Book
Looking Backwards
- Published
- 1888
- Genre
- SciFi/Fantasy
- Publisher
- Dover Publications
- Pages
- 200
- URL
- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21812865-looking-backwards?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=9WS2JBrPDD&rank=1
Reading measures
- Suggested reading age
- ages 17–18
- Ambleside year
- Year 12 onwards · ages 17–20
An Ambleside year is a year of the Ambleside Online programme, not a reader's age. Year 0 is its first year, and a book used over several years shows the span. The ages beside it are that band offered two grades up and none down, which is how we offer a band; they are a placement, not a reading measure.
The book tells the story of Julian West, a young American who, towards the end of the 19th century, falls into a deep, hypnosis-induced sleep and wakes up one hundred and thirteen years later. He finds himself in the same location (Boston, Massachusetts), but in a totally changed world: It is the year 2000 and, while he was sleeping, the United States has been transformed into a socialist utopia. The remainder of the book outlines Bellamy's thoughts about improving the future. The major themes include problems associated with capitalism, a proposed socialist solution of a nationalisation of all industry, the use of an "industrial army" to organize production and distribution, as well as how to ensure free cultural production under such conditions. The young man readily finds a guide, Doctor Leete, who shows him around and explains all the advances of this new age; including drastically reduced working hours for people performing menial jobs and almost instantaneous, Internet-like delivery of goods. Everyone retires with full benefits at age 45, and may eat in any of the public kitchens. The productive capacity of America is nationally owned, and the goods of society are equally distributed to its citizens. A considerable portion of the book is dialogue between Leete and West wherein West expresses his confusion about how the future society works and Leete explains.
ISBN
- ISBN-13
- 9780486290386
- ISBN-10
- 0486290387
Tags
Community Life-PoliticsSocial IssuesSocial Studies-GovernmentUnited States of AmericaUtopia