"When you can't choose, you cease to be human."
"A Clockwork Orange" is the representative work of British writer Anthony Burgess. It was selected into the "Top 100 English Novels" by Time magazine.
The book describes the collision of freedom and power with genius imagination. It shocked the world as soon as it was published and also spawned Kubrick's classic film of the same name.
The novel's portrayal of lost youth and reflection on free will are of epoch-making significance in the history of literature.
"A Clockwork Orange" has also become an important image written into popular culture.
This new version of "A Clockwork Orange" is based on the unabridged translation of the British version. The new translation restores a smooth reading experience.
Reader comments
"A Clockwork Orange" challenges the nature of morality and freedom. Alex's tragedy warns us: Losing the right to choose, even for good, is the most profound distortion of human nature.
I watched the movie "A Clockwork Orange" first and then read the original novel. Compared to the movie, the original novel contains more violent plots and focuses more on Alex's growth experience.
Violence only begets more violence.
I feel a lot of emotion.
I finished reading it very quickly, and I felt a sense of confusion, sadness, anger, and loss. A wind-up orange squeaked and stumbled in front of me.
What is youth? Youth here is wanton and reckless, and Alex, who has experienced various hardships, suddenly wakes up one day. Growth is in this moment.
And those eating, drinking, whoring and gambling, those ruins and glory, decadence and high spirits have truly become memories. Humans are not misshapen oranges, nor are they parts in a giant machine. We actually see the singing of humanity in such works.
I still have to watch it, because I have a lot of emotions that cannot be expressed in words, probably because I have little talent and little knowledge. My poor thoughts are linked to "Avalanche" and "Almond". These two are perfect together, with the undertones of confusion and roaring.
What are the children of this generation like?
How many Alexes are there in society?
We don't know.
Absolutely amazing! The ending of "A Clockwork Orange" is amazing! It's plain, but there is an indescribable shock!
You won't know if you don't look at it, but you will be shocked when you look at it. A Clockwork Orange nakedly shows another side of the world. I learned about A Clockwork Orange through the lyrics of the game "Ruin Library".
People still have to have free will. In addition, the teenagers in this work are all good-natured people. They hate dogs and do evil. Teenagers become gentlemen as soon as they reach adulthood.
Reading Alex's criminal behavior in the first half made me really happy about the treatment in the following part, but it also made me think about whether even sinful people should have the power to choose good, or should they be deprived of their power so that they can only do good? I think the power of choice must be retained no matter what, and individuals must choose to be good or evil. This is just like the society described in some dystopian works, such as "Us". The government has all the power, including the power to choose spouses for people, resulting in people having no right to choose. I think the focus of this book is not to choose good or evil, but to choose itself.
Interesting, lots of witticisms, I feel the translator deserves a lot of credit
Finally finished reading it, I came here because of its reputation, and the translation is very good.
It's been said that Northeasterners should not be translators.
It's a very interesting book. When I read it, it always reminded me of "Brave New World" and "1984". It is very readable and can make people reflect. It is worth reading.
Good book [like]
I watched it intermittently, but I suggest you watch the movie first before coming back, maybe the impact will be less. There is still a big difference between the original work and the movie. The novel is very critical and realistic, and very shocking. This also shows the author's strength and influence at the time. But it's still a bit violent for us. If you like watching something peaceful, you should think twice. I feel [Thinking]
This book mainly introduces the story of the protagonist as a teenager who did evil, acted recklessly, did whatever he wanted, and committed all kinds of evil. After being imprisoned and reformed, he returned to society (probably). There are mostly chapters about committing evil and reforming (the impact is huge), and the language is very distinctive and down-to-earth (the translation is very good).
In short, it is difficult for me to express my thoughts after reading the book, but it can also play some educational role (maybe)
I already know both the original work and the movie, but I'm still not satisfied with it and want to watch it again. Many works have positive nourishment for me. The narrators or protagonists are "qualified social citizens", and even the outrageous actions are only emotional. Even Meursault in "The Stranger" killed someone and was imprisoned, but he was not so stubborn and evil. However, "A Clockwork Orange" also inspired me. Regarding Alex's actions, I feel like a person who is watching from afar and will never touch it in my life. That's because I understand that doing so harms others and does not benefit myself. However, such an interesting bastard like him ended up with a good end in the end. I have to lament that things in the world are unpredictable, just like the main theme of this book: "The contradiction between human nature and social order." Who is not a stinky orange who has been wound up? This book resonates with me so much, maybe because of the humorous rhetoric of "opening the skylight and speaking out", the restrictions can be lifted, and I can return to the natural orange state of pulling out the spring.
Coming from the Three-Body Problem.
Frankly speaking, I was not very used to this first-person narrative method at first (it's a bit like "The Catcher in the Rye"?), But I can still accept it if I read it carefully.
My feelings after reading this book were not as profound as I expected, perhaps because of the different times.
But a classic is a classic, and the issue of this book is worth thinking about even now - if we lose our free will, are our human souls intact? Although "free will" is too easy to brush off, having it and not having it are still two completely different situations.
Some evil is clear, and some evil is subtle. When evil is gone, does good still exist? When the boundaries between good and evil become blurred, will the distinct extremes begin to merge? When power and interests control society, where are ethics and fairness placed?
There is a saying, the translation is better than the original work
No, I read it just because of this translation, and some people still dislike it?
With gorgeous rhetoric and humorous writing, the bloody and violent episodes are easily passed through but leave a deep impression on people. Maybe some people have anti-social background, or maybe some people are poisonous insects in society.
The writing style of this book is unique and the writing is sharp. The author made me deeply feel the helplessness and restraint of youth through the metaphor of A Clockwork Orange. The stories in the book are thought-provoking and made me think more deeply about free will. What a great book worth reading!
The language is interesting and the translation is very good. Burgess is also a wonderful character, and the novel also enlightens people about the issues of good and evil, forced and voluntary. The translation is really good and easy to read. The first person also makes people feel friendly. Every word is like a buddy🍺
Humanity may inevitably develop towards a utopian situation
The feeling is quite touching. Who would have thought that the final outcome of a young murderer would be to have a child and find a companion? I started watching the movie because of the commentary, and I finished it very quickly. It took about three or four hours, and it was very short. There were a lot of slangs in the story, and the inner drama of the protagonist, oh no, the villain, was full of dirty words. But I really wanted to know, what was the original meaning of A Clockwork Orange?
I finished reading it on June 16th, but I stopped reviewing the book because of the naked text, the troublesome postscript, and the crazy scenes of the movie.
When I came back nine days later, my mind was filled with dazzling images and common brain pain.
For me, this is just a work to expand my knowledge, and the meaning contained in it is something I can't describe in words now. However, the social phenomenon of coexisting with violence obviously cannot be suppressed by the former, so it has a 4-star rating.
From beginning to end, it was a full day of gratitude. For the first time, I decided to take the initiative to write about my reading experience without doing homework. But I have to find the original language version. The Nacha translation made me curious. Anyway, let's read on.
Do you really still count as a "human" when you can't choose good or evil for yourself?
An absolute classic. I read the physical book no less than ten times. I guess I didn't even see the end.
I read the original book just after watching the movie, and I still feel a little different after watching it. There are a lot of scenes of violence in the movie, but I didn't expect there were quite a few in the original work [Thoughts][Thoughts]
A new understanding of good and evil
When reading this kind of book, don't care about the details of the plot, but think about what the author wants to express overall.
Even if it expresses the author's attitude, it will be thought-provoking and make people think continuously.
It gives people a profound understanding of violence and freedom.
"A Clockwork Orange" challenges the nature of morality and freedom. Alex's tragedy warns us: Losing the right to choose, even for good, is the most profound distortion of human nature.
I watched the movie "A Clockwork Orange" first and then read the original novel. Compared to the movie, the original novel contains more violent plots and focuses more on Alex's growth experience. Violence only begets more violence.
I feel a lot of emotion. I finished reading it very quickly, and I felt a sense of confusion, sadness, anger, and loss. A wind-up orange squeaked and stumbled in front of me. What is youth? Youth here is wanton and reckless, and Alex, who has experienced various hardships, suddenly wakes up one day. Growth is in this moment. And those eating, drinking, whoring and gambling, those ruins and glory, decadence and high spirits have truly become memories. Humans are not misshapen oranges, nor are they parts in a giant machine. We actually see the singing of humanity in such works. I still have to watch it, because I have a lot of emotions that cannot be expressed in words, probably because I have little talent and little knowledge. My poor thoughts are linked to "Avalanche" and "Almond". These two are perfect together, with the undertones of confusion and roaring. What are the children of this generation like? How many Alexes are there in society? We don't know.
Absolutely amazing! The ending of "A Clockwork Orange" is amazing! It's plain, but there is an indescribable shock!
You won't know if you don't look at it, but you will be shocked when you look at it. A Clockwork Orange nakedly shows another side of the world. I learned about A Clockwork Orange through the lyrics of the game "Ruin Library".
People still have to have free will. In addition, the teenagers in this work are all good-natured people. They hate dogs and do evil. Teenagers become gentlemen as soon as they reach adulthood.
Reading Alex's criminal behavior in the first half made me really happy about the treatment in the following part, but it also made me think about whether even sinful people should have the power to choose good, or should they be deprived of their power so that they can only do good? I think the power of choice must be retained no matter what, and individuals must choose to be good or evil. This is just like the society described in some dystopian works, such as "Us". The government has all the power, including the power to choose spouses for people, resulting in people having no right to choose. I think the focus of this book is not to choose good or evil, but to choose itself.
Interesting, lots of witticisms, I feel the translator deserves a lot of credit
Finally finished reading it, I came here because of its reputation, and the translation is very good.
It's been said that Northeasterners should not be translators.
It's a very interesting book. When I read it, it always reminded me of "Brave New World" and "1984". It is very readable and can make people reflect. It is worth reading.
Good book [like] I watched it intermittently, but I suggest you watch the movie first before coming back, maybe the impact will be less. There is still a big difference between the original work and the movie. The novel is very critical and realistic, and very shocking. This also shows the author's strength and influence at the time. But it's still a bit violent for us. If you like watching something peaceful, you should think twice. I feel [Thinking] This book mainly introduces the story of the protagonist as a teenager who did evil, acted recklessly, did whatever he wanted, and committed all kinds of evil. After being imprisoned and reformed, he returned to society (probably). There are mostly chapters about committing evil and reforming (the impact is huge), and the language is very distinctive and down-to-earth (the translation is very good). In short, it is difficult for me to express my thoughts after reading the book, but it can also play some educational role (maybe)
I already know both the original work and the movie, but I'm still not satisfied with it and want to watch it again. Many works have positive nourishment for me. The narrators or protagonists are "qualified social citizens", and even the outrageous actions are only emotional. Even Meursault in "The Stranger" killed someone and was imprisoned, but he was not so stubborn and evil. However, "A Clockwork Orange" also inspired me. Regarding Alex's actions, I feel like a person who is watching from afar and will never touch it in my life. That's because I understand that doing so harms others and does not benefit myself. However, such an interesting bastard like him ended up with a good end in the end. I have to lament that things in the world are unpredictable, just like the main theme of this book: "The contradiction between human nature and social order." Who is not a stinky orange who has been wound up? This book resonates with me so much, maybe because of the humorous rhetoric of "opening the skylight and speaking out", the restrictions can be lifted, and I can return to the natural orange state of pulling out the spring.
Coming from the Three-Body Problem. Frankly speaking, I was not very used to this first-person narrative method at first (it's a bit like "The Catcher in the Rye"?), But I can still accept it if I read it carefully. My feelings after reading this book were not as profound as I expected, perhaps because of the different times. But a classic is a classic, and the issue of this book is worth thinking about even now - if we lose our free will, are our human souls intact? Although "free will" is too easy to brush off, having it and not having it are still two completely different situations.
Some evil is clear, and some evil is subtle. When evil is gone, does good still exist? When the boundaries between good and evil become blurred, will the distinct extremes begin to merge? When power and interests control society, where are ethics and fairness placed? There is a saying, the translation is better than the original work
No, I read it just because of this translation, and some people still dislike it?
With gorgeous rhetoric and humorous writing, the bloody and violent episodes are easily passed through but leave a deep impression on people. Maybe some people have anti-social background, or maybe some people are poisonous insects in society.
The writing style of this book is unique and the writing is sharp. The author made me deeply feel the helplessness and restraint of youth through the metaphor of A Clockwork Orange. The stories in the book are thought-provoking and made me think more deeply about free will. What a great book worth reading!
The language is interesting and the translation is very good. Burgess is also a wonderful character, and the novel also enlightens people about the issues of good and evil, forced and voluntary. The translation is really good and easy to read. The first person also makes people feel friendly. Every word is like a buddy🍺
Humanity may inevitably develop towards a utopian situation
The feeling is quite touching. Who would have thought that the final outcome of a young murderer would be to have a child and find a companion? I started watching the movie because of the commentary, and I finished it very quickly. It took about three or four hours, and it was very short. There were a lot of slangs in the story, and the inner drama of the protagonist, oh no, the villain, was full of dirty words. But I really wanted to know, what was the original meaning of A Clockwork Orange?
I finished reading it on June 16th, but I stopped reviewing the book because of the naked text, the troublesome postscript, and the crazy scenes of the movie. When I came back nine days later, my mind was filled with dazzling images and common brain pain. For me, this is just a work to expand my knowledge, and the meaning contained in it is something I can't describe in words now. However, the social phenomenon of coexisting with violence obviously cannot be suppressed by the former, so it has a 4-star rating.
From beginning to end, it was a full day of gratitude. For the first time, I decided to take the initiative to write about my reading experience without doing homework. But I have to find the original language version. The Nacha translation made me curious. Anyway, let's read on.
Do you really still count as a "human" when you can't choose good or evil for yourself?
An absolute classic. I read the physical book no less than ten times. I guess I didn't even see the end.
I read the original book just after watching the movie, and I still feel a little different after watching it. There are a lot of scenes of violence in the movie, but I didn't expect there were quite a few in the original work [Thoughts][Thoughts]
A new understanding of good and evil
When reading this kind of book, don't care about the details of the plot, but think about what the author wants to express overall.
Even if it expresses the author's attitude, it will be thought-provoking and make people think continuously.
It gives people a profound understanding of violence and freedom.