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We: A Novel of the Future
We: A Novel of the Future | Eugene Zamiatin
First published in the West in 1924, We is an adventurous story of the future nameless "numbers," the two-tenths of the world's population that survived the Great Two Hundred Years War. Their food is derived from petroleum, and they believe that their totally restricted existence under the watchful eye of the Benefactor is the ideal. They do not mourn the passing of the creative human spirit; indeed, they are hardly aware it ever existed. More than half a century later, We remains a strange and telling tragicomedy of love and death. The author, an acknowledged satirist in his own right, set the stage for Orwell's Animal Farm and 1984.
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GatheringBooks
We: New Edition | Yevgeny Zamyatin
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#AboutABook Day 19: #Pub100YearsAgo - yet it still resonates.

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Gorgeous 😋 4mo
Eggs Mmmmm 4mo
sarahbarnes I remember reading this for a class in college - it definitely left an impression. 4mo
41 likes3 comments
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Born.A.Reader
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#pub100yearsago #aboutabook
My newest hire on my team at work recommended this one to me. Originally published in 1924.
@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Eggs

Eggs Awesome ❤️💜❤️ 4mo
21 likes1 comment
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Rachel.Rencher
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Next up 🤓

BarbaraBB This was a tough one for me 12mo
62 likes1 stack add1 comment
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sebrittainclark
We, Yevgeny Zamyatin | Yevgeny Zamyatin
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I'm not going to admit how many of these books I read and got wrong and how many I got right based solely on cover vibes 😅

https://bookriot.com/sc-fi-opening-line-quiz/

rachelsbrittain I'm still super impressed with how many you got, especially since I tried to make it hard to game the system! 😂 2y
RaeLovesToRead Wow! Nice work. I only got 16. And I'm annoyed about it because I've read so many of these books 🤣🤣 2y
CatMS I scored 11 of 27, not good but haven't read many of these books 2y
33 likes3 comments
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GidgetsTreasures75
We: A Novel of the Future | Eugene Zamiatin
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Mehso-so

8-16-22: My 80th finished book of 2022! Written in 1924 and considered the grandfather to 1984 this novel tells the story of an organized United State where all citizens are not individuals but only numbers existing in identical glass apartments with all actions regulated by the Table of Hours. Freedom and happiness are incompatible. This was short but tough. ⭐️⭐️⭐️📖#️⃣8️⃣0️⃣

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TheSpineView
We: New Edition | Yevgeny Zamyatin
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#Movie2BookRecs @Klou
Prompt: Inception

Klou Brilliant! I love the cover, too!! 3y
54 likes1 comment
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DrexEdit
We: New Edition | Yevgeny Zamyatin
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Mehso-so

This was a difficult read, both because of the style of writing and because the dystopian future thing feels over done. But this is the book that supposedly started all the others. It influenced Orwell when he was writing 1984 (indeed a glowing review by Orwell is included in my edition, bookended with an Intro by Margaret Atwood). This is a real “under his eye“ type story set in a clean, symmetrical glass-built city.
#NetGalley #ARC

DrexEdit The loose disjointed writing style made it hard for me to get traction with this story. In the edition I read, there is a line space between every paragraph and every paragraph is almost it's own separate mini-story. Everything switches directions all the time. I switched from electronic format to print because I do find electronic books difficult to find my place in. The print was only marginally easier to track. 3y
DrexEdit Everyone in this future world has a number, not a name. They all participate in the same activities at the same hour of the day. When our protagonist starts to break the rules, things get even more confusing and it's hard to tell what is real and what is dream. Confusion is my main take-away from this read. I'm glad I read it, but I can't say I enjoyed it! 3y
vivastory Great review! I did enjoy this one, but out of the 3 foundational dystopian stories: WE, Brave New World & 194 I'd say that WE is my least favorite. I read something interesting the other day. Arcade Fire's upcoming album is partially nfluenced by this book. 3y
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DrexEdit @vivastory Thanks! I am glad I read it and I can appreciate it's importance in the canon. It's like listening to blues music to understand rock and roll. It's good to know the roots of things. I'd say Orwell and Huxley and even Atwood took the concept to better literary places. Arcade Fire, huh? I'll be interested to check that out too. :-) 3y
BarbaraBB I have to agree with @vivastory regarding the book itself but I love your review! 3y
DrexEdit @BarbaraBB thanks! 😊 3y
50 likes6 comments
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Dodi
We: New Edition | Yevgeny Zamyatin
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"And happiness... what is it, after all? Desires are a torment, aren't they? And it's clear that happiness is when there are no longer any desires, not even one...".

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Dodi
We: New Edition | Yevgeny Zamyatin
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Pickpick

3/5

A thought-stimulating book.

In this totalitarian state, where individuality is oppressed to the point that there's no "I", only "We", freedom and happiness are incompatible.

If you conform to others you're not free, but does this make you happy? In other words, can you be happy if you're not free to live your own individuality? Isn't it freedom that makes you happy? Happiness is freedom - freedom to chose to be happy.

Worth reading.

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Dodi
We: New Edition | Yevgeny Zamyatin
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"The stone-house age" ?

3 likes2 stack adds
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Kempfme
Pickpick

I read this for Reading Rivalry on Facebook. It is a unique read that reminds me so much of 1984. It takes place in a time that people are named with one letter and a sequence on numbers, dreaming is considered a form of mental illness, and people do complex problems for relaxation.

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QBub
We: A Novel of the Future | Eugene Zamiatin
Pickpick

Another good reread from high school.

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TiminCalifornia
We: New Edition | Yevgeny Zamyatin
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Pickpick

A curiosity of a book in the dystopian diaspora of literature. Of note in the edition I read is an essay by George Orwell on We‘s influence on 1984. I found the afterward from the translator, Bela Shayevich, very enjoyable. This is a translation for a modern reader, the word choices are contemporary, and the sci-fi feeling holds true even though the writing is now nearly 100 years old. #netgalley

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4069970262

Riveted_Reader_Melissa I found this interesting when I read it the other year. 3y
37 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Jari-chan
We: New Edition | Yevgeny Zamyatin
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Pickpick

This diary style written book often ends in a Stream of Consciousness, which made it hard to follow. Still it's is another proof of how farsighted some authors were. Especially when it comes to surveillance Zamyatin comes close to what's reality now. And how we just accept it. It made me shiver more than once. Especially when I found more resemblances to our modern times.

@TheAromaofBooks #BookSpinBingo
#FoodAndLit @Butterfinger @Texreader

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 4y
41 likes1 comment
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TiminCalifornia
Zamyatin: We | Yevgeny Zamyatin
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Got a bingo! I‘ll be able to add a couple #Netgalley reads by end of month if all goes well. Not sure about a second bingo.

Loaded up on the #queer #lgbtq books for June and Pride.

#bookspinbingo

TheAromaofBooks Yay bingo!!!! 4y
29 likes1 comment
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Jari-chan
We: New Edition | Yevgeny Zamyatin
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While looking for recipes from #Russia I of course came along the famous Stroganoff. Nah, I thought, to common. But then someone posted a Stroganoff recipe on the food blogs I'm following, and I came to the conclusion that this might be a sign. So I made a Stroganoff and thoroughly enjoyed it. Guess now I know why it is such a famous dish 😋

#FoodAndLit @Butterfinger @Texreader

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Jari-chan
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Yesterday I tried the courgette stew from #Russia (bought at the lovely Russian webstore I've already mentioned) and it is so tasty! I think I could just take a spoon an eat the 530 gramms in one go 😋

#FoodandLit @Butterfinger @Texreader

Texreader That‘s awesome!! 4y
TheBookHippie Yum!!!! Looks so good. 4y
34 likes2 comments
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Jari-chan
We: New Edition | Yevgeny Zamyatin
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Yesterdays lunch fitted yesterdays weather just perfectly. A warm self-made Soljanka for our #FoodandLit journey to #Russia - pure Soulfood ❤

@Butterfinger @Texreader

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Jari-chan
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To celebrate yesterday's Russian Language Day I sat down with some Russian Tea Cakes. If you like wafers, they're great 🤩 Nice coat of tasty dark chocolate included 😋

#Russia #FoodandLit @Butterfinger @Texreader

Texreader Mmmm. What do you think of this book? It‘s been on my tbr forever 4y
Jari-chan @Texreader I had to get used to its writing style at first, but now it's getting more and more interesting. 4y
31 likes1 stack add4 comments
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Jari-chan
We: New Edition | Yevgeny Zamyatin
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My order for our #FoodandLit journey to #Russia not only came in a smiling box, but I also got a more expensive product from the shop owner, since the one I chose was out of stock. What a lovely store! 🥰

@Texreader @Butterfinger

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The_Penniless_Author
We: New Edition | Yevgeny Zamyatin
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#sundayfunday @ozma.of.oz

1. Tagged
2. Terry Pratchett (can't believe it took me so long!)
3. Like most people, getting to travel and to visit family/friends.

BookmarkTavern I always love seeing people discover Terry Pratchett! Thank you for sharing! 4y
Vansa I loved We, I read it only 2 years back too. I like that the ending is more hopeful than 1984! 4y
The_Penniless_Author @Milara January, I think. Maybe last December. 4y
27 likes3 comments
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The_Penniless_Author
We: New Edition | Yevgeny Zamyatin
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Pickpick

The grandfather of all dystopian novels and a direct precursor to 1984 and Brave New World, this might be better than either of them (and I love both those books). The same anti-totalitarianism themes are there, but We feels somehow less topical than its descendants. In his youth, during the waning days of the Tsar, Zamyatin was a Bolshevik activist who was imprisoned and exiled multiple times. 👎

The_Penniless_Author Returning to Russia in 1917, he quickly soured on the nascent Soviet government and was again imprisoned in 1919 and 1922. It would be easy to look at We as a critique of Communism, but its scope is much broader than that. Zamyatin saw all of modern civilization - whether centralized state control or the capitalist push for industrialization and ever-greater efficiency - as progressing toward the erosion of the soul and the 👎 4y
The_Penniless_Author mechanization of humanity. The intervening 80 years have largely borne out this idea. We is particularly chilling because the future it describes is in many ways the logical endpoint of the path we‘re now on. 4y
nanuska_153 This book ruined 1984 for me. I think George Orwell passed the line between being inspired by a book and copying content. First time I read 1984 I loved it, after reading We I see it more as a fanfic 😂 4y
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The_Penniless_Author @nanuska_153 He even admitted he was using We as a template to write 1984. I still think 1984 is a great book, but this certainly casts a different light on it. Given Orwell's feelings about fascism it's not surprising We inspired him to write a similar novel. I just never realized HOW similar 🙂 4y
nanuska_153 @The_Penniless_Author Exactly, I didn't expect it to be that similar and although I know George Orwell was opened about his inspiration, I can't help but feeling sorry for Zamyatin; his book is not nearly as well know as Orwell's and it was, after all, his story. Happy to give George Orwell all his credit for Animal Farm though! (Unless I find some Russian story that survived the censorship and it's the exactly the same 😅) 4y
The_Penniless_Author @nanuska_153 And to complicate things further, I guess there's a Jerome K. Jerome short story, The New Utopia, that came out 30 years before We and includes a lot of the same themes and imagery (including a forced egalitarianism where everyone wears the same clothing - "unis" - and even have body modifications to prevent anyone from having a physical advantage over others - which itself was a theme in Vonnegut's short story Harrison Bergeron.) 4y
The_Penniless_Author @nanuska_153 In other words, we could probably go on like this forever 😂 4y
35 likes3 stack adds7 comments
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The_Penniless_Author
We: New Edition | Yevgeny Zamyatin
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If this means that you are in agreement with me - then let's talk like grownups, when the children have gone to bed: about everything right through to the end. I ask you: what have people - from the very cradle - prayed for, dreamed about, and agonized over? They wanted someone, anyone, to tell them once and for all what happiness is - and then to attach them to this happiness with a chain...

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The_Penniless_Author
We: New Edition | Yevgeny Zamyatin
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However sad it is, I ought to record here that, obviously, even today, the process of hardening, the crystallization of life has not yet been completed, it hasn't reached the ideal - there are still a few stages to go. The ideal (clearly) is a state where nothing actually happens anymore...

Liz_M I love that cover! 4y
32 likes1 comment
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The_Penniless_Author
We: New Edition | Yevgeny Zamyatin
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I am merely copying, word for word, what was printed in the State Gazette today:

#FirstLineFridays @ShyBookOwl

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Morr_Books
We: New Edition | Yevgeny Zamyatin
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1/3 of the way into #JoyousJanuary Readathon. I'm on track with my goals. Finished one book (tagged) out of the three books I want to read this week and read for 11 hours out of the 24 I want to read. I am finally getting my reading life back. @Andrew65

Moonprismpower I hope you‘re enjoying your reading time. 🙂 good job on goals! 4y
Andrew65 You are doing great. 👏👏👏 4y
Morr_Books Thanks @Moonprismpower ! I am enjoying my reading time a lot. Keeps me calm. 😊 4y
Morr_Books Thank you for the encouragement @Andrew65 ! 👍 4y
31 likes4 comments
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Morr_Books
We: New Edition | Yevgeny Zamyatin
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I'm excited to start this readathon just in time for my three-day weekend. Here are my goals:
1. Finish 3 books
2. Read at least 20 hours
3. Attend book club
#JoyousJanuary @Andrew65

Andrew65 Good luck, great to have you with us. 😊 Great goals. 4y
29 likes1 comment
review
Auntynanny
We | Yevgeny Zamyatin
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Pickpick

I really enjoyed this strange, early dystopic story.

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Emilymdxn
We | Yevgeny Zamyatin
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Pickpick

I rarely enjoy dystopian futures but this one was flawless, in a lot of ways it‘s everything I wanted 1984 to be. The prose and the translation were fantastic, the sense of menace and desperation, the rocket and the glass houses. It was nightmare-ish but also so beautiful to read about. I could take a bath in this prose.

KathyWheeler This shows up on a lot of “best dystopian fiction” lists; I keep meaning to read it. 4y
The_Penniless_Author Hmm, love 1984, so it's intriguing hearing something compared favorably to it. I'll have to add to my stack. Thanks for the recommendation! 4y
57 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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HeyT
We | Yevgeny Zamyatin
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Another slow reading month for me. I had hoped to get one more book done but it was a chunkster so I've fallen short. I enjoyed pretty much everything I read this month but the standout was We because it is so relevant today despite being written in the 1920s.
2 eBook
5 Physical
I'm sitting at 9000 #BuriedAliveChallenge points with an average of 103 points per qualifying book.
#SeptemberWrapUp

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HeyT
We | Yevgeny Zamyatin
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Pickpick

It's amazing to me that this book was originally written in the 1920s because it feels like it could have just as easily been written today. It covers a variety of issues like free will and happiness along with individualism versus the collective. I can easily see why the ladies of Gaslit Nation have this on their recommended reading list.
#BuriedAliveChallenge

19 likes2 stack adds
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HeyT
We | Yevgeny Zamyatin
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Took my grandmother to get her hearing aids adjusted so I‘m just reading in the car while I wait for her.

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HeyT
We | Yevgeny Zamyatin
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#BookReport
I finished up The Outside and New Spring relatively early in the week but it took me forever to open up We for the SFFBC buddy read. I'm still feeling kind of book slumpish so it's hard to actually open a book. Once I do I'm fine it's just the motivation to start that's lacking

#WeeklyForecast
I should finish up We pretty quickly since it's so short and then I'll try to tackle The Expanse again.

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RamsFan1963
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I am posting one book per day from my extensive to-be-read collection. No description or reason for wanting to read the book. Some are old and some will be new. Don't judge me - I have a lot of books.
Day 91

#tbrmountain #bookbuyingdiet

sudi I saw this on serial reader and wanted to read it. I think the first time i read about it was in an article saying that 1984 was partly influenced by this book. 4y
46 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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HeyT
We: New Edition | Yevgeny Zamyatin
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I‘m reading a used copy from the early 1970s and found this at the beginning. I‘m curious to find out how it relates to the narrative if at all. (I think it‘s relevant because the main character is a mathematician) Nit pick though the first i should equal square root of -1 not just i.

SpaceCowboyBooks There's is a subtle math joke hidden in the book 4y
HeyT @SpaceCowboyBooks I look forward to finding it then :) 4y
16 likes2 comments
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TheEllieMo
We: New Edition | Yevgeny Zamyatin
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📖 We - Yevgeny Zamyatin
📚 H G Wells
🎥 West Side Story
🎤 Whitesnake
🎵 Walk This Way - RunDMC & Aerosmith

#ManicMonday #LetterW @JoScho

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HeyT
We | Yevgeny Zamyatin
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While I still haven't finished my #DoubleSpin for June I thought I should put together my list for July's #BookSpin. I'm still on the fence about partaking in the Bingo or not but it looks like it will be fun. @TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 4y
14 likes1 comment
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nosferatu
We: New Edition | Yevgeny Zamyatin
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Pickpick

So well written (or translated?) that it‘s hard to believe it‘s a hundred years old.

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CindyMyLifeIsLit
We: New Edition | Yevgeny Zamyatin
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Ringing out 2019 dystopian style! I have to finish this plus two more to meet my goal for this year for the first time EVER!! I am so excited!!! #readinggoals

34 likes1 stack add
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GatheringBooks
We: New Edition | Yevgeny Zamyatin
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rockabillybibliophile
We: New Edition | Yevgeny Zamyatin
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Two quotes struck me in the last few pages of We by Yevgeny Zamyatin:

"A person is like a novel: Up to the very last page you don't know how it's going to end. Otherwise, there'd be no point in reading...."

"Children are the only bold philosophers. And bold philosophers will always be children."

#postapocalyptic #littens #yevgenyzamyatin

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rockabillybibliophile
We: New Edition | Yevgeny Zamyatin
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Getting through the last half of We today...

Bookwomble Fantastic, and influential, dystopian book. 6y
rockabillybibliophile I absolutely loved it! 6y
8 likes2 comments
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tina_b.ooks
We: New Edition | Yevgeny Zamyatin
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Mehso-so

I wanted to read this book because it's an early dystipian novel (written in 1920) that may or may not have influnced other great dystopies such as "1984" or "Brave New World". However, I didn't like it nearly as much as I wanted to.
??? 3/5

22 likes1 stack add
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Mirazzles
We: New Edition | Yevgeny Zamyatin
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Mehso-so

I really liked the idea of this book and it is clear that Zamyatin is quite intelligent; however, the constant use of ellipses and mathematical equations came off really confusing at times. I really wanted to like this book but it was really hard to follow at times and the protagonist isn‘t likeable at all. #sciencefiction #bibliophile

swynn Mathematical equations are sort of my thing so I'm stacking it. Thanks for posting about it, even if it didn't work for you! 6y
Mirazzles @swynn I hope you enjoy it! It does have an interesting premise :) 6y
Erofan I agree with you! I couldn't finish this book 😖 6y
25 likes2 stack adds3 comments
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Mirazzles
We: New Edition | Yevgeny Zamyatin
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I have to read this for my science fiction class. If anyone has read it what‘d you think of it? Did any themes or moments stuck out to you? I have to pick a theme and discuss it. I usually don‘t read to much science fiction so I‘m a little new to it. #bibliophile #sciencefiction #mustread

Lel2403 Welcome to Litsy 6y
StillLookingForCarmenSanDiego Welcome to Litsy 📖💙 6y
CoffeeNBooks Welcome to Litsy! 🎉 6y
See All 7 Comments
WiseGirl13 Welcome to Litsy! My name is Nora and I absolutely love books. I read a lot of middle grade so if you're into that feel free to check out my account. I know they are not often active but you should follow @CatConstellations @Lilip and @AvacadoandGlitter. 6y
Ostaff1 Welcome to Litsy! 6y
Nute I‘m excited to know that there is such a thing as a Science Fiction Literature Class. I hope that you are enjoying it. 6y
Mirazzles @Nute I am! I find it very interesting and we have a wide range that we study :) thanks! 6y
16 likes1 stack add7 comments
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Riveted_Reader_Melissa
We: New Edition | Yevgeny Zamyatin
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Pickpick

This is such a weird little dystopian science fiction read, I started out thinking it might be a DNF for me, but ended up with a moving story that will stick with me. This book was written in 1924, and you can definitely see its influence on later Sci-Fi classics. The human race is reduced to number designations, their every movement choreographed down to the second, but it all starts to fall apart as D503 develops a mysterious illness: a soul.

melissajayne I read it for a Russian Lit class in university and thought it was a rather interesting book. The sex tickets were rather odd. 6y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa @melissajayne They are, but a very interesting way to deal with it that I‘d never seen in any dystopian before. (edited) 6y
75 likes4 stack adds2 comments
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Riveted_Reader_Melissa
We: New Edition | Yevgeny Zamyatin
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Riveted_Reader_Melissa
We: New Edition | Yevgeny Zamyatin
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Riveted_Reader_Melissa
We: New Edition | Yevgeny Zamyatin
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