A Clockwork Orange
by Burgess, Anthony
- Used
- near fine
- first
- Condition
- Near Fine/Near Fine
- Seller
-
Pasadena, California, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
A story that raises questions about crime, punishment, and human nature. Setting out in a London of the future, Alex seeks thrills and entertainment by committing "a little of the old ultraviolence" on other citizens of the city. Following a particularly violent episode, Alex is jailed and submits to a new form of physical and psychological punishment that will affect his own humanity for the rest of his life. "A Clockwork Orange is Anthony Burgess' most famous novel, and its impact on literary, musical, and visual culture has been extensive. The novel is concerned with the conflict between the individual and the state, the punishment of young criminals, and the possibility of redemption" (Burgess Foundation). Near Fine in Near Fine dust jacket.
Synopsis
Anthony Burgess wrote more than 40 novels, but A Clockwork Orange is certainly his most famous. The novel is set in a not-too-distant future English society, namely characterized by a subculture of extreme youth violence. Alex, the unapologetic teenaged protagonist, narrates his exploits and experiences with state authorities intent on reforming him. This narration — in a fictional slang called nadsat — is an experiment in language, combining elements of Russian and Cockney English. In fact, the title of the novel itself is taken from an old Cockney expression: “As queer as a clockwork orange.” The US edition of the novel was published without the final chapter, in which Alex grows up to renounce violence. Burgess strongly disapproved of the decision, arguing that it distorted the novel into a tale of unredeemable evil — far from the author’s original intention. Ironically, the US edition of A Clockwork Orange became a cult classic and was used by Stanley Kubrick for his 1971 film adaptation. A Clockwork Orange is ranked 65th on Modern Library’s “100 Best” English-language novels of the 20th century. It is also listed in TIME’s “100 Best Novels” (since 1923).
Reviews
One of the worst books ever! this is sick.
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Details
- Bookseller
- Whitmore Rare Books (US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 4582
- Title
- A Clockwork Orange
- Author
- Burgess, Anthony
- Book Condition
- Used - Near Fine
- Jacket Condition
- Near Fine
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Edition
- First edition
- Publisher
- Heinemann
- Place of Publication
- London
- Date Published
- 1962
Terms of Sale
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About the Seller
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Glossary
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- New
- A new book is a book previously not circulated to a buyer. Although a new book is typically free of any faults or defects, "new"...
- Flap(s)
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- Cloth
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- First Edition
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- Fine
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- Jacket
- Sometimes used as another term for dust jacket, a protective and often decorative wrapper, usually made of paper which wraps...