This month, my mind has been in Venezuela where the Maduro regime arrested hundreds of people after the elections, banned tools such as WhatsApp and used threats and violence to maintain power after it was proven that Maduro had not won the elections.
Literature has shown us the worst abuses of power and the worst human beings, but it has also shown the way to freedom. As reading helps us to keep our minds sharp, this month we bring you books that reflect those regimes of oppression, moments of convulsion and search for freedom.
The unbearable lightness of being, Milan Kundera
Novel
Published: 1984
Pages: 320
Author’s nationality: Czech
This complexly reflective work explores how the decisions we make have repercussions on our lives and the lives of others.
Kundera masterfully shapes existential themes framed during the period of the Prague Spring in 1968 and then in the context of the Soviet invasion that ended that brief period of liberalization. In doing so, he immerses readers in the idea of the lightness of human existence and the transience of life through universal themes of romantic relationships, political oppression and the search for meaning and freedom.
Who’d like this?
For readers who want to reflect and question their own existence. This book is considered one of the most important in contemporary literature, so it should be on every reading list.
Quotes
- “But when the strong were too weak to hurt the weak, the weak had to be strong enough to leave.”
- “On the surface, an intelligible lie; underneath, the unintelligible truth.”
Readers say
- “Is this a novel? Or a philosophy book? It has so many levels! A great and important book to read and discuss,” says an Amazon user.
- “There is much pain in the pages, much physical pleasure, and some joy. The joys that are discovered through difficulty are so much sweeter for that which has come before,” says an Amazon user.
Nineteen Eighty-Four, George Orwell
Dystopian novel
Published: 1949
Pages: 328
Author’s nationality: UK
Media manipulation, mass surveillance, resistance to oppression, political repression, loss of privacy and individual autonomy are the central themes of Nineteen Eighty-Four, where the totalitarian government headed by Big Brother exercises absolute control over people.
For me, this is an essential book, which marked a turning point in my life.
Who’d like this?
People who want not only a novel but also a clear warning about the dangers of authoritarianism will appreciate this reading. The critique of the abuse of power, government surveillance and opinion control, and the way it is told, have made this book one of great popular influence.
Quotes
- “Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past.”
- “Big Brother is Watching You.”
Readers say
- “Orwell’s despondent view of an evil utopia hits all the right notes,” says an Amazon user.
- “Never has this book been more timely. A must-read for everyone,” says an Amazon user.
Long Walk to Freedom, Nelson Mandela
Autobiography
Published: 1994
Pages: 638
Author’s nationality: South African
A testimony to the fight for freedom, dignity and equality in South Africa and around the world through Mandela’s lens.
Long Walk to Freedom follows the iconic leader’s life from his childhood, his years as a political prisoner, to his days in office as South Africa’s first black president. The powerful narrative speaks to racial discrimination, the struggle against apartheid, the quest for equality and resistance against injustice.
Who’d like this?
People who want to read a powerful voice that marked generations around the world. The book talks loud and clear about resilience, reconciliation and the construction of a new reality where the unity of the country prevails.
Quotes
- “No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.”
- “I am fundamentally an optimist. Whether that comes from nature or nurture, I cannot say. Part of being optimistic is keeping one’s head pointed toward the sun, one’s feet moving forward. There were many dark moments when my faith in humanity was sorely tested, but I would not and could not give myself up to despair. That way lays defeat and death.”
Readers say
- “You’ll walk with him through his days as a lawyer, his time as a disruptor, his prison years and his period as the positional leader of South Africa. Amazing!!!” says an Amazon user.
- “A very moving tale of exemplary sacrifices,” says an Amazon user.