#23: The Giver and other dystopian novels
A few weeks ago I read "The Giver" by Lois Lowry. It is a quick, easy read but it's also thought provoking and haunting. It reminded me of other dystopian classics which serve as cautionary tales to those who would remove freedom of choice in the name of safety and stability. If "1984" and "Brave New World" had a baby, it would be "The Giver."
The Giver by Lois Lowry (208 pages)
We might as well rename this newsletter I'm 35 and I Just Read _____! Apparently "The Giver" was required reading for every middle school but mine.
This little book is a classic for a reason. It occupies the "less mature than Orwell's 1984, but definitely too mature for small children" space in the dystopian book world. If you haven't read it (and if you're not a small child) I recommend you crank it out. It's short and you can finish in a couple hours.
If you are a parent, "The Giver" is especially poignant. One possible interpretation: It's a 200 page allegory on parenting. As a parent, you wish you could protect your kids from pain forever, but you also know deep down that a pain-free life is impossible. Not only impossible, but undesirable. You can't verbally transmit the learning that only comes through certain painful experiences. Children, and indeed all of us, have to make mistakes and experience sad and bitter things. Those negative experiences are like salt that enhance every other experience, making for a fuller, more savory life. It's a universal message that the book brought home in an effective way.
Growing up means changing and change can be painful. I agree with what Ms. Lowry said in an interview: "When we have the courage and bravery of Jonas, those changes can make us a little better than we were before."
And now I present to you a list of other dystopian future books that I have either read or plan to read someday.
The Hunger Games Series by Suzanne Collins - I read these right before college. Josh Hutcherson as Peeta ruined the movies, but the books are still entertaining.
Maze Runner Series by James Dashner - I haven't read these, but they may be worth listening to during my commute...? You tell me.
1984 by George Orwell - A classic. This one burrowed into my psyche like a rat into a human face. (If that was too graphic, you shouldn't read the book).
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley - This was required reading in my middle school and definitely worth a revisit now that I'm older.
The Road by Cormac McCarthy- So dark and grim that I probably should have put it down, but I couldn't! I couldn't look away even though I wanted to! It is amazing. #carrythefire
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury - One of the best. Might be a perfect book.
What should have made this list?
Thank you for reading,
Kyle