1984

'Nineteen Eighty-Four' is a classic dystopian novel by George Orwell, first published in 1949. It is widely regarded as one of the most important literary works of the 20th century, frequently appearing on various 'best books' lists, such as Time magazine's '100 Best English-language Novels' and the Modern Library's '100 Best English-language Novels of the 20th Century'. Along with 'Brave New World' and 'We', it is considered a quintessential work of dystopian fiction. This is a new traditional Chinese translation. The story is set in a fictional future world, approximately 40 years after its creation, in the year 1984. The setting is Oceania, a nation under totalitarian rule. The protagonist, Winston Smith, works in the 'Ministry of Truth', responsible for altering historical records to suit the Party's propaganda needs. In this world, the government is controlled by a mysterious figure known as 'Big Brother', who suppresses freedom of thought and behaviour through omnipresent surveillance. The government uses 'Newspeak' to limit people's ability to think and employs the 'Thought Police' to punish anyone who violates Party rules or even harbours 'impure' thoughts. The novel explores the dangers of totalitarianism and the oppression of individual freedom, revealing the terrifying consequences of controlling information and rewriting history. Many concepts from the book, such as 'doublethink' and 'thoughtcrime', have become important terms for describing totalitarian phenomena in reality.