h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I love books. I love fact, I love fiction. I especially love humour, such as Terry Pratchett'd Discworld, and Grant Naylor's Red Dwarf. I love Hitch-hiker.

However, recently I've made an effort to read some "classic" novels, and have been amazed by George Orwell's two masterpieces: Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty-Four. When I read them, I couldn't believe that they were written more than 50 years ago.

Animal Farm is (for the most part) a searing satire of the Russian Revolution. It's fast-paced (a very short book), and uses amazing imagery, substituting the characters of the real revolution for the creatures of Animal Farm. When I read this in school, I hated it. Now I understand just how great it is. I read it in 3 hours.

Nineteen Eighty-Four is just as good, but a little deeper, and eerily prophetic.

They only cost a coupla quid - cheaper in second hand shops.

Do yourself a favour and read these two benchmarks of English literature.

Judge

Down and Out in Paris and London is a great, yet not as famous, book by Orwell. It describes the life of someone without much money, who works crap jobs in Paris and London (as the title describes). This book says something about the human condition in much the same, and yet very different, way as Orwell's other masterpieces.

i found that reading '1984' followed by 'brave new world' was both fascinating (to see how they tie together) and disturbing (in their comments on society and humanity).

Orwell actually decided not too touch any of his existing money and lived as a poor man in Paris and London to see what it was like. A lot of 'Down and Out in Paris and London' is based on his experiences as a tramp.

In "Down and out" he really was broke.

Brave New World and 1984 were two great books to read back to back. If you enjoy those (especially 1984) try Margret Atwood's "The Handmaid's Tale". (spelling on her first name may be a little off)
~Psycho