Jumat, 14 Desember 2012

These Great British Political Novels Will Keep Any Reader Busy

By Carmella Rolls


While it can be sometimes difficult to find great novels written about politics and politicians, there have been many great books about the issues of politics which have been created by writers from Great Britain. Some of the best political novels have been composed as allegories which serve as indictments of society or systems of government. Others are more like thrillers, while some use characteristics of science fiction.

One of the classic political novels is George Orwell's work '1984'. This dystopian vision of a totalitarian society was conjured from Orwell's mind after the Second World War, and highlights the dehumanising aspects of living in fascist societies. Considered a seminal work, it could be said that in many ways, especially with regards to the technology in the book, that is science fiction.

Another novel which deals with a dystopian future society is Aldous Huxley's 'Brave New World'. Again, this work has much in common with works of science fiction, and takes place in a totalitarian world where people are created in laboratories. Anyone who dares to exist outside of the highly stratified and hierarchical society is branded as a savage.

For a more idealistic, and yet equally critical, take on politics, 'The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists', written by Robert Tressell, is a good book to read. This polemical work centres on the lives and struggles of a group of house painters in the early years of the 20th century in England. This book is best suited to a reader who is young and still idealistic.

Many spy thrillers also deal with questions of politics, especially those which centre on global situations. A superb early 20th century book which deals with the world of espionage is 'The Thirty Nine Steps', by Scottish author John Buchan. The hero of the book, Richard Hannay, has to foil a German plot, so it could also be said that this is a good example of terrorism fiction.

One great book from the 1950s is 'Lord of the Flies' by William Golding. This seminal work has made its way into the cultural make-up of Britain, its title becoming shorthand for a state of barbarity. Its tale of a group of boys stranded on an island, and how they descend into savagery, is a classic dissection of human society.

British authors have produced some of the finest political novels ever written. The books listed here give great insight into not only human beings' reaction to political systems, but also a view of British society. They are all great learning experiences as well as fine fiction.




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