Brave New World

By: Aldous Huxley

Narrated by: Michael York

Length: 8 hrs

Publisher's summary

Originally published in 1932, this outstanding work of literature is more crucial and relevant today than ever before.

“One of the most prophetic dystopian works of the 20th century”—Wall Street Journal

Cloning, feel-good drugs, antiaging programs, and total social control through politics, programming, and media—has Aldous Huxley accurately predicted our future? With a storyteller’s genius, he weaves these ethical controversies in a compelling narrative that dawns in the year 632 AF (After Ford, the deity). When Lenina and Bernard visit a savage reservation, we experience how Utopia can destroy humanity.

A powerful work of speculative fiction that has enthralled and terrified readers for generations, Brave New World is both a warning to be heeded and thought-provoking yet satisfying entertainment.

©1932 Aldous Huxley; 1998 BBC Audiobooks America (P)2003 BBC Audiobooks America

Critic reviews

"British actor Michael York's refined and dramatic reading captures both the tone and the spirit of Huxley's masterpiece." (AudioFile)

Read well

Read well, but the story itself was not good in my opinion.. I listened all the way through and came out on the other end unsatisfied.

Great story, nail-on-a-chalkboard performance

The narrator only knew how to make a few voices. Each was more trying than the last.

Probably be a lot better to read on paper

That’s not to say the narration was bad, I thought the narrator did a fine job. That said, the book itself is quite dry and doesn’t really have the approachability of something like Orwell. It definitely assumes that the reader is fairly well versed in the sciences, and though I rather enjoy science fiction and dystopian stories as they relate to the real world, I feel like I am missing out on some core fundamental of this book. I will probably need to actually sit down and focus on reading it, or at the very least do the same on relistening to the book. I acknowledge that is at least partly my fault, but I do feel the way it is written with the lack of emotive expression from the characters coupled with it being very spoken dialog heavy makes it a difficult follow.

Terrible Narrator

Wanted to enjoy this book but the narrator was all over the place. Every time he went quiet I had to increase the volume only to have my ears blasted in the next sentence.

Classic dystopian novel

What an imagination to be able to create such a world. Interestingly relevant in today’s political climate.

With 1984, a must-read for all

In the age of crispr and generally tech for tech’s sake, Brave New World is a must-read for all who might appreciate Alson’s Huxley’s view of the future from 1931-1932. Combine with Orwell’s 1984 and you have a wonderfully dystopian view of things to come as well as already here.

An occasional offensive stereotypical depiction, but otherwise a worthy work. Amazed it was ever banned.

Haunting

A book that strikes at our core. A mirror of truth. What does it mean to human? To be civilized? Is evil necessary? Do you really want to eat nothing but desert?

Great monumental book

A classic must read book. Very well narrated. Great monumental book most actual than ever.

Excellent production

Enjoyed York’s narration of a book which seems increasingly more relevant over time. Well executed literary classic.

still frightening all these years later

i found "brave new world" to be...interesting, interesting in a "make your skin crawl at the reality of how close to home this story hits" kind of way. a disturbing tale, written many years ago, it's tempting to dismiss the possibilites for a future like this as unthinkable, impossible, improbable...an alarmist's view of the future from so far in the past as to be almost laughable. in truth, laughing will be the last thing on the listener's mind. "brave new world" is presented in such a way as to make the listener think long and hard about our own current events and where they could potentially go in the not so distant future. a bit of a stuffy read at times, it may be a bit hard for many to understand due to both the english accent and the multisyllabic words used nearly constantly. find yourself a dictionary and settle in, just don't be surprised at the disturbing bent your dreams may take. use it as an entertaining listen, but be certain to take away the startling glimpses of what could so easily be our own "brave new world" in the not so distant future.