1. Nineteen Eighty-Four

In retrospect I would have to say that I bit off a bit more than I wanted to chew with this book choice. It was time to read 1984, the book has sat on my shelves since mid-highschool (a friend of mine at the time insisted I couldn't live without a copy) and I kept picking it up and putting it down again, but this time I told myself I was going to get through it come hell or highwater. And it is not that I hated the book by any means. Honestly? I'm just not sure I entirely got it.

Although I have read satires before it was always in a classroom setting with much discussion and outside explanation, and the only one I really remember was the one about eating babies (by Jonathon Swift?) - his point was pretty obvious. With 1984 I felt a little lost. A whole lot lost. I know a little bit about Socialism but not enough to feel that I could truly appreciate where this book was coming from. If it was even a satire about socialism at all. And although I read Animal Farm in Grade 9 English that was more of an allegory than a satire and again I had my teacher to walk me through all the hard parts. This time it was me and only me and I ended up feeling more than a little inadequate.

It didn't help that I thought the book was taking one direction and it ended up going another way entirely. I didn't see that coming and I'm not sure I liked it. Resistance is futile? Not exactly the answer I was looking for. Maybe that's just the whole satire thing rearing its' ugly head and a perfect example of me just not getting it.

Next up, something light and fluffy to give my brain a much needed break. And at some point in the future some research that might give 1984 a bit more context.