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Edward Bellamy

Looking Backward

Edward BellamyFiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1888

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Book Brief

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Edward Bellamy

Looking Backward

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1888
Book Details
Pages

240

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Boston, Massachusetts • 2000s

Publication Year

1888

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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Super Short Summary

Looking Backward by Edward Bellamy follows Julian West, who falls asleep in 1887 amid labor riots and wakes up in the year 2000 to find an idealized socialist society that has eradicated many of the social ills of his time through sweeping reforms, including nationalized industries and equal wealth distribution, profoundly transforming his views on society and morality. The novel harbors offensive ideas about gender and race, contains dated language describing people of color, and depicts a patriarchal society where men predominantly hold leadership roles.

Hopeful

Inspirational

Contemplative

Nostalgic

Reviews & Readership

3.8

6,787 ratings

44%

Loved it

35%

Mixed feelings

21%

Not a fan

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Review Roundup

Edward Bellamy's Looking Backward is praised for its innovative vision of a future utopian society, providing thought-provoking commentary on social and economic reforms. Critics commend its imaginative narrative and social ideals, but some find its characters underdeveloped and the prose dated. Despite these flaws, it remains a seminal work in utopian literature.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Looking Backward?

A reader who would enjoy Looking Backward by Edward Bellamy is likely interested in utopian literature and social reform. Fans of dystopian and utopian classics like George Orwell’s 1984 or Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World will appreciate Bellamy’s vision of a future society marked by equality and advanced technology.

3.8

6,787 ratings

44%

Loved it

35%

Mixed feelings

21%

Not a fan

Book Details
Pages

240

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Boston, Massachusetts • 2000s

Publication Year

1888

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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