Average Rating: 
Rating:  - Still a relevant warning...
Although I have generally found Orwell to be a politically confused thinker, 1984 stands out as one of the best and most forward thinking works I have ever read. The amount of relevance this book has today is overwhelming, considering modern government propaganda techniques and the double edged sword of technology. This story serves as a warning to all who trust the government, especially in regards to privacy issues. Winston Smith, while not the ideal romantic protagonist, is still compelling in his own right with his inspiring (and finally tragic) fight against Big Brother. The struggle that takes place between Winston and the government in 1984 is psychologically thrilling and intense, and it is still difficult for me to put the book down each time I read it. I am particularly drawn to the character of O'Brien, who represents to me the culmination of a path that all seasoned politicians and government officials travel down. The year 1984 has come and past, but an extreme statist government similar to the one portrayed in the novel still may haunt us in the future.
Rating: - A prophecy of things to come...
"1984", by George Orwell, is a harrowing tale of the dismal future. The year is 1984 and the government has taken over every aspect of Joe Anybody's life. Through the use of an advanced television, called a telescreen, the government keeps a close eye on each and every citizen of Oceania, one of three world powers. If anyone does something that makes them seem "unorthodox" or unique, the Thought Police quickly show up and capture that person, torturing him and then erasing his name from any record it may have been in, thereby erasing his existence. In this way the government controls all of history. Any record or document not in compliance with the government's philosophy or ideals quickly receives an alteration to rectify the "mistake." The future is bleak and getting worse by the day.To call this book a "classic" would not do it justice. This is the best book I have ever read, for numerous reasons. First, George Orwell writes masterfully, with words that flow like water through your mind; his complete grasp of the written word creates a profound impact on the reader which makes the book exceptionally hard to put down. Second, the questions the book forces you to consider hit with the force of a sledgehammer: what is truth? Can it possibly be attained? These questions haunt your every moment in between reading sessions with this book. The final reason that this is the best book I have ever read is the messages the book conveys. The government should not rule people's lives, censorship is a thing more destructive than most people realize, and to be forgotten is a fate far worse than death. This book made me think more than any other book I have ever read.
Although I may speak highly of it, this book may not be for everyone. It is for every person who believes the government should not have more control over people's lives than it now does, it is for every person who questions whether the information the government feeds us on a daily basis is true or not, and it is for every person who has the mental capacity to grasp the idea that the past may not exist the way you think it does. If you want to read an astounding book that makes you rethink what you now know about the world you live in, by all means read this book. If you want to remain complacent and ignorant about what the government could become, then don't read it. The choice is yours.
Rating: - Perfect Masterpiece
It's hard to describe what I personally consider the best book ever written. This masterpiece novel works on so many levels, that I guess every reader would find something else in it. For me it deals with the basic and most important issues in life, society, government, wars, religion, education, brain-wash, the place of the individual, the hardship of being alone (physically and mentally), the concept of holding two contradictious thoughts at the same time, the position of the individual in history, the nothingness of being human, love, family, loyalty and betrayal, the instinct of any animal in nature to survive, and so much, much more. I read the book at least 5 times already, and find myself doing it every year or two.I'd also recommend everyone to watch the excellent movie adaption made in the year in question, starring John Hurt and Richard Burton, which I think is one of the best book adaptions made for cinema. While it can't contain all the levels and issues presented in the original book, it adds images and voices and makes the reading of the book extremely realistic.
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