Publication

2000 - Penguin Classics, London

Language

English

Purchase

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Word Count

35250 words, Guess

Page Count

141 pages

Physical Format

Paperback

Identifiers

Classifications

  • DDC823.914

Description

A Clockwork Orange is a dystopian satirical black comedy novel by English writer Anthony Burgess, published in 1962. It is set in a near-future society that has a youth subculture of extreme violence. The teenage protagonist, Alex, narrates his violent exploits and his experiences with state authorities intent on reforming him. The book is partially written in a Russian-influenced argot called "Nadsat", which takes its name from the Russian suffix that is equivalent to '-teen' in English. According to Burgess, it was a jeu d'esprit written in just three weeks. In 2005, A Clockwork Orange was included on Time magazine's list of the 100 best English-language novels written since 1923, and it was named by Modern Library and its readers as one of the 100 best English-language novels of the 20th century. The original manuscript of the book has been kept at McMaster University's William Ready Division of Archives and Research Collections in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada since the institution purchased the documents in 1971. It is considered one of the most influential dystopian books. ---------- Also contained in: [A Clockwork Orange and Honey for the Bears](https://openlibrary.org/works/OL23787405W) [A Clockwork Orange / The Wanting Seed](https://openlibrary.org/works/OL17306508W)

First Sentence

'WHAT'S it going to be then, eh?'

Description

Fifteen-year-old Alex doesn't just like ultra-violence - he also enjoys rape, drugs and Beethoven's Ninth. He and his gang rampage through a dystopian future, hunting for terrible thrills. But when Alex finds himself at the mercy of the state and subject to the ministrations of Dr Brodsky, the government psychologist, he discovers that fun is no longer the order of the day ... The basis for one of the most notorious films ever made, A Clockwork Orange is both a virtuoso performance from an electrifying prose stylist and a serious exploration of the morality of free will. --back cover

Subjects

Topics

rapeGangsbibleargotSátirasatireorgasm

Places

EnglandKorova Milk Bar

People

DimPetAlexGeorgeBillyboyCat WomanDr. Branom

Other Editions

Person reading a book and lounging on a couch