A Clockwork Orange

AnthonyBurgess'snightmarevisionofasocietyoverrunbynihilisticviolenceandgovernedbyamenacingtotalitarianstate,AClockworkOrangeincludesanintroductionbyBlakeMorrisoninPenguinModernClassics.Fifteen-year-oldAlexdoesn'tjustlikeultra-violence-healsoenjoysrape,drugsandBeethoven'sninth.Heandhisgangofdroogsrampagethroughadystopianfuture,huntingforterriblethrills.ButwhenAlexfindshimselfatthemercyofthestateandsubjecttotheministrationsofDrBrodsky,andthemind-alteringtreatmentoftheLudovicoTechnique,hediscoversthatfunisnolongertheorderoftheday.ThebasisforStanleyKubrick'snotorious1971film,AClockworkOrangeisbothavirtuosoperformancefromanelectrifyingprosestylistandaseriousexplorationofthemoralityoffreewill.Inhisintroduction,BlakeMorrisonsituatesAClockworkOrangewithinthecontextofAnthonyBurgess'smanyotherworks,explorestheauthor'sunhappinesswiththeStanleyKubrickfilmversion,analysesthecompositionoftheNadsatargotspokenbyAlexandhisdroogs,andexaminestheinfluencesonBurgess'sunique,eternallyoriginalstyle.AnthonyBurgess(1917-93)wasborninManchesterin1917.From1954to1960hewasstationedinMalaysiaasaneducationofficer-duringthistimehestartedwritingTheMalayanTrilogy.Diagnosedwithaninoperablebraintumourin1959,Burgessbecameafull-timewriterandwentontowriteabookayearupuntilhisdeathin1993.Hismanyworksinclude:TheCompleteEnderby,TremorofIntent,TheKingdomoftheWickedandAClockworkOrange.IfyouenjoyedAClockworkOrange,youmightlikeKenKesey'sOneFlewOvertheCuckoo'sNest,alsoavailableinPenguinModernClassics.