sorry, but the mathematics major in me had to say something.
Yeah someone else mentioned that. Sorry for the faux pas! I think my point still holds tho
loved this video, I'm glad I found your channel
🥺🫶🏻🫶🏻
The queen is back 🫶
👸💞
Pisałem pracę magisterską o protagonistach XX-wiecznych antyutopii, byli tam Huxley, Orwell i Zamiatin, mi osobiście najbardziej podobał się Brave New World, gdzie przekaz był nieco subtelniejszy niż w Roku 1984, gdzie autor wbija nam do głowy przesłanie z gracją młota kowalskiego ;) niemniej wszystkie lektury świetne ! pozdrawiam autorkę, będę miał Cię na oku - powodzenia !
Nice job wera ❤
Thanks Salty 😊
4:43 a man
I inherited a first edition (US edition) of 1984. So, not all dystopias are a negative experience. ;)
Animal Farm by Orwell is even better IMHO.
I think unfortunately we are doomed, 1984/Ready Player One for sure coming :(
Ooo Ready Player One is another that I need to get to!
@@valliyarnl well its a very positive story but the undertones to it and where society is at is insane. If that story was told from anyone else in that world it would be depressing and the only reason its not from the main character is they LOVE all the retro stuff
@@tonkabeanicecream5698 would you consider it cyberpunk? (Or would it be a stretch? Bc I’m thinking of doing a similar video but for cyberpunk books)
@@valliyarnl its extremely close but I think some would argue the technology isnt far enough to be cyberpunk yet. Although I would argue the feel and message is very cyberpunk.
O man if clockwork orange was difficult, wait till you lay your eyes upon Finnegan's wake.
I’m terrified of that book
@@valliyarnl also Naked Lunch was very difficult
They aren't just relevant. They are currently applicable. They will always be applicable.
Everyone should have read all of these by age 25. At least in the English speaking world.
I recommend 'Camp of Saints' if you haven't heard of it. It's by a French author, Jean Raspail.
Loved the thumbnail and excited for a new vid
Thank you Sayona! 🤍
You got most of the classic dystopias. Great! I would suggest Jack London's 'The Iron Heel' published in 1908. It's not well written BUT worth a look for it's place in history as probably the first dystopia at least in terms of depicting an authoritarian government. The book predicted WW1, the stock market crash of 1929 and the rise of fascism.
Oh wow Im shocked that I haven’t heard of it! Thank you so much for this recommendation 😁
I just finished Handmaids Tale and you’re correct. NOTHING about this book is “enjoyable”. At every page I was furious at something or someone, all I saw were certain political views in the popular culture now and it pissed me off. But it was a fantastic read, I was gripped from the first page. I thought the epilogue was unnecessary, even though it gave some context to the book, I could have been happy without it, left a mystery. I just felt it was anti-climactic as we don’t witness the outcome, we are just told about it. But it is a solid 3.5 out of five for me. Maybe 4 because I’m still thinking about it
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Very interesting take! For me though, the epilogue elevated the book. The idea of there being 30 tapes organised by two men from the future in what they thought was the most correct form of the story? And then the fact we have 26 or 27 chapters kind of leading me to believe that there were a few of them left out made it so much more compelling to me.
Great video, but could you elaborate why BNW is more relevant to now than 1984?
I have only read 1984 and still think of it very often because of a lot of current events, I was asking myself if it may have been different experiences in life that made the difference ( thinking of face id at food banks and many different examples that are not that commonly known or thought about till the end ).
Something I feel people don‘t speak enough is the ending, specifically
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That the only way they have actually won you over is when you also believe in it so resistance comes from with in you. To strengthen your mind and bonds with the people around you is the ultimate way of resistance and as long as you hold onto to it you won, which i know is a very positive view of such a dark book.
Great comment! So in each of the three books there comes a moment where the philosophy behind the regime is explained. In 1984 it is the Red Book excerpts, in BNW it’s Johns speech in chapters 16/17, and in Fahrenheit 451 it’s Beatty’s monologue (this one is spoiler free so I encourage you to search it up!). Where I think 1984 is VERY relevant but mostly in a manner that focuses on an external locus of control (Big Brother always looking at you thru the cameras, erasure of history, thought policing people who don’t agree with you, resource wars fought by countries who aren’t in need but exploit countries who are, etc), I think BNW and F451 are more relevant to us as individuals bc they focus on the internal locus of control. What I mean by this is they focus on how we as individuals change what we value: spending more time passively consuming media instead of actively engaging with it, not caring that much anymore about art or philosophy in school bc as young students we don’t understand the value they bring in comparison with strict sciences that directly contribute to us getting a job/into university, avoiding discussing painful subjects and blocking it out with drugs/alcohol/etc. I think us as individuals can be motivated to make an actual substantial change after reading these books because they mostly talk about things we can mostly easily modify within our own lives, where with 1984 there is this idea of being helpless in front of this greater party/beaurocracy. That being said I do still think 1984 is relevant without a doubt!
Also I 100% agree. The ending of 1984 is truly underrated. It was so visceral and terrifying, but motivational in a certain way.
loved the review of brave new world. I can understand the god part of the "science, art and god" not resonating with you, but whilst the book does not make the case for it, I personally interpret "god" or at least spirituality in both the concept of "the absolute" of which we only perceive approximations through the mediums of art and science, as well the sensation of the imperceptible and I think that this conception of spirit rounds that out quite nicely. But great reviews, I'm definitely gonna pick up we
Oooo I like your interpretation, that’s probably exactly what Huxley was going for. I had to cut a clip where I say that my takeaway from that was the importance of quiet reflection and having a moral compass, but what you said rounds the three more. Thanks for sharing!
Have you read The Book of the Unnamed Midwife by Meg Elison ? The reviews are suspiciously one sided and I can see where any men read it. Thoughts?
I haven’t heard of it actually! Thanks for the recommendation:)
babe wake up wera posted
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You might want to consider The Iron Heel or the Red Plague by Jack London.
Thanks for the recommendations!
Fahrenheit 451 and 1984 are two books that really shaped me as a teenager and showed me that classic literature doesn't have to be boring. Glad you got a lot out of both books!
Yes they were fantastic!! Have you read Brave New World? I’d love to hear your take on the final speech about the importance of Art, Science, and God in a healthy society
@valliyarnl I only read a bit of it so I need to go back and finish it. I did like what I read and would definitely want to make my own video on it once I finish it. 😁
i have read both farenheit 451 and brave new world and they say more then what modern media shows and says, and this is what keeps me going back to older dystopias.
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Brave New World is definitley the best, but classic dystopias are generally great. Way better than modern dystopias, at least for me.
Thanks for sharing! I think also a lot of modern dystopians were Young Adult so they just had a very different aim. The Book Leo has a rlly good video on it if you’re interested!
@@valliyarnl That sounds great, thank you for the recommendation! I'll be sure to check it out!
You're definitley right, modern dystopias do seem to be mostly YA, not that there is anything wrong with that.
For me, time passing definitley makes this genre more interesting, seeing what authors predicted about society against what we have now can be quite eye-opening.
Anyway, great video!
I am very happy that you enjoyed 1984. Even if you don't review it on your channel, I can highly recommend Animal Farm by George Orwell, as well.
You get a personal private quickie review! I gave it a solid 4⭐️. I really enjoyed it. It was so clever how he did the allegory! And once again he really has very efficient writing. Everything packs the intended punch. The pigs were great but I loved the surrounding characters more the horse(if i remember correctly) was my favorite.
@@valliyarnl Glad you enjoyed Animal Farm too. I agree with your rating. It's a great book, but not quite as good as 1984. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
What recent changes have affected reproductive rights in Poland?
So in Poland up until recently you were able to get an abortion if it was before 8 weeks AND you satisfied one of the following (1) you could prove IN COURT that it was a case of rape/incest/abuse (2) the fetal life was in danger (3) the mothers life was in danger. That’s a general overview but the law was already one of the most strict in Europe. Outrage was caused when the government struck case 2 from the list. So now if you get pregnant, no matter what the status the the fetus is (will be a stillbirth/lethal deformity/ etc) it always has to be birthed. The whole situation became a lot more tragic when a little while after this new legislation was passed, a woman, who was carrying twins, died because one of the twins died in the womb and caused an infection which caused the other baby to die and the mother to go into septic shock a few days later :(
It was quite a big deal and sparked the use of a “not even one more woman” (ani jednej więcej) slogan during protests, though they were ineffective.
Wow. I had no idea. New like that doesn't reach over here.
Oh hey, I’ve been reading more books lately glad I got recommended some book videos.
awwwhh i'm glad you enjoyed the video! happy reading :)
@@valliyarnlthank you I’ll be sure to read some of these love the Witcher content btw
Sadly modern Iran is where Atwood's book is a shadow of.
That’s so awful… I read Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis about the Iranian Revolution and it was very impactful. Do you have novels from Iranian authors to recommend?
@@valliyarnl If you could find The Blind Owl by Sadegh Hedayat, that would be excellent one. Another one that is not a novel but an old love story based on a Great poetry book is Vis and Rāmin
by Fakhruddin As'ad Gurgani which has a good English translation and some reviews in youtube. Writing novels is a relatively modern thing here but poetry was at its peak in Iran, no bias 😁
@@pedygonzales thank you so much!!
god i hate to be so cringy but i might really be in love 😭