Amazon.com.au:Customer reviews: 1984 (Nineteen Eighty-Four), Animal Farm, and over 40 Other Works by George Orwell

Top positive review

1984 Again

2 November 2015

A timely look at 1984: the Melbourne Festival in 2015, concentrated on issues raised in the novel. They showed the movie starring Richard Burton as O'Brien, and John Hurst as Winston Smith. At the same time the Festival presented a play '1984' based on Orwell's work, provided by the Headlong Theatre from Nottingham. Well, I had to read 1984 at the same time: Orwell's novel was a good read, it covered the story of Winston, Julia and of O'Brien quite well. But there was more: discussions on issues like Newspeak etc covered many chapters. If you are into the philosophies discussed, that is great. But I was enamoured by the futile relationship between Winston and Julia: even Carrington was not complicit (?) in the affair.
The remaining material of Orwell's writing is in the Kindle for a future read. Good value at $1.99!

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Top critical review

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Idul

Compulsory reading - food for thought.

30 September 2018

These books are just as dark and broody as at first reading a few decades ago. The ideas they illustrate in this style have become cliches in the sense that Shakespeare is also full of them: they've been quoted, misquoted and used out of context often enough to feel strange in the original.

Nepotism, cronyism, despotism and the deceitful use of euphemism seem far too common both in the annals of history and in the current news. To call this humour dark may be challenging: is it really humour? But the roles of the satirist, that of the cartoonist and that of the stand-up comedian share the common thread of making us question political correctness as a form of lie.

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Showing 1-10 of 26 reviews

Idul

Compulsory reading - food for thought.

30 September 2018

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Johan Hulskamp

1984 Again

2 November 2015

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jatheist

A text book for the 21st Century

5 July 2014

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When George Orwell wrote The Road to Wigan Pier he was condemning the way that the international system operates and its foul effects on the poor and the elderly.
In 1984 he is showing how the system operates internally and how the media are used to glorify it and to shield it from any true description of its real nature. The paper that the fallen hero of the work is helping produce before his eyes are opened and he is disposed of could be any of the majority of today's popular tabloid and broadsheet (plus th electronic media). All Big Brother's faithful servants. Except of course 'Big Brother' in the real world is a system. operated by a group of Big Brothers.
1984 is perhaps the most prescient work of the 20th century and should be read by all.

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C Reid

1984

12 April 2014

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Good to re-read the two major works and fascinating to experience his other writing. What a talented, clear-thinking man he was. So much has come to pass and the world is still developing as though it is following his "instructions".

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Peter

Great writer in one place

4 July 2014

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For those who love the English language and delight in a craftsman of the use of words. Orwell is the man for you and here it is on ne package. Not only great stories but excellent essays its ideal for you to both learn, think and study. The depth of vision that Orwell had is mind bending each time I read a bit of Orwell I find something new. Recommend this collection to ALL!

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we only have ourselves to blame

23 January 2018

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Needs no explanation. Great book, horrifying actually, especially because it's all happening and we only have ourselves to blame.

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Charles Gorner

Why have I not read Orwell before

29 April 2017

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Great read and even relevant in this day and age. Much of what is going on in the world today can be likened to Orwell's writing.

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Amazon Customer

Excellent read

3 July 2017

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Absolutely wonderful, one could see a future such as this becoming reality given the right conditions and to some extent not to far from our current reality

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