Brave New World

     By far one of my all-time absolute favorite books I have ever had the fortune to read.  Brave New World was written by Aldous Huxley in 1931.  Huxley went to great lengths to develop a futuristic setting that both answers the questions of it's readers and terrifies them.

     The story takes place in "The Year of Our Ford 632" (2540 AD) in the World State.  In this future, they worship the automaker Henry Ford for his invention of the assembly line and general amount of awesome.  There is also a strictly followed caste system consisting of the Greek letters.  Your caste determines what kinds of activities and career you will have, mostly because the caste system is based on a predetermined level of intelligence.  People are produced in a manner very similar to Henry Ford's assembly line.  The whole society is sexually ambiguous, constantly partaking in "orgy-porgies".  They also enjoy self-medicating on a mind altering drug called Soma.  Overall, it is basically a futuristic Sodom and Gomorra.
     The main character, Bernard, though does not like to partake in many of these activities as his fellow caste-mates do.  He is different.  The people of the World State often take vacations to "The Reservations" that are full of savages.  These savages are very much similar to the Native Americans of today.  These savages have access to things that were in the world prior to the rise of the World State.  Literature, for example.  One savage, John, is well read in Shakespeare.
     Bernard brings John back to the World State with him, and the reader finally gets to see the World State from the view of someone who is more connected with us than Bernard.
     Brave New World is another one of those books that everyone should read at some point in his or her lifetime.  Truly a masterpiece of literature.  Thank you, Mr. Huxley.  You have surely affected literature for the better.

I give this one 5 out of 5 Wildes.