1984

New Classic Edition

By: George Orwell

Narrated by: Simon Prebble

Length: 11 hrs and 22 mins

Publisher's summary

Blackstone Publishing presents a new recording of this immensely popular book.

One of the most celebrated classics of the twentieth century, Orwell’s cautionary tale of a man trapped under the gaze of an authoritarian state feels more relevant now than ever before.

George Orwell depicts a gray, totalitarian world dominated by Big Brother and its vast network of agents, including the Thought Police, a world in which news is manufactured according to the authorities’ will and people live tepid lives by rote.

Winston Smith, the hero with no heroic qualities, longs only for truth and decency. But living in a social system in which privacy does not exist and where those with unorthodox ideas are brainwashed or put to death, he knows there is no hope for him. He knows even as he continues to pursue his forbidden love affair that eventually he will come to destruction.

The year 1984 has come and gone, yet George Orwell’s nightmare vision in 1949 of the world we were becoming is still the great modern classic of negative Utopia. It is a prophetic and haunting tale that exposes the worst crimes imaginable: the destruction of freedom and truth.

©1949 Harcourt Brace and Company, renewed 1977 Sonia Brownell Orwell (P)2007 Blackstone Audio Inc.

Critic reviews

• Nominee, 2008 Audie Award, Classic

"It is probable that no other work of this generation has made us desire freedom more earnestly or loathe tyranny with such fullness." (New York Times, 1949)

Ironically and eerily exacting of modern day

Accurate political assessment of today in 2021! Many of the facts and details described can be assimilated by modern day politicians and the ridiculous social "movements" departing from common sense and entering into the asinine. Didn't get into the book for a few portions of the book until it started reflecting literal modern day political stunts like Cancel Culture, deleting history, destroying statues, changing street names, buying out conservative books to prevent their distribution, and Marxist/Leninist style ratting out your neighbor or family member for "thought crimes". Never has the word Orwellian made more of an impact on statements reflecting today's socialist tendencies.

A true classic 30 years in front of real times

A great book that should be read/listened to every few years. It’s an amazing work of fiction that seems to be more like a forecast proving itself more like non fiction every decade.

2+2=5

a book that everyone should read. it warns them of totalitarianism, communism, and dictatorships. listening to the book I could only picture this is how north Korea life is like

Welcome to 2021 also known as 1984

Welcome to 2021 also known as 1984 read the book and know what’s coming this is the Democratic Party.

title should be 2021

Remarkable writing, I understand why it's a classic and why Orwell and this book are referred to often when describing American Politics, Surveillance & Police State Status here in U.S.

Gripping!

Despite the decades that have passed since this book was written, it’s terrifyingly appropriate in today’s political climate. The narrator does a fantastic job of drawing you in and bringing the characters alive without any distracting voices. I highly recommend this listen!

Essential for critical thought.

1984 by George Orwell is hands-down the scariest and most hopeful book I’ve ever read

For any young professional

Revisiting this book recontextualized the way I approach others in the workplace. Unlearning can be just as useful as learning, this book forced me to come to terms with the part of big brother within myself- a constant battle that will never really cease. But one that is always worth fighting for.

Superb reading of this brilliant nightmare

I read 1984 as a teenager and it has never left me. Now, somewhat older, it called me back and I was happy to see it included in my Audible subscription.

The reader, Simon Prebble, does a fabulous job. It’s a very British book, so I’m glad the reader has that dialect. His narration is clear and expressive, and he adapts to the characters brilliantly, giving each his or her own voice. Very well done.

Do I need to sell the book itself? Yes it’s a dystopian nightmare, and one so iconic a lot of its inventions have become part of our daily language. Big Brother, thought police, double-think, Orwellian, etc. But what I find so brilliant is it’s ability to capture the experience of trying to control one’s thoughts and obey an ideology. This struggle and Winston’s inner rebellion will ring true with anyone who ever felt one’s inner thoughts could betray you or reveal you. The experience of intellectual shackles, and fleeting freedom is rendered beautifully.

The other great masterstroke in this book is the exploration of language being the matter of thought, the content of thought, and the way a society like this would change language itself to curb unwanted thoughts. There’s a reason 1984 has stuck around and keeps finding new readers.

Wow

I'm actually having a hard time describing how I feel after just finishing the book. This is an important story that should be heard by all, but I can't say that I am happy I've heard it. I'm appreciative that I heard it, but not happy. Most stories end on a good note, but this one ends, horrifyingly enough, realistically. It showcases how dark and evil we can become when pushed to the limits of our inner fortitude.