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Brave New World Paperback – September 1, 1998

by Aldous Huxley (Author)

44,391 ratings

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A fantasy of the future that sheds a blazing critical light on the present--considered to be Aldous Huxley's most enduring masterpiece.

"Mr. Huxley is eloquent in his declaration of an artist's faith in man, and it is his eloquence, bitter in attack, noble in defense, that, when one has closed the book, one remembers."
--Saturday Review of Literature

"A Fantastic racy narrative, full of much excellent satire and literary horseplay."
--Forum

"It is as sparkling, provocative, as brilliant, in the appropriate sense, as impressive ads the day it was published. This is in part because its prophetic voice has remained surprisingly contemporary, both in its particular forecasts and in its general tone of semiserious alarm. But it is much more because the book succeeds as a work of art...This is surely Huxley's best book."
--Martin Green

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"As sparkling, as provocative, as brilliant...as the day it was published." -- -- Martin Green

About the Author

Aldous Huxley (1894-1963) was born in Surrey, England, and is the author of many critically acclaimed books of fiction and nonfiction, including Crome Yellow, The Doors of Perception, and Island.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Harper Perennial Modern Classics (September 1, 1998)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 268 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0060929871
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0060929879
Reading age ‏ : ‎ 17+ years, from customers
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 8.8 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.31 x 0.65 x 8 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #938,192 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #11 in Contemporary Literature & Fiction
- #16 in Classic Literature & Fiction
- #96 in Literary Fiction (Books)

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44,391 ratings

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Aldous Huxley
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Aldous Huxley (1894-1963) is the author of the classic novels Island, Eyeless in Gaza, and The Genius and the Goddess, as well as such critically acclaimed nonfiction works as The Devils of Loudun, The Doors of Perception, and The Perennial Philosophy. Born in Surrey, England, and educated at Oxford, he died in Los Angeles.
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Customers find the book engaging and thought-provoking, with one review highlighting its fascinating exploration of human values and society. The aesthetic receives positive feedback for its lovely red cloth cover, and customers appreciate its humor, noting it's filled with humor as well as tragedy and is particularly relevant during election time. The dystopian elements and pacing receive mixed reactions - while some praise its interesting take on a dystopian future and quick pace, others find the storyline unidirectional and note the first few chapters are slow. Character development also divides opinions, with some praising it while others find it lacking.

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Readability Thought provoking Aesthetic Humor Dystopian novel Pace Pacing Character development

1,197 customers mention "Readability"1,028 positive169 negative

Customers find the book engaging and enjoyable to read, with one customer noting it's a must-read for the current era.

"...That is because it is an enjoyable story, first and foremost...." Read more

"...In the end, this novel was gripping and a serious page turner...." Read more

"...Novel concept, done well, prophetic in some ways, but losing a star to a poor story with too much suspension of belief for a dystopia that wishes to..." Read more

"Good book, have not completed it yet. Came on time. Good quality paperback" Read more

368 customers mention "Thought provoking"331 positive37 negative

Customers find the book thought-provoking, appreciating its philosophical questions and interesting concepts. One customer describes it as a fascinating exploration of human values and society, while another notes how it forces readers to consider its themes.

"...finished by a diligent reader in a weekend, and it contains a lot of thought-provoking ideas that will stick with you long after the final page." Read more

"...Mr. Huxley is a very deep and complicated author who was ahead of his time...." Read more

"...Novel concept, done well, prophetic in some ways, but losing a star to a poor story with too much suspension of belief for a dystopia that wishes to..." Read more

"...thinking through sex and promiscuity is a particularly potent form of societal control that has been appreciated well by Victoria’s Secret, and that..." Read more

78 customers mention "Aesthetic"67 positive11 negative

Customers appreciate the book's aesthetic, particularly its lovely red cloth cover and interesting cover art, with one customer noting its quaint renderings of futuristic writing.

"All time great book. Was 100 years ahead of its time. Also has nice art as a bonus." Read more

"...Brave New World is an adventure, despite its like of action, and a poignant look at what exactly makes humans, human." Read more

"...What I liked about this book is the look it gives into societal issues that have been with us forever, like discrimination, and the issues that..." Read more

"...Beautiful! A lot of PG+13 and nudity content in it though. So be mindful of that. Classic work of literature, great read!" Read more

71 customers mention "Humor"67 positive4 negative

Customers enjoy the book's humor, finding it full of wit and enough to keep them turning pages, with one customer noting it's particularly good satire to read during election time.

"...and conditioned for their role in society, how entertainment plays a role in keeping them happy, and how unhappiness can be quickly whisked away by..." Read more

"...of a super narcotic, the populace is able to enjoy life and extravagant recreation - devoid of all sadness and driven by a natural tendency to "..." Read more

"...As one gets to the climax of the story, there is a very interesting dialogue between one of the key characters and a leader of the State...." Read more

"...can experience the contentment of a full belly and a full supply of instant gratification, but this doesn't lead to happiness...." Read more

457 customers mention "Dystopian novel"296 positive161 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the dystopian elements of the book, with some appreciating its interesting take on a dystopian future and considering it a classic in the genre, while others find the plot unidirectional and not particularly engaging.

"...characters have sufficient depth, the locales are peculiar and attention-grabbing, and the underlying message is enough to make you stop and..." Read more

"...The funny thing about this book is that the future doesn't seem completely terrible, unlike the latter two novels, although I might compare the..." Read more

"...This story was kind of boring. Since the culture is so dull, Huxley attempts to create a plot out of bringing in an outsider, The Savage, into the..." Read more

"...Finally, keeping the population preoccupied, entertained and away from critical thinking through sex and promiscuity is a particularly potent form..." Read more

71 customers mention "Pace"33 positive38 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the book's pace, with some finding it ahead of its time and more prescient than imagined, while others note that it follows a very slow progression and is not a book that can be read quickly.

"...and at times the science side of things is complicated and tends to drag on...." Read more

"...I found it amazingly prescient, and gave it 5-stars, plus...." Read more

"...Is it a classic? The ideas are classic, the writing is disconnected and at times very confusing...." Read more

"All time great book. Was 100 years ahead of its time. Also has nice art as a bonus." Read more

68 customers mention "Pacing"32 positive36 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the pacing of the book, with some finding it solid while others could not finish it.

"...No warning, no debate, no dialogue, and no epilogue to tie things together or elaborate...." Read more

"...are just people, thrust into a world of perfect happiness and perfect harmony, and they each react in their own way...." Read more

"...To me, the reader, this part of the book became very disjointed and hard to follow...." Read more

"...No matter, it was still a good read. Technically, it’s both strong and lame...." Read more

53 customers mention "Character development"27 positive26 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the character development in the book, with some praising it while others find it lacking and difficult to connect with.

"...The characters have sufficient depth, the locales are peculiar and attention-grabbing, and the underlying message is enough to make you stop and..." Read more

"...at is a short novel--Brave New World--in which all the characters are very shallow--each of them..." Read more

"...The higher castes are strong, intelligent and charismatic. The lower castes are turgid, obedient and physically weak...." Read more

"...In terms of his novel however, I felt that his characters were too wooden, and the action too contrived, including the ending...." Read more

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Brian M
Utopia and Shakespeare and Soma
Reviewed in the United States on January 29, 2013
Verified Purchase

Would a future totalitarian society be all that bad if every single person - from the day they were born - was truly happy with their lot in life? That is the question Brave New World asks, and Aldous Huxley leaves it up to the reader to decide the answer.

I've re-read this book several times and each time I'm glad I did. That is because it is an enjoyable story, first and foremost. The characters have sufficient depth, the locales are peculiar and attention-grabbing, and the underlying message is enough to make you stop and think.

Brave New World revolves around three main characters. First, there's Bernard Marx, an elite "Alpha Plus" who is uncertain about how he fits into society. Then, there is Mustapha Mond, the World Controller for Western Europe, a man who reads The Holy Bible and Shakespeare, despite his society's ban on these "pornographic books". Finally, we have John (named John Savage when he visits Bernard's world), the son of two World State citizens raised in the remote hostility of a Savage Reservation. The interactions and thoughts of these three characters forms the skeleton of the book, and it is through their eyes that we view the World State of the future. The reader learns about how babies are "decanted" in the future, how they are bred and conditioned for their role in society, how entertainment plays a role in keeping them happy, and how unhappiness can be quickly whisked away by a gramme of Soma, a powerful drug that has no debilitating side-effects. Of course, it would be easy for the author to jab his finger at you from the pages and scream "SEE?!? SEE?!?! See what a society without freedom looks like? Isn't it horrible?", but he doesn't. In fact, the world of Year of Our Ford 632 doesn't seem so bad at all when you consider disease, war, and unhappiness have all been snuffed out of existence.

But at what cost?

Midway through the book, we meet John. Biologically, a son of the World State, but philosophically a student of the old religions and old literature of the old world. But don't misunderstand. John is not necessarily the book's "everyman". Many of his emotions and actions (like self-flagellation) are still foreign to a modern reader. Bernard - who has at this point accepted that he is "different" compared to his fellow World State-ers - brings John to his home to show him off to his peers. Naturally, many aspects of the World State are appalling to John, and this conflict continues all the way to the book's conclusion.

Something I found remarkable is that the author, Huxley, gives us plenty of chances to sympathize with many of the various characters. Bernard Marx is not the "good guy" nor the "bad guy". In another story, the World Controller Mond might have been the evil villain trying to destroy any freedom, and John Savage might have been the passionate hero who wins the pretty girl and ultimately brings that freedom to society. But none of this occurs. The characters in Brave New World are just people, thrust into a world of perfect happiness and perfect harmony, and they each react in their own way. Sure, it's cute to see how the author envisioned the future, and perhaps a bit scary to see some of his "predictions" coming true, but that isn't what makes this book great. What makes it great is that it allows the reader to come to his/her own conclusions. To you, perhaps the World State seems terrifying, or maybe it seems like a nice place to live. To you, perhaps John Savage is the hero, or perhaps the logic and compassion in Mustapha Mond's final words and final actions resonate with you more. Maybe you can relate best to Bernard Marx's flawed personality. I suppose the choice is really yours, because Huxley doesn't make that choice for you.

A lot of people say that the story is about entertainment media taking over our society, or about drugs, or about a controlling government, or about morality. I don't think Huxley intended the book to be exclusively about any one of those things, although of course the book makes a statement about them all. As stated above, Brave New World lets you draw your own conclusions about the World State instead of trying to grab you by the collar while screaming "SEE?!? SEE?!? See how horrible a world full of drugs and genetic manipulation would be?"

Now, I rate this book a full 5 stars, but here is the "but..." of the review. For the majority of the book, we are treated to a fascinating romp through future science, future sociology, and future beliefs. However, toward the end of the book, John and Mustapha Mond engage in a very lengthy conversation about society and morals and God. To me, I really enjoyed this part. It was a great answer to my lingering question of "Why did society become this way?". To others, it might come off as a preachy, show-offy exposition from Huxley's own heart. Mustapha makes a point about human psychology, and John counters with Shakespeare. Mustapah points to the World State's "happiness", and John counters with God. Mustapha talks about bliss, and John talks about struggling for joy. I enjoyed it, but you might not, especially since it breaks away from the overall pace and feel of the rest of the book.

Nevertheless, this book is well worth reading. It can be finished by a diligent reader in a weekend, and it contains a lot of thought-provoking ideas that will stick with you long after the final page.

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B. VanPelt
Scary and well-written
Reviewed in the United States on December 1, 2012
Verified Purchase
This is another one of those "dystopian" novels that seemed popular in the first half of the 20th century. It fits in perfectly with novels like "1984" and "Fahrenheit 451". Of those three novels, I believe this came first. The funny thing about this book is that the future doesn't seem completely terrible, unlike the latter two novels, although I might compare the entire population of the earth (in "Brave New World") to the proletariats (in "1984").

See, in this novel nobody seems to be unhappy at all. They are literally born to do the jobs they will perform for their entire adult lives, and love those jobs. Each person is born into a certain "caste" and they are happy to be in that caste, and envy no one in any other castes. The lowest of the low are referred to as epsilon - minus, semi-morons. This is interesting, as epsilon is a common mathematical number that defines how much error a function may allow. In this book, the epsilons (as a general class), represent the lowest possible mental and social state of humanity.

Of course, their are more intelligent people as well. The castes are, from highest to lowest: Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, Epsilon. That's quite a bit like a typical grading system of A, B, C, D, F. As you can imagine, the Alphas are the smartest, and the list goes down from there. But the thing is, each caste member is truly satisfied by their caste membership. The novel makes a pretty logical reason why the caste members are happy with their lot in life.

Sex is treated in a completely pragmatic fashion, and emotions are almost completely subdued.

With the help of a super narcotic, the populace is able to enjoy life and extravagant recreation - devoid of all sadness and driven by a natural tendency to "consume". Everything is in place to allow a person to go through life almost without any spikes in emotion. Even death is a conditioned response.

The missing element in this picture is humanity. Essentially, those in control have tried their best to keep any highs and lows within a certain amount of error (epsilon). The central question is the running of civilization vs. the individual spirit. It seems that, to keep a civilization going, we need to make certain sacrifices individually - and it's easy to make those sacrifices when we don't realize that we are making those sacrifices.

However, there are about 5 major characters, and I think each one represents a different amount of humanity - or at least different levels of humanity. In this version of the future, it's possible to step outside the bounds of what is acceptable, but you are not doomed if you do so. Instead, you are offered a quite reasonable accommodation.

Aldous Huxley offers extremely complex characters, but each is allowed to act within a certain epsilon of ranges - he wrote in very delicate shades of meaning. In fact, I'm pretty certain that I've never read an author who has presented me with more "gray areas" within the thinking of each character. Mr. Huxley is a very deep and complicated author who was ahead of his time. Those novels "1984" and "Fahrenheit 451" presented dystopias that were easily regarded as undesirable, whereas "Brave New World" presents a future that is not so obviously flawed. In fact, my wife asserts that this future was actually desirable - but she's a bleeding heart socialist, so that doesn't surprise me. "Brave New World" does, in my mind, present a more deviously dystopian future than the other two novels. I believe each of the major characters is meant to ask, in total, all of the questions we, the readers, might have.

In the end, this novel was gripping and a serious page turner. Every night, it inspired a great debate between my wife and me, and its overall game plan is one of subtlety instead of shock.

I'll bet that, after you read the novel, you will be able to spot this particular plot in many movies - particularly "The Matrix".

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Dom
Good contents of the book, but no mention of the dust jacket
Reviewed in Poland on November 26, 2023
Verified Purchase

Pros: A classic that holds up, font and text is clearly readable, the introduction is brief an concise.

Cons: From the pictures on Amazon page you cannot clearly tell that the illustration on the hard cover is not engraved into the book itself but just a dusk jacket. I have not found anything in description on the Amazon page that specifies otherwise . For a 90th Anniversary Edition I expected a more premium care/build of the book.

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Sho Iwasaki
Great book
Reviewed in Japan on February 5, 2025
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Aldous Huxley's mind needed to be studied

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soldano
Au top
Reviewed in France on April 28, 2025
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Superbe édition de poche à un prix cadeau.

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soldano

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Reviewed in France on April 28, 2025
Superbe édition de poche à un prix cadeau.

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E. M. Hobo
1984 developed beyond its original climax
Reviewed in the Netherlands on February 8, 2024
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Not the easiest read to devour due to its, albeit highly successful, writing style. The scholarly vocabulary of BRAVE NEW WORLD by Aldous Huxley and the initial movie-esque cutting between different scenes enfolding require a slightly higher degree of concentration than with a typical narrative. Once you take the responsibilty of reading this book for what it is, the storyworld is engrossing, and the narrative purely psychotic, with everything being upside down.

Remember the party propaganda of 1984, with sayings like, "War is peace," and take another look at Brave New World. The obvious contradictions have now been instilled in humans as infallible truths from birth through dream therapy, shock therapy, and other kinds of neo-Pavlovian experiments as well as caste-creating breeding and stress and chemical modification schemes. Corpsy women are propagated as desireable with as a hidden motto that if it's easier for men to stick it to a corpsy than to one that's fresh, then go for the corpsy delight. Everything in this world is nasty, with the meaning of nasty and clean having been reversed through some kind of cultural predestination scheme. What's nasty for "society" is clean for the savages and vice versa. Either of them function on a lower level than humanity could.

As infallible as the new truths have been instilled in humans, as contradictive they feel to those that for any reason of their own choose not to take the government drugs. Even those that take the drugs can be frank about their dislike at times, scaring others not for their own well-being but for that of their friends. As much as the caste system and the drugs and hypnopaedic therapy mean to eradicate all feeling, the foundation for all being being feeling itself means that even at the peak of self-domestication, there's a very strong urge to break free for those that have the slightest irregularity to their behaviors, stepping away from the state machine mindset that most have developed.

That little lack of indifference, the tiniest of questions that drive the bigger questions of freedom and identity, are what drive the pivotal characters in Brave New World. What will it take for the little ripples to grow into a wave without the water immediately being dammed? Once we've reached the point of complete self-domestication, is there such a thing as a point of no return? Great story that on the surface leaves no way out.

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nuwan
You should not miss this
Reviewed in Spain on March 22, 2025
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This book and 1984 by George Orwell are staples, very much suggested.

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5.0 out of 5 stars Utopia and Shakespeare and Soma

5.0 out of 5 stars Scary and well-written

Top reviews from other countries

3.0 out of 5 stars Good contents of the book, but no mention of the dust jacket

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book

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5.0 out of 5 stars 1984 developed beyond its original climax

5.0 out of 5 stars You should not miss this

Utopia and Shakespeare and Soma

Scary and well-written

Good contents of the book, but no mention of the dust jacket

Great book

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1984 developed beyond its original climax

You should not miss this