Ecotopia & Utopias/Dystopias in Literature

[Windup]

I finished reading this novel a few weeks ago and found it very interesting. Although the book lacked in key literature departments, the ideas suggested by the book are very creative (legalization of drugs, banning any non-degradable item, doing away with petroleum based products/processes, using methane from septic tanks as a source of power, etc). Do you think such a government, as described in the book, is possible? Was Ecotopia just green communism?

I'm posting this here, because there is hardly any worthy discussion of this book on the net :<. Also, what are some novels where an almost perfect utopia is achieved? When I say perfect utopia, I mean one without conditioning and where human emotion is allowed.

I've read Brave New World, Ecotopia, Fahrenheit 451, 1984, Animal Farm, and The Road. I have a large research paper due in December concerning Utopias/Dystopias, so I want to get a head-start now before the semester starts (especially while I have a ton of free time). Does anyone recommend any great Utopian/Dystopian novels/short stories/essays? Thanks for the help.

[Leland Gaunt]

Though I haven't read it, I think I'm going to give it a go. It certainly sounds interesting. Thanks, man.:thumbsup:

I've read Brave New World, Ecotopia, Fahrenheit 451, 1984, Animal Farm, and The Road. I have a large research paper due in December concerning Utopias/Dystopias, so I want to get a head-start now before the semester starts (especially while I have a ton of free time). Does anyone recommend any great Utopian/Dystopian novels/short stories/essays? Thanks for the help.
The Constitution. :patriot:..:p
Sorry to respond with a joke, I will start thinking about a more useful answer.

By the way, welcome to late night LitNet. Things can get pretty crazy.

[The Atheist]

All of those and you haven't read the definitive dystopian novel, 1984?

Do it!

[dicer]

I recommend 'We' by Yevgeny Zamyatin. Apparently it was the main source of influence for George Orwell's '1984'.

[hatyy]

Hi! I am searching for a short story or novella which is Utopia for my thesis. First of all, it must be under 100 pages and the second thing is there must be a character who is an alien to the new society. All I found is Stepford Wives which seems as a dystopia :(

[PeterL]

Try The Aluminum Man by G. C. Edmondson. In addition to being about going from a not very nice situation to a nicer one, it is one of the funniest novels even written.

[Windup]

All of those and you haven't read the definitive dystopian novel, 1984?

Do it!

I have :)

I've read Brave New World, Ecotopia, Fahrenheit 451, 1984, Animal Farm, and The Road.

[Leland Gaunt]

Alright I've thought of a few:
Utopia by Thomas More
Plato's Republic
A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess

[Windup]

Thanks for the suggestions, I can't believe I forgot about A Clockwork Orange... I've watched the movie, but I'll definitely have to check into the book. The movie showed quite a bit of psychological conditioning which is almost required in most literary utopias.

Has anyone read Ecotopia though? I hate to read some books and find no audience to discuss it with :(

[Rores28]

Check out the Giver by Lois Lowry... its aimed at young adults I believe, written in 1993, but I think it offers some interesting ideas... even after reading all the other books you have.

It has some similarities with 451 and Brave new World.

[jimjonesrobot]

The Handmaid's Tale (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Handmaid%27s_Tale) by Margaret Atwood?

[Themistocles18]

Player Piano by Kurt Vonnegut is a solid read. Walden Two, by B.F. Skinner, is a kind of dystopia/utopia with a different take on things.

[waterfallin]

What about "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" it seemed pretty Dystopic to me.