BOOK REVIEW

Nineteen Eighty-Four – George Orwell (Eric Blair)

Terrifying in its prophetic insinuations, captivating for its sinister plotline  

            Like most classics, I read this dystopian novel by Orwell, one of my literary heroes, when I was much too young to appreciate its significance. In rereading it recently, I was blown away by how dark the world it depicts really is, with limitless government surveillance and the terrifying notions of thoughtcrime and doublethink striking nervous fright into the minds of Airstrip One’s citizens. So profound has been the impact of this book on our culture that several of its terms, such as Big Brother, are now utilized in everyday vocabulary but of course their more recent employment has never  successfully replicated their essence as within the original pages.             

            This novel is practically an ever-present on published lists of the best books of all time and in my mind for good reason. So full of vision was Orwell that he incorporates the experiences of his youth and indeed his time serving in the Spanish Civil War with a forward-thinking outlook to compose this wonderful story which serves as an injunction to us today. Especially in the contemporary era where many of today’s topical issues are married to the question of what freedom is – from firearm possession to the operation of Middle East governments – Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four is a reminder of the extremities that could transpire with the approach of a complete and utter totalitarian government.

-NP, June 2013

Such is my adoration for this book that in the summer of 2014 I had my favourite passage tattooed on my back in temporary ink.