We by Yevgeny Zamyatin, Mirra Ginsburg Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of We
Book Review: Freaky!!
Summary: 5 Stars
This is the first sci-fi novel I've ever read & it was required reading for my Russian literature class. I must say I was pleasantly surprised! This book was written in the early 1920's (which means it was around before "Brave New World")and is a satire about the horrors of Stalinism. It is very creative in its concept...individuals no longer have names, but rather numbers. Everybody lives in glass buildings, eliminating privacy. Sexual relationships must be approved by the State beforehand and an unplanned pregnancy resulted in a death sentence for the mother. This book is written in diary-form with very short entries, making it a quick and easy read. I thoroughly enjoyed this book & think anyone interested in sci-fi or in Russian literature would enjoy it also.Book Review: Good dystopia story
Summary: 4 Stars
In general, I tend not to like books in the journal entry format, but this was a good read. Most know the basic principles behind the futuristic, dystopic, freedom-deprived, non-individualistic world presented in this book but it's the characters that count and the finer details that make this book worth reading. Some parts were a little dry, and others a little too muddled in symbolism. With all the crap science fiction books out there, however, this one is definately worth reading, science fiction fan or not.Book Review: Halfway through, but liking it!
Summary: 4 Stars
I am about half way through the book, and i am starting to really like D-503, the main character. D-503 writes journal entries to the "unknown beings" on different planets. He describes his daily life, but includes all his thoughts. D-503 lives in a mathematical world where [the square root of -1] is used to express confusion. Beauty is mathematical. Names? no numbers! everyone has a number. In this strange but interesting book, D-503 lives his life, trying hard to stay in the lines. He lives in the ONE STATE and everyone lives as one. When reading this book, you learn how communities exist and that Eutopias are impossible.OK- We is by Yevgeny Zamyatin. (but translated by Mirra Ginsburg) I think its really interesting how translations work. Does Mr. Zamyatin agree with Ginsburg's translation? Is it what Zamyatin intended the novel to be?
Book Review: Haunting, depressing, yet irresistable: layer-cake satire!
Summary: 4 Stars
Odd that so many consider this book to be SF, but more odd still that not one reviewer sees the many parallels between "We" and Ayn Rand's "Anthem" (her best work, IMHO.)Rand lived and was educated in St. Petersburg, also the home of Zamyatin and a group of "supressed" Bolshvic writers. Although younger than Zamyatin, "We" was circulated "underground" within a circle of Russian writers, and it is hard to believe she did not read it (and meet him) before emigrating to the USA.
Interesting, too, is that her novella "Anthem" was first published in Britain, in 1937, just after Zamyatin died in Paris. Also, "Anthem" is written in the form of a personal journal. Rand loved to brag that she had beaten both Orwell and Huxley into print with "Anthem." Of course it's much easier to improve someone else's work, than to create your own, which is exactly what I believe Rand did. Why not read both and decide for yourself? You'll find "Anthem" far more poetic (in English); but she is serious, whereas Zamyatin is brilliantly satirical.
Book Review: Highly Relevant
Summary: 5 Stars
Far superior to the carrion scuzz that public school english teachers like to force kids to read.