I read the first four chapters or so over Christmas, but I should do it again as it's already become fuzzy.
As a general comment, I did not enjoy the writing style or prose. It wasn't necessarily a difficult read, but certainly not enjoyable and I mostly soldiered on because it was "a classic". I guess the 1930s were a lifetime ago.
IIRC from the foreword, Aldous Huxley was British, wrote Brave New World from pre-WWII fascist Italy, became famous, was very disdainful of the rapidly industrializing USA, was invited to the US for a speaking tour, decided to stay indefinitely once stateside, wrote for Hollywood and eventually settled and died in the Southwest.
My book didn't have a foreword, but so far at least I can totally see the disdain of the industrial USA. If anything just from the God-like representation of Ford for example. I guess the book is about where the industrial world was headed, and I'm having a hard time convincing myself he's totally wrong.
I read the first four chapters or so over Christmas, but I should do it again as it's already become fuzzy.
As a general comment, I did not enjoy the writing style or prose. It wasn't necessarily a difficult read, but certainly not enjoyable and I mostly soldiered on because it was "a classic". I guess the 1930s were a lifetime ago.
IIRC from the foreword, Aldous Huxley was British, wrote Brave New World from pre-WWII fascist Italy, became famous, was very disdainful of the rapidly industrializing USA, was invited to the US for a speaking tour, decided to stay indefinitely once stateside, wrote for Hollywood and eventually settled and died in the Southwest.
Ditto, of all the dystopian novels I've read it was the least enjoyable one for me.
My book didn't have a foreword, but so far at least I can totally see the disdain of the industrial USA. If anything just from the God-like representation of Ford for example. I guess the book is about where the industrial world was headed, and I'm having a hard time convincing myself he's totally wrong.