1984 (Annotated) by George Orwell

Written in 1944, the novel entitled 1984 proved to be George Orwell’s most chilling prophecy. Timelier than ever, Orwell’s dystopian vision of a government that will do anything to control the narrative forms the basis of one of the world’s greatest novels. Winston Smith toes the Party line, rewriting history to satisfy the Ministry of Truth's demands—a job similar to the one Orwell held with the BBC. With each falsehood that he writes and each truth that he buries, Winston grows to hate the Party that seeks power for its own sake and persecutes those who dare to commit thoughtcrimes against it. He starts to think for himself but can’t escape the fact that Big Brother is always watching and listening. Even thinking of writing a personal journal, or falling in love, is punishable by death. Winston writes a journal and falls in love. Game on. Winston challenges Big Brother’s Doublethink, which became crafted to brainwash the populous into submission. WAR IS PEACE FREEDOM IS SLAVERY IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH A stunning and haunting work that blessed us as a unique literary masterpiece, 1984 creates an imaginary world that is both convincing and unforgettable, from beginning to end. There is no denial of the novel’s hold on the imagination of entire generations or the influence of its warnings—a power that seems to gain strength, not lose it, with time. Orwell’s 1984 rose to the top of best seller lists in late 2020 and 2021 because the world continues to evolve from the one which gave him his experiences and motives during the war towards one which matches his gloomy predictions in a most uncanny fashion. After Orwell’s original text from the public domain, the second section infuses the reader with insight, encouraging the mastery of the lesson Orwell wanted us all to learn.