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A Clockwork Orange

A Clockwork Orange

by Anthony Burgess

4.27 out of 5 (105 ratings)

Format:
Paperback 
Pages:
176 
Publisher:
Penguin Books Ltd 
Publication Date:
24 February 2000 
Category:
Modern & Contemporary 
ISBN:
9780141182605 

Description

Anthony Burgess' nightmare vision of a society overrun by nihilistic violence and governed by a menacing totalitarian state, "A Clockwork Orange" includes an introduction by Blake Morrison in "Penguin Modern Classics". Fifteen-year-old Alex doesn't just like ultra-violence - he also enjoys rape, drugs and Beethoven's ninth. He and his gang of droogs rampage through a dystopian future, hunting for terrible thrills. But when Alex finds himself at the mercy of the state and subject to the ministrations of Dr Brodsky, and the mind-altering treatment of the Ludovico Technique, he discovers that fun is no longer the order of the day. The basis for Stanley Kubrick's notorious 1971 film, A Clockwork Orange is both a virtuoso performance from an electrifying prose stylist and a serious exploration of the morality of free will. In his introduction, Blake Morrison situates "A Clockwork Orange" within the context of Anthony Burgess' many other works, explores the author's unhappiness with the Stanley Kubrick film version, analyses the composition of the Nadsat argot spoken by Alex and his droogs, and examines the influences on Burgess' unique, eternally original style. Anthony Burgess (1917-93) was born in Manchester in 1917. From 1954 to 1960 he was stationed in Malaysia as an education officer - during this time he started writing The Malayan Trilogy. Diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour in 1959, Burgess became a full-time writer and went on to write a book a year up until his death in 1993. His many works include: "The Complete Enderby", "Tremor of Intent", "The Kingdom of the Wicked" and "A Clockwork Orange". If you enjoyed "A Clockwork Orange", you might like Ken Kesey's "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest", also available in "Penguin Modern Classics". "I do not know of any other writer who has done as much with language...a very funny book." (William S. Burroughs).

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Showing 1-4 out of 118 reviews. Previous | Next

  • I thought this book was real horrorshow, an excellent read. Many thought-provoking questions on the nature of good and choice were posed and I enjoyed the exploring them. Personally, I also loved decoding the slang that Burgess created for this book. In addition to being well-written and thought provoking I loved this book because it brought me to a realm that I would never have known in real-life. They say that good girls fall for bad boys, maybe the same is true for books.

    5.00 out of 5

    ericalynnb

  • I was in the throes of my undergraduate studies (as a theoretical linguistics major) when I discovered "A Clockwork Orange." The rhymie Nadsat was a challenge, but enjoyable. The film loses the wittiness of the language, but Malcolm McDowell is phenomenal. The book is a harsh read, but a true "crystal ball" into the development of Society.

    5.00 out of 5

    Clockwork82736

  • This is one of my absolute favorite books. As wonderful as the film version is, it doesn't compare to the remarkableness of the written work. I love Burgess's ability to make a human, and even a likable one, out of such a truly awful character. I think the horrible gravity of what these young gangs are doing on a regular and casual basis is lessened by the unique made up "Teenage" language and that fact that in the current society where the tale takes place these despicable behaviors are entirely too common, as if it's expected. Despite knowing these things you're able to feel compassion for Alex because of how it's narrated even though you're fully aware that he probably deserved everything he'd gotten.No one should go on NOT having read this book at LEAST once in their lives.

    5.00 out of 5

    jeaxra

  • Clockwork Orange is without a doubt the strangest book I have ever read. However, it's also my favorite. It tells the story, and is narrated by, a young man named Alex who, along with his three droogs (friends/comrades) always makes all kinds of mischief in the future England that he lives in. This mischief covers anything and everything from ripping people's books to shreds, to murder, and even gang rape. The book is filled with unique slang from the time period that Alex lives in, and I soon found that I could not comprehend the book by simply sitting down and reading it. So I recommend printing out a slang guide for the book, as it helped me make my way through the book. There are a few words such as veck, droog, tolchock, etc that you will get used to since they are commonly used throughout the book. However, there are a few odd words that will pop up every once and a while, but I just referred to my guide for the definition.The story in this book flows fantastically, and it kept me guessing until the very end. Now, I bought the "resucked" version with the original ending that Burgess wrote, but there are also versions with the 2nd ending, and without the last chapter in the "resucked" version.But when you get used to the slang and what not, you will find that Alex is a very likeable and unique character, and you will see what a great book this is, as well as why they call Anthony Burgess a genius.

    5.00 out of 5

    Assassin13

Reviews provided by Librarything.

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