1984

By George Orwell

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About the book

In the totalitarian state of Oceania, London has become a grim city where Big Brother watches everyone and the Thought Police can all but read minds. Winston Smith is in danger for a simple reason: his memory still works. George Orwell's novel imagines a political future in order to examine the present, and The New Yorker read its account of falsified reality as a study of how power asserts itself. Lionel Trilling described it as a fantasy that works like a magnifying device.

Steve Jobs was reported to have called it one of his favorites and to have recommended it to new hires. Lex Fridman described it as among the most impactful books ever written, and it is on Richard Branson's list of 65 books to read in a lifetime.

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This book has 11 recommendations

Steve Jobs (Founder/Apple)

Steve Jobs called this book "one of his favorite" and recommended it to the hires. The book also inspired one the greatest TV ad (made by Jobs)

Recommended by Richard Branson (Founder/Virgin Group)

Source: My top 65 books to read in a lifetime

Recommended by Andra Zaharia (Freelance Content Marketer/The Content Habit)

Source: Andra Zaharia - A Content Marketer's Reading List & Lessons Learned

Recommended by Sol Orwell (Co-Founder/Examine.com)

Source: Sol Orwell, Co-Founder of Examine.com, on How to 'Get Things to Click' After Reading

Stephane Grand (Managing Partner/S.J. Grand Financial and Tax Advisory)

Everybody, whether they decide to spend their lives in a police state or not, needs to read 1984. It is a book about moral choices, being different, and being broken.

Santiago Basulto (Co-Founder/rmotr.com)

And non-business is even harder, but I’d probably choose 1984; its power and narrative are just amazing.

Recommended by Igor Debatur (CEO/UploadCare)

Source: Igor Debatur, CEO of UploadCare, and the Books that Upgrade His ‘Erudition’

Ella Botting (Founder/CyberWomen.co.uk)

This book marked a fundamental shift in my mental model and the way I process and consider things. This book taught to never take things at face value and to always challenge information that is presented to me, both of these skills make me a better researcher. It taught me to be empathetic and was a stark reminder that things aren’t always what they seem, on a personal and on a macro level. Considering it’s eerie similarities to the society we now live in, it also taught me to be cautious of systems of governance but not in an over-the-top conspiracy theory way. [...] This book enabled me to do a complete 360 in my mental model. Don’t take things for granted, question everything and set boundaries, especially when you’re starting a new job.

Roxana Bitoleanu (Founder/Taraba Virtuala)

[One of the books that had the biggest impact on Roxana Bitoleanu] 1984, the future we are living today envisioned way back.

Jordan B. Peterson

On Jordan B. Peterson’s Book List - Jordan Peterson

Lex Fridman

1984 by George Orwell is one of the most impactful books ever written.

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