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Brave New World
- Narrated by: Michael York
- Length: 8 hrs
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Brave New World
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Summary
Originally published in 1932, this outstanding work of literature is more crucial and relevant today than ever before.
“One of the most prophetic dystopian works of the 20th century”—Wall Street Journal
Cloning, feel-good drugs, antiaging programs, and total social control through politics, programming, and media—has Aldous Huxley accurately predicted our future? With a storyteller’s genius, he weaves these ethical controversies in a compelling narrative that dawns in the year 632 AF (After Ford, the deity). When Lenina and Bernard visit a savage reservation, we experience how Utopia can destroy humanity.
A powerful work of speculative fiction that has enthralled and terrified readers for generations, Brave New World is both a warning to be heeded and thought-provoking yet satisfying entertainment.
Critic reviews
"British actor Michael York's refined and dramatic reading captures both the tone and the spirit of Huxley's masterpiece." (AudioFile)
What listeners say about Brave New World
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 09-08-22
Even better than I remembered it
I would like to politely (but strongly) disagree with the reviews about the performance been unbearable; I found it very good and enjoyable.
About the book, the usual you hear about it is very true: some ideas expressed in it are quite outdated, obviously in the technological realm but also in the psychology department. Yet other ideas, the interesting ones, are beautifully explored and described.
I will be watching the TV show for an updated and revised version
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Antony Allen
- 31-08-22
okaaaayyy.
okay let me start by saying the narration in this book won't be for everyone but when you remember it was written in 1932 and that, even though it is based in the future a balance of language and accents (don't forget this is a British book written by a British author based in Britain) that represents both that future and how Huxley would have though they would talk has been reached.
Narration aside this book can be infuriating as well as eye opening and thought provoking. SPOILER ALERT!!!!
if you are looking for a over throwing of society, a tale of rising up of the masses against the oppressive regime then stop...you aren't getting that what you are getting is a build up to John savage being introduced to societyhe can never understandand one he wishes to change through trying to make that society look for truth through human constraints that no longer exist because they have been conditiones out. John fails in his quest for truth simply because he isn’t going about his search in the right way. Huxley wrote a foreword to the 1946 edition of Brave New World in which he describes the ending like this: “[John] is made to retreat from sanity; his native Penitente-ism reasserts its authority and he ends in maniacal self-torture and despairing suicide.” In other words, when John is defeated by the society of the World State, the only alternative he knows is the self-punishing religion of the Native Reservation (“Penitente-ism”). This religion is just as destructive to the quest for truth as the pleasure-seeking ideology of the World State. This interpretation of the ending suggests that neither traditional ways of seeking meaning, like religion and art, nor the future predicted in Brave New World serve humanity well, and humans must find a third path towards the truth.
a great book that you will have to look more deeply into than by simply listening
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- JD
- 30-10-22
fabulous
what an enchanting & disturbing story. performed beautifully. Thank you Mr Huxley and Mr York!
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Jane
- 05-11-22
Strong concept but tedious and smutty story
I read this book many decades ago and loved the concept. Listening to it after having now (and just weeks after listening to "1984"), the story seems stilted and mostly about (awkward ) sex. I wish I had spent my time otherwise.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Joel Crosby
- 19-06-23
Great book, wonderful performance
The narrator went out of his way on this audiobook, he performed it really well.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 20-08-23
Outstanding performance
Once I became accustomed to the rather dramatic performance of this modern classic, I was totally caught up by Michael York's portrayal of all the different characters. It truly is a "performance", which for me, brings the novel alive.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Begbie
- 26-09-23
Thought provoking
Not the easiest book in view of the language, but you can’t really criticise considering it was written in the 30s.
Raises some very though provoking topics though.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Samuli Suominen
- 22-09-23
Great book, not so great reader
The story is a classic and great. The reader spoils the experience with shouting and weird emphatising.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- T. Yates
- 11-10-20
Interesting book ruined by narration
Narrator does each character in extreme English regional accents which makes no sense and distracts from the story.
For such a famous book it should be re-recorded with new narration
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- David M
- 04-11-20
Makes you think
I don't agree with the reviewers who put down the narrator for his exaggerated voices. The story itself is quite OTT, so a larger-than-life narration isn't completely inappropriate.
The story isn't a million miles from the production currently being shown on TV. In the book, the ending becomes somewhat reflective with long discussions between John and the World Controller involving values and philosophy.
Anybody with an interest in classic books should include this in their collection I suppose. Something to make you think what could happen in the future.
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1 person found this helpful