Publication

1987 - Penguin Books, Hammondsworth, Middlesex, England

Language

English

Purchase

Reading Length is an affiliate of the shops listed below, earning a percentage of your purchase as commission.

Word Count

37250 words, Guess

Page Count

149 pages

Physical Format

Paperback

Identifiers

and 1 more

Classifications

  • LCCPR6052.U638 C5 1972
  • 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 and his three friends start an evening's mayhem by hitting an old man, tearing up his books and stripping him of money and clothes. Or rather Alex and his three droogs tolchock an old veck, razrez his books, pull off his outer platties and take a malenky bit of cutter. For Alex's confessions are written in 'nadsat' - the teenage argot of a not-too-distant future. Because of his delinquent excesses, Alex is jailed and made subject to 'Ludovico's Technique,' a chilling experiment in Reclamation Treatment... Horror farce? Social prophecy? Penetrating study of human choice between good and evil? A Clockwork Orange is all three, dazzling proof of Anthony Burgess's vast talents.

Subjects

Topics

rapeGangsbibleargotSátirasatireorgasm

Places

EnglandKorova Milk Bar

People

DimPetAlexGeorgeBillyboyCat WomanDr. Branom

Other Editions

Person reading a book and lounging on a couch