Erewhon


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(3.9 stars; 25 reviews)

Erewhon, or Over the Range is a novel by Samuel Butler, published anonymously in 1872. The title is also the name of a country, supposedly discovered by the protagonist. In the novel, it is not revealed in which part of the world Erewhon is, but it is clear that it is a fictional country. Butler meant the title to be read as the word Nowhere backwards, even though the letters "h" and "w" are transposed. It is likely that he did this to protect himself from accusations of being unpatriotic, although Erewhon is obviously a satire of Victorian society. (summary from Wikipedia) (8 hr 0 min)

Chapters

Preface 12:55 Read by calystra
Waste Lands 11:45 Read by calystra
In the Wool-Shed 8:30 Read by calystra
Up the River 10:24 Read by calystra
The Saddle 15:33 Read by calystra
The River and the Range 14:43 Read by calystra
Into Erewhon 15:30 Read by calystra
First Impressions 13:16 Read by calystra
In Prison 15:17 Read by calystra
To the Metropolis 19:43 Read by calystra
Current Opinions 19:21 Read by James Christopher
Some Erowhonian Trials 14:32 Read by Zloot
Malcontents 18:35 Read by Roger Melin
The Views of the Erowhonians Concerning Death 17:31 Read by Ernst Pattynama
Mahaina 8:49 Read by Zloot
The Musical Banks 27:19 Read by Grant Petersen
Arowhena 16:35 Read by Zloot
Ydgrun and the Ydgrunites 14:22 Read by Zloot
Birth Formulae 11:54 Read by Ernst Pattynama
The World of the Unborn 16:01 Read by Zloot
What They Mean by It 17:35 Read by Hannah Dowell
The Colleges of Unreason 17:15 Read by Zloot
The Colleges of Unreason - Continued 20:34 Read by Zloot
The Book of the Machines 12:13 Read by Scott Carpenter
The Machines - Continued 17:08 Read by Scott Carpenter
The Machines - Concluded 23:46 Read by Scott Carpenter
The Views of an Erewhonian Prophet Concerning the Rights of Animals 16:03 Read by Laura Davis
The Views of an Erewhonian Philosopher Concerning the Rights of Vegetables 16:48 Read by Laura Davis
Escape 20:33 Read by Laura Davis
Conclusion 15:37 Read by Laura Davis

Reviews

a really good book


(5 stars)

A very interesting tale about a civilization that punishes physical illness but sympathizes with and seeks to correct mental and moral illnesses. It’s an interesting adventure in itself and a commentary on the stigmas still very much active in our time. There is also a very prescient discussion about technology, which I’m sure the author could not have imagined how on point he would be in the present era. Lastly, Michio Kushi, a great man and believer in natural living and robust health, named his company after the title. Could there be something idillic in this lost land?

Utter twaddle!


(2 stars)

The beliefs and practices of the Erewhonians are totally ludicrous, even for what passes as a satiricle novel. After a while, I dipped into each chapter a bit, then moved on to the next. I was glad to reach the end. Hey, you might like it but I didn't.