If this were a poll,

[shoju]

3.) Brave New World - Aldous Huxley, ...

I have Brave New World (and Brave New World Revisited) in my collection but have not gotten around to reading them. Since BNW is top on your list and it happens to be one I un-boxed and had in my hand not more than 24 hours ago, I have moved it up in my priorities.

Is this one you have read and enjoyed so much that you would re-read it several times on that island?

I read Brave New World it seems, once a year.

[Long story incoming]

When I was a senior in high school, I was taking an AP English Class (can test for college credit at the end of the year). I was struck with this unbelievable fear that I no longer wanted to graduate high school. I was young (turned 17 during my senior year), and I had absolutely no idea what I really wanted to do with my life. My whole life I had spent chasing other peoples ideas of what they wanted me to be, but didn't know for myself.

Well, I only needed the AP English class to graduate. I could have failed every other class but that, and still graduated. So, I decided to fail my AP English class.

The class was basically "Read this book, write this paper answering broad opinion based questions that touch lightly on literary ideas, and largely on your ability to analyze what you read, and take quizzes once a week based on where you 'should' be in the book" Well, the quizzes weren't worth much, but the papers were. If I didn't turn in papers, I would EASILY fail. I loved the books though

Book 1: The Great Gatsby. I read it, aced the quizzes, didn't turn in the paper.
Book 2: The Catcher in the Rye. Again, I read it, aced the quizzes, didn't turn in the paper.
Book 3: Brave New World - The rest of this story takes place right before we are assigned this book

At this point, my teacher came to me and asked what the deal was? I told her that I was struggling blah blah blah, and she called my BS, and told me that for every paper I didn't turn in, I would get a saturday school (7a - 12p) and would hang in her class and write the paper, and that it started that saturday.

Well, after doing the first two papers, we started talking, and I started showing up on saturdays and discussing the novels with her. She was excited for me to read Brave New World. She thought that it would be a book that interested me so much, that I would find I "had" to write the paper.

Turns out, she was right. I love the book. I love the themes, the ideas, and the whole world that Huxley had put out there. I am fascinated by his opinion, and his use of such a fantastical place as his warning to the world.

[End of detailed story]

Every time I have read the novel (12+ times) I have found something new. It could be some dynamic I didn't notice/care for before between characters, or some other subtle message that huxley placed in the book. If I were on a deserted Island, I would probably spend a lot of time dissecting anything and everything about the book.

I credit the book for changing my life (even though it was mostly my 12th grade english teacher), and it started my enjoyment of Dystopian themes (I will read/watch just about anything Dystopian) and made me look at the authors intent in works with a more discerning eye.

It is the only book that I have ever actually searched hard to find an original printing of. Most books that I truly enjoy I try to find a hardcover edition of, but with BNW, I wanted an original. Luckily, I have an awesome wife and parents, who 3 years ago tracked down a UK First edition for me

5.) I would love to get people to read Jennifer Government, or Syrup by Maxx Barry, ...

Because?

Maxx Barry is the first author I have read in a long time that reminds me of the mood that Huxley created with BNW. Jennifer Government is a good Dystopian Novel, That reminds me of BNW in style.

Syrup isn't really a dystopian affair, more of a really good pulp novel all about the insane world of high dollar advertising.

While I doubt many will look back in 50-60 years and say that Barry was a "Literary Genius" his stories are very engaging, full bodied, and a joy to read. His style isn't for everyone, as it is a little more "pop culture" stylized than some prefer, and he does use more profanity than probably needed. But, his books kept me engaged from beginning to end, he is detail oriented (I love this), but not to the point of someone like Stephen King (who is overly detail oriented at times).

Really, I just want to be able to have a conversation with someone who has read Barry's work, and see what other people pull from it.


As far as Brave new World Revisited, I have never actually read the whole thing. I read parts of it in high school for my paper that I wrote (which I aced), but I have never purchased a copy. I'm not sure why I haven't, it is just one of those things you always mean to do, but when you get home you realized that you forgot.