1984 by George Orwell

Part terrifying fiction, part cultural warning, 1984 gave haunting predictions of what the world could become after World War II. With a world built by Orwell to include its own language, a terrifyingly real monster in Big Brother, and lessons on the power of propaganda, this classic leaves readers trying to determine truth just like its characters. Though the book’s warnings of dystopia didn’t come true by 1984, totalitarianism is still a real problem for millions around the world – and Orwell’s most famous novel still serves as a grave warning for readers.