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1984
- Narrated by: Andrew Wincott
- Length: 12 hrs and 19 mins
- Categories: Literature & Fiction, Classics
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Summary
George Orwell's nightmare vision of a dystopian world has become more apt in these modern, chaotic times. Casting a pall of oppressive dread from the very first sentence, this classic audiobook takes hold of your imagination and stays with you long after the last four words are uttered.
Big Brother is watching you....
1984 is the year in which it happens. The world is divided into three superstates. In Oceania, the Party’s power is absolute. Every action, word, gesture and thought is monitored under the watchful eye of Big Brother and the Thought Police. In the Ministry of Truth, the Party’s department for propaganda, Winston Smith’s job is to edit the past. Over time, the impulse to escape the machine and live independently takes hold of him and he embarks on a secret and forbidden love affair. As he writes the words ‘DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER’, his personal rebellion begins....
George Orwell’s masterpiece is the definitive dystopian novel and one of the most influential works of the twentieth century.
Critic reviews
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What listeners say about 1984
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Erin
- 05-07-17
Overrated doesn't begin to cover it.
It's the first time I've got around to 'reading' this highly acclaimed book and I have to say it was a huge disappointment.
Incredibly hard to get through, it's long winded-ness, lack of narrative and apparently pointless minutia had me bored to tears. There is no story.
Yes, it's a brilliant foretelling of the Big Brother state and wide spread surveillance but that's about as far as it goes. Don't expect engaging characters or a gripping story. There are literally hours where the character/narrator reads other books. One to tick off the 'books I should read' list but I'm at a loss as to this book's continued popularity.
24 people found this helpful
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- Rory Scanlon
- 05-09-19
Timeless classic reflects today's politics.
The current restrictions on speech and orthodoxy across the West make this the perfect time to read this book.
22 people found this helpful
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- Chris
- 20-12-16
excellent narration.
the narrator was excellent I'm surprised I've not heard more from this guy. I'd like to hear him with Naresh some sci-fi
26 people found this helpful
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- BlueZen99
- 24-07-16
Outstanding!
A superb book superbly read. Looking forward to another Orwell book hopefully read by the same narrator.
20 people found this helpful
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- Draycass
- 28-01-16
Big Brother is watching you!
If you could sum up Nineteen Eighty-Four in three words, what would they be?
Insightful, Though invoking
Who was your favorite character and why?
There is only one favorite - Winston. Resolute despite adversity. I won't spoil what happens by adding my final thoughts on dear old Winston!
What does Andrew Wincott bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?
His vocal quality is perfect for this book! It suits the style and atmosphere of the book. Dark, mysterious and moody.
If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?
Big Brother is ALWAYS watching you!
Any additional comments?
1984 is a thought provoking look at what could be. The date may be long gone, but don't be fooled into thinking that George Orwell's prediction of what might be is long gone! This book has a whole new meaning in light of the Edward Snowden revelations on Mass Surveillance.
The characters are well written and fit perfectly into a descriptive and sterile world.
38 people found this helpful
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- Ano nymous
- 01-12-15
Simply Brilliant.
What did you like most about Nineteen Eighty-Four?
This book is shockingly relevant, it resonates so strongly in the modern day. The poignancy of the story and the incredible way it is written makes it a must read for everyone.
What was one of the most memorable moments of Nineteen Eighty-Four?
The description of the Prole women fighting over the pots in the city, Winston believes the sound to be the sound of some kind of uprising only to find that it is simply the women fighting over cheap pots, this just struck me as horribly pertinent after the incidents of 'Black Friday. '
Which character – as performed by Andrew Wincott – was your favourite?
Possibly Obrien is my favourite character, its his harsh personality that really brings the strength to this novel in terms of its authenticity. He makes no attempt to glamourise the rebels enterprise, instead he reflects the frank truth of the matter that in order to effect any change they will have to be brutal and its not going to be easy.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
I was gripped all the way through this book, it was long and so I couldn't listen to it all at once- but I sure wanted to!
27 people found this helpful
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- Jonny D
- 01-04-16
A Prophetic look at modern 'Politics of Fear'...
If you could sum up Nineteen Eighty-Four in three words, what would they be?
Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant!
What about Andrew Wincott’s performance did you like?
Very well read.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
Yes.
Any additional comments?
This is a book everyone should read. It is almost impossible to imagine that it was written in the 1940's, as it is so amazingly accurate in relation to the kind of world we now live in, with the intrusive surveillance, the invasion of privacy, the never ending wars and the constant barrage of self-serving propaganda we are subjected to by our respective Governments. I read this book as a teenager and then listened to it again 30 years later as an audio book. It was only upon the second reading that I truly appreciated its true brilliance. It is one of the most spellbinding books I've ever read, Orwell was undoubtedly a genius and a prophet. If you look around, you can see all that he foretold...and more.
22 people found this helpful
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- Adrian
- 12-07-16
Brilliant and timeless. Insightful, intelligent.
The author had an deep understanding of human nature and seemed to be familiar with concepts and technologies that were in their infancy. He put Leonardo Da Vinci's helicopter in the shade.
9 people found this helpful
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- W. Reilly
- 27-07-19
Simply brilliant. Thoroughly thought provoking.
I really enjoyed this from beginning to end. The story holds up to the passage of time and is more unsettling than ever. The narrator does a fantastic job and creates a perfect flow. Highly recommend listening.
2 people found this helpful
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- Cherry
- 18-02-16
Great stuff..
Andrew Wincott's well spoken yet haunting tone, richly captures Winston's story and elevates it to sound realistic, truthful and emotional in a world where 'reality', 'truth' and 'emotion' do not exist. Of course Orwell's writing is incredible and prophetic, all of this praise goes without saying. However, if you love this, then Down and Out in Paris and London is fantastic, and I would highly recommend it! I've read all of Orwell's works, but I've decided to go through the audio books while studying him again at uni to spice it up a bit, and the theatricality and voice acting really brings something new to each story! Homage to Catalonia next for me!
(One thing I will say was that Wincott's voice was quite slow, so I did speed it up to 1.5)
23 people found this helpful
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- nulli
- 22-04-17
Brilliant classic.
A timeless classic that's very relevant for our current era of new speak and the like. Faultless narration.
7 people found this helpful
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- Anonymous User
- 25-05-18
Wincott does an exceptional work.
Must read book and should be there in your library always. It certainly is a classic. What makes it more special his wincott's narration. You can literally experience the fear of the author. The book is timeless because how Orwell predicted it in 1949 and the same can be seen happening now. State surveillance.
3 people found this helpful
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- Abhinav Goel
- 18-06-17
Great book
What made the experience of listening to Nineteen Eighty-Four the most enjoyable?
I felt I was with the narrator. Experiencing the pain and horror. Experiencing the thought process. I enjoyed how different the story of this book is.
What other book might you compare Nineteen Eighty-Four to and why?
None so far. This book is pretty unique.
Any additional comments?
I had a great experience reading this.
3 people found this helpful
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- Amazon Customer
- 03-02-21
A dystopian world that hits very close to reality
A must read classic.
Especially in times like these.
The author intended to create a dystopian reality where humans are enslaved by propaganda, disinformation and thought control.
In our modern world fake news, advertising, product placement and corruption come close to some of the book concepts
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- Clonetrooper
- 07-01-21
1984 was supposed to be a warning...not a manual
A must read for everybody who wants to know were leftwing and progressive policies will inevitablely lead every society. "Who controls the past, controls the future; who controls the present controls the past". Newspeak, 2 minutes of hate, thought police in form of cancel culture..as I said, this book was supposed to be a warning and not a manual!!
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- Vittorio
- 20-11-20
Finally a great voice
A must read book and... the best narrator ever! Finally a book is properly narrated with a pleasant, expressive, and versatile voice!
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- Amazon Customer
- 21-10-20
Still relevant
Described unnerving similarities to modern politician's "fake news"-bullshit and disregard for science and objective truth...
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- Amazon Customer
- 27-09-20
Great book and narration
The narrator is fantastic.
This book seems more relevant now than ever.
An absolute masterpiece
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- Petter
- 20-08-20
Psychiatry summed up
This book was difficult to get through. Great voice performance. But if you wanna know what the end product of the psychiatrist is then it's very well explained in this book.
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- maxi
- 18-08-20
Wonderful narration. Thank you very much.
Dark with only a few moments of respite. A warning for the future.... wonderful imagination and creativity.