1984

1984, by George Orwell, 326 pages

We've all read this, right?  I think we have- so this is a short summary. 

Winston works for the Ministry of Truth, where he routinely provides support for the government's lies, and lives his life under the shadow of such institutions as Big Brother, who is always watching, and the Thought Police, who know when people even think about straying outside the norm.  Winston has dangerous thoughts and ideas, and the first step down his path to ruin or salvation (depending on how you look at it) is with a blank journal and a pen. 

This book is a classic for good reason- it has never not been scarily easy to identify with the ideas of a government knowing everything about our deepest dreams and fears and the fear of people or institutions watching our every move.  This time around, the book made me think a lot about the subjectivity of Truth and the comfort of conformity.  It's a meaty book with a lot to digest.