The Giver, by Lois Lowry

I just started reading The Giver by Lois Lowry while at work on break.

It is a very short book nothing to even consider medium in size really. Because I am only reading it on break though it is taking a few days to get through. I highly recommend it if you like the books 1984, A Brave New World, or anything similar to them.

This book is also perfect for those whose interest you are trying to raise in world government (NOW sort of thing), or just trying to get them to read.

The book starts out running and grabs your interest very quickly.

Here is a quick synopsis of the book.

The society in which Jonas lives remains harmonious by assigning jobs to each individual according to a laborious evaluation of their skill, by matching up husbands and wives based on personality to balance out each other, and only allowing two children, one male and one female, per family unit. There is also a subtle theme of technology having only a minimal role in society; throughout the book, it is taken for granted that Jonas's community is without such technologies as television, or radio, although computers are mentioned at one point and there is a two-way microphone/speaker system used for announcements and surveillance, similar to the telescreens of Nineteen Eighty-Four. Later in the novel, it is also revealed that there is a video surveillance system that monitors the entire community, albeit the wide majority of the population is unaware of this. Transportation is mostly limited to bicycles; however, cars and airplanes exist in small numbers for the main use of transporting food, possibly from other communities.

The community is frightening to say the least. I cannot get past the things man can think of as how proper society should run. Not just that the author thought of this but I am sure others have as well, in fact you can see bits and pieces of this book in societies around the world and the governments that run them.

This book is definitely worth looking into even for those I mentioned above. It is small and will not take a great deal of their time. It also might wake them up a bit to world happenings when they start to see some similarities to real happenings.

Raist

Thanks! Sounds like a good read; I'll pick it up when I'm out next

reply to post by MzMorbid


No problem.

It is supposed to be a children/young adult type of book, but I think it is also a good read for adults to read as well.

The wiki page talks about how some things do not make sense, for instance the need for a certain job even though it is looked down upon. However, they fail to realize that there are plenty of jobs like that now. I do not want to say too much as I want others to read about it themselves, but I certainly want to recommend it.

Raist

Funny how I was just thinking about this book today.

It's written for a younger audience, and yet, it remains one of the best books of it's kind that I've ever read.

Seriously, this is a book that anyone can enjoy, and it will stay with you.

Lois Lowry has other books too, she is underrated in my opinion.

JR

reply to post by JR MacBeth


According to Wiki, two of Lowry’s other books form a loose trilogy with The Giver.

The novel forms a loose trilogy with Gathering Blue (2000) and Messenger (2004), two other books set in the same future era.

en.wikipedia.org...

As I said I am only reading this book on my breaks at work so I am not reading it as quickly as I could. However, the more I read the more terrifying the community sounds. I guess if one were born into that sort of thing it would not be that bad or if even your situation were half of what it is in the book.

Comparing it to the society we have now though I wonder how any could ever want such a community.

I have a small stack of other books to read following this one that I was given for my birthday. I have several weeks worth of reading material ahead of me. I am glad I choose to read this book first though as I am really enjoying it.

Raist

reply to post by Raist

I am only reading this book on my breaks at work so I am not reading it as quickly as I could. However, the more I read the more terrifying the community sounds. I guess if one were born into that sort of thing it would not be that bad or if even your situation were half of what it is in the book.

Comparing it to the society we have now though I wonder how any could ever want such a community.

More will become clear as the story unfolds. Lowry's talent isn't so much in creating a "plausible" world of the future, her strength is in building characters that we can almost see and hear. You know she is good when we can almost "feel" what her characters are feeling, and tears come, even to rough old beasts like myself!

And you'll really know she's good, when you finish the book, in spite of finding that her world was dark and dystopic, (none of us would ever want to live there!), and you decide you want to read it again! Or at least pass it on to those you care about.

If you haven't finished it yet, it would be too early to throw out something like a message, but I'm sure her book will speak to you on different levels.

Again, my opinion of this book is that it is one of the best of it's kind I have ever read. No, it's not as "intellectual" as some, or adventurous, or entertaining, but there are bits of all of that, and all in a measure that makes Lowry's "recipe" perfect for this beautiful "love" story.

JR

reply to post by JR MacBeth


I am almost finished.

The sad thing is there are threads here on ATS that show that some would love a world similar to this. Just look to the threads about a pill that removes bad memories. Yes, some memories are terrible and they hurt when we think about them but we need them. Without a life that has both joy and pain one cannot truly live. You are nothing but an empty shell without the memories we hold.

The releasing part is something else that sticks with me. I see similarities to that in today’s world as well. I actually feel sorry for the main character. I think many of us would go insane if we had to live with the “honor” he does in the book.

Raist

I finished the book last night after my other post.

Though I was disappointed with the ending, I still highly recommend this book. It would be a very nice book to give to someone who you would like to wake up to a government becoming more powerful than they should.

All in all I give the book 4 out of 5 stars simply because I was upset with the ending.

Raist

My teenage daughter recommended this book to me some years ago. It was the winner of the Nebula award and totally worth it.

You'd be surprised at the amount of really good books listed under "young adult" section. Thanks for sharing this one with us.

reply to post by whitewave


I found the book by doing a search for books similar to 1984 (I had never read the book until recently though I knew the premise of it).

I came across of course Brave New World, Fahrenheit 451, and Animal Farm. I have never read them either, but will be in the coming weeks.

I also found out about We, Anthem, and The Giver.

I got them all for my birthday and will be reading them all in the next few weeks. It is not that I did not read when I was younger, I certainly did, I just did not read those books and they were not required by my school. I spent time reading Shakespeare and many in the horror, and fantasy genre. Then I had my partying point when I did not read, so now I make up for all that I missed in the years I fell away from one of my loves (reading).

I will comment later on We and Anthem as well after I read them.

Raist

The Giver is a great book and I was also able to see it done as a play (last year I think) when I was living in Florida. Great story and is definitely a must read for any age.