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)

This is the future

The most interesting thing about this book is that it is an actual utopia. It is not a dystopian society, its a perfect world where everyone is happy. But what the story is really about is how humans just dont like perfect, and being happy all the time.

Interesting, but slow

Important ideas, but the progress can be rather tenacious when it's the philosophy, you really care about.
Huxley provides a dense and lively setting - his descriptions make the story very real. But this can lead to slowness and boredom.

Seriously one of the best single reader pieces

Michael York is exceptional in his reading of Huxley's intelligent and poetic work. I was thoroughly immersed in his myriad of voices and crisp pronunciation, as well as his smooth flow and nuanced tones. Akin to a radio play more than a single author reading a story, I really cannot give his performance enough praise, an incredible performer, I look forward to more of Michael's work.

good, but 1984 is better

talented narrators. there's a lot to unpack in this book, and I think Huxley had some profound ideas, especially in the forms of juxtapositions. But one needs cultural context of his time to grasp them, so its not quite as salient as Orwell

Need to fix the ending voiceover

Need to fix the ending copyright notice. Add a much longer pause and ideally a less up beat voiceover. Anyone that listens to the ending will understand.

Very interesting book overall - amazing how many themes it predicted almost 100 years ago. It doesn’t feel like it has any meaningful conclusion, but plenty of material to create your own meaning from.

Excellent story but low volume

I heard about this book recently and after my experience with 1984 I sand to read this one as well. The story is pretty good and the text quite deep for my literary appetite. I had to often read analysis on Sparknotes after listening to some of the chapters. That helped me understand the deeper meaning of the text. However this book was seemingly recorded in 1998 and volume is noticeably lower compared to other audible books. I had difficulty listening to it while in a not so quiet environment.

Just ok

This book gets points for being an early trailblazer in the dystopian genre but overall it shows it’s age and it left me unfulfilled in terms of a complete story. It was something I wanted to read because it’s a classic but it’s nothing special. Narration was great and using different voices for different characters certainly helped me follow the story well.

A strange journey

The threat of state control is obvious. Also explores the dangers of religious fanaticism.

Always a good read! Powerful performance.

Fabulous. You can feel the characters. A better world than Orwell's but still not desirable! Enjoy the escape.

A great book, sumptuously narrated

Brave New World is a beautiful and sad book about an ugly materialist world, seen through the eyes of its discontents, its contented, and a horrified “savage” from a Southwestern US reservation. Though it proves Huxley to be a fine science fiction writer, he is truly a satirist, taking a scalpel to pompous and hopeful alike. Michael York’s narration is brilliantly performed, striking a perfect tone for this dark but rich tale.