A clockwork Oange Anthony Burgess Book
by Anthony Burgess

The beauty of this book is trying to understand and explain.. But u don't succed in that.. At least I didn't..

Hey, Mimi,lol, you won the upper hand! I came here precisely to post this book. I just finished reading it today. I read the original version, with 21 chapters,different from the American version, which had only 20 and on which Kubrik`s film was based. In the original version there is a change in the protagonist as he grows up. In the American and film version,vicious Alex does not change. Anyway, that 21st chapter is not enough explanation for the "ultra violence" seeping through the pages... The book is an unpleasant portrait of a nightmarish future in which pointless, ultra violence takes over the streets when the sun is down. Violence from all directions, on the part of blood thirsty teenagers, also from an all-powerful state, and also on the part of those who fight that government... I`d personally say it`s an uncomfortable read, but one that should be done as it still beacons a warning over forty years after it was written. A most politically incorrect book in my opinion, like a slap on the reader`s face, intended to awaken us to possible scenarios which may not be that far after all.

I personally dislike all kinds of violence and even shun many a film because of that, but felt it was good to read this novel. I don`t regret reading it, quite the contrary!

I pretty much agree with clara1956 on this one, and also read the 21 chapter version of the book (which I believe is the ONLY version that should be read), although Burgess did have his own financial reasons for releasing a 20 chapter version of the book in the United States. The details on this are revealed in some versions of A Clockwork Orange.

This book touches up on MANY things, but the 21st chapter is symbolic of its number. The primary message of this book deals with growing up. There are also many other subtle messages throughout the book, many dealing with society.

I completely understand Burgess on his use of "ultra violence", or more simply the constant use of violence throughout the book. Not only was this a future society that we are most likely entering in a very subtle way (MUCH like Orwell's 1984), but also because violence is a VERY constant theme in mankind's existence on the planet Earth. Like violence or not, it's everywhere, and as of right now it is a large part of our nature :(

I'm assuming that I picked this book apart properly, mostly because I took a college prep course in high school and wrote a rather lengthy paper on it. My teacher had also read A Clockwork Orange in college and told me that I had nailed it :)

VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: This book is most easily read and understood with a glossary (for the unique slang) that isn't hard to find on the internet.

I'm glad I read it at school because it would drive me nuts now, learning that language all over again. Clever book, for all that a 'translation' wouldn't leave much of a story.