A Clockwork Orange

[Grim H.]

I just started reading this. Good book, but a little hard to read. Anyone else read this (or at least tried to)?

[Slim]

A great book! The nadsat language takes a bit of getting used to, but adds another layer to the story. I ended up writing an essay on the freedom of moral choice in ACO for English class. The final product turned out to be the best essay in the class! Even got a number of people to read the book afterwards. Next to The Catcher in the Rye, this one of my absolute favourite books all-time.

I read this before even knowing there was a movie. Needless to say, I watched it and was blown away at how amazing Kubrick's vision captured the essence of the book. One of the finest film adaptations I've seen. Hence, my favourite movie.

[DaMovieMan]

Amazing book made into an Amazing Movie.

I had no trouble reading it, the author Anthony Burgess is amazing at how he incorpirates the language.
If you love these kinda books then read Franz Kafka's The Trial which is also fucking amazing.

DMM

[MarkItZero]

Great book.

[DoctorGonzo]

By the end of the book, you'll have no trouble with the language. Just don't use it yourself, by accident, that's all.

While I thought the book was excellent and still relevant, I found the film tiresome and dated. I don't think that that's a widely held opinion, though.

[DescendingAngel]

this has to be my favorite book...i had seen the movie so many times by the time i actually got the book that i had no problem at all reading it...actually thought it added to the book, though i can kinda see how people could have difficulty. i LOVED the movie, thought the book was even better!

[XCoRyX]

there IS a nadsat translator online...I came across it before....never read the book but the book obviously inspired kubrick to make my favorite film of all time.

[Reigh Kaufman]

I read it often - usually over longticks of toast and a nice glass of the old moloko plus. I got a copy from my dad that contains the nadsat translator as an appendix, which was useful the first time I ever read it. I know Burgess was displeased that the book had a translation but, well, unless I became a Russian peasant I'm afraid I would have had trouble that first time. Anyway, great book - and as dystopic texts go, second only to 1984 and The Handmaid's Tale (which I used to hate, but now love).

[BadCoverVersion]

I got me a signed copy...

Burgess lived just 4 streets away many years ago.

Tremendous book btw...

Kaufman, you love The Handmaids Tale..!? Jesus, that's one of my favourites also, alongside 1984 and others....

[Slim]

Originally posted by BadCoverVersion
I got me a signed copy...

Burgess lived just 4 streets away many years ago.

A signed copy, eh? Well, I'm quite envious of you right now. Geez, Burgess died of cancer a decade ago. It's odd that he wasn't very proud of ACO, stating that he felt his other works were more valuable.

[Grim H.]

Alrigh! I just finished it. Great read! I recommend it...I love the last chapter...I can't believe it was cut out of the original American version...Well, I figured maybe I'd bump this up a bit...

[Droog989]

Originally posted by Grim H.
Alrigh! I just finished it. Great read! I recommend it...I love the last chapter...I can't believe it was cut out of the original American version...Well, I figured maybe I'd bump this up a bit...

I don't like the last chapter at all really, but it suits the novel. I think for the film that Kubrick made, omitting the final chapter is necessary, and a good decision.

I love the book aswell, so I just thought I'd throw that in.

[Slim]

Originally posted by Droog989
I don't like the last chapter at all really, but it suits the novel. I think for the film that Kubrick made, omitting the final chapter is necessary, and a good decision.

I love the book aswell, so I just thought I'd throw that in.

I agree, it was necessary to omit the final chapter in the film. After all, it's not Anthony Burgess' A Clockwork Orange. It's Stanley Kubrick's adaptation. The final line "I was cured, all right" is much more effective than having a final scene where Alex realizes and evidently wants to shed his adolescence.

[KcMsterpce]

I loved A Clockwork Orange.
At first it was kinda hard to understand the pseudo-Russian language, but by the time I was halfway through it was hardly an issue, and I got just as lost in the book as I did the first time I saw the movie.

I don't mind too much that the last chapter was cut out of the movie. At first I did get a little irked, because the whole purpose of the 21st chapter

***SPOILERS*****
that a person with violent tendancies can change their ways by free will
****END OF SPOILERS****

but it's ok that the movie ended when it did for me now.

Kubrick's movie is NOT the book. If a few changes are made, that's the sacrifice of having a book be made into a film. They're two different entities, so you have to make sacrifices.

I also read the reprinted version of the book, with the commentary by Burgess stating his distaste towards the changes in the movie. I understand his concern, but at the same time I love both the book and the movie for their own reasons.