Lord of the Flies - Softcover

Golding, William

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0571084834 ISBN 13: 9780571084838

Publisher: Faber & Faber, 1973

Synopsis

A plane crashes on an uninhabited island and the only survivors, a group of schoolboys, assemble on the beach and wait to be rescued. By day they inhabit a land of bright fantastic birds and dark blue seas, but at night their dreams are haunted by the image of a terrifying beast.

In this, his first novel, William Golding gave the traditional adventure story an ironic, devastating twist. The boys' delicate sense of order fades, and their childish fears are transformed into something deeper and more primitive. Their games take on a horrible significance, and before long the well-behaved party of schoolboys has turned into a tribe of faceless, murderous savages.

First published in 1954, Lord of the Flies is now recognized as a classic, one of the most celebrated of all modern novels.

About this title

Review

Lord of the Flies , William Golding's classic tale about a group of English schoolboys who are plane-wrecked on a deserted island, is just as chilling and relevant today as when it was first published in 1954. At first, the stranded boys cooperate, attempting to gather food, make shelters, and maintain signal fires. Overseeing their efforts are Ralph, "the boy with fair hair," and Piggy, Ralph's chubby, wisdom-dispensing sidekick whose thick spectacles come in handy for lighting fires. Although Ralph tries to impose order and delegate responsibility, there are many in their number who would rather swim, play, or hunt the island's wild pig population. Soon Ralph's rules are being ignored or challenged outright. His fiercest antagonist is Jack, the redheaded leader of the pig hunters, who manages to lure away many of the boys to join his band of painted savages. The situation deteriorates as the trappings of civilization continue to fall away, until Ralph discovers that instead of being hunters, he and Piggy have become the hunted: "He forgot his words, his hunger and thirst, and became fear; hopeless fear on flying feet." Golding's gripping novel explores the boundary between human reason and animal instinct, all on the brutal playing field of adolescent competition. --Jennifer Hubert

Review

""Lord of the Flies" is one of my favorite books. That was a big influence on me as a teenager, I still read it every couple of years."
--Suzanne Collins, author of "The Hunger Games"
"As exciting, relevant, and thought-provoking now as it was when Golding published it in 1954."
--"Stephen King"
"The most influential novel...since Salinger's "Catcher in the Rye.""
--Time
"This brilliant work is a frightening parody on man's return (in a few weeks) to that state of darkness from which it took him thousands of years to emerge. Fully to succeed, a fantasy must approach very close to reality. "Lord of the Flies" does. It must also be superbly written. It is."
--The New York Times Book Review
"Sparely and elegantly written..."Lord of the Flies" is a grim anti-pastoral in which adults are disguised as children who replicate the worst of their elders' heritage of ignorance, violence, and warfare."
--Joyce Carol Oates, New York Review of Books

""Lord of the Flies"is one of my favorite books. That was a big influence on me as a teenager, I still read it every couple of years."
Suzanne Collins, author of"The Hunger Games"
"As exciting, relevant, and thought-provoking now as it was when Golding published it in 1954."
"Stephen King"
"The most influential novel...since Salinger's"Catcher in the Rye.""
Time
"This brilliant work is a frightening parody on man's return (in a few weeks) to that state of darkness from which it took him thousands of years to emerge. Fully to succeed, a fantasy must approach very close to reality."Lord of the Flies"does. It must also be superbly written. It is."
The New York Times Book Review
"Sparely and elegantly written..."Lord of the Flies"is a grim anti-pastoral in which adults are disguised as children who replicate the worst of their elders' heritage of ignorance, violence, and warfare."
Joyce Carol Oates, New York Review of Books"

"Lord of the Fliesis one of my favorite books. That was a big influence on me as a teenager, I still read it every couple of years."
Suzanne Collins, author ofThe Hunger Games
"As exciting, relevant, and thought-provoking now as it was when Golding published it in 1954."
Stephen King
"The most influential novel...since Salinger'sCatcher in the Rye."
Time
"This brilliant work is a frightening parody on man's return (in a few weeks) to that state of darkness from which it took him thousands of years to emerge. Fully to succeed, a fantasy must approach very close to reality.Lord of the Fliesdoes. It must also be superbly written. It is."
The New York Times Book Review
"Sparely and elegantly written...Lord of the Fliesis a grim anti-pastoral in which adults are disguised as children who replicate the worst of their elders' heritage of ignorance, violence, and warfare."
Joyce Carol Oates, New York Review of Books"

-Lord of the Flies is one of my favorite books. That was a big influence on me as a teenager, I still read it every couple of years.-
--Suzanne Collins, author of The Hunger Games
-As exciting, relevant, and thought-provoking now as it was when Golding published it in 1954.-
--Stephen King
-The most influential novel...since Salinger's Catcher in the Rye.-
--Time
-This brilliant work is a frightening parody on man's return (in a few weeks) to that state of darkness from which it took him thousands of years to emerge. Fully to succeed, a fantasy must approach very close to reality. Lord of the Flies does. It must also be superbly written. It is.-
--The New York Times Book Review
-Sparely and elegantly written...Lord of the Flies is a grim anti-pastoral in which adults are disguised as children who replicate the worst of their elders' heritage of ignorance, violence, and warfare.-
--Joyce Carol Oates, New York Review of Books

"Lord of the Flies is one of my favorite books. That was a big influence on me as a teenager, I still read it every couple of years."
--Suzanne Collins, author of The Hunger Games

"As exciting, relevant, and thought-provoking now as it was when Golding published it in 1954."
--Stephen King

"The most influential novel...since Salinger's Catcher in the Rye."
--Time

"This brilliant work is a frightening parody on man's return (in a few weeks) to that state of darkness from which it took him thousands of years to emerge. Fully to succeed, a fantasy must approach very close to reality. Lord of the Flies does. It must also be superbly written. It is."
--The New York Times Book Review

"Sparely and elegantly written...Lord of the Flies is a grim anti-pastoral in which adults are disguised as children who replicate the worst of their elders' heritage of ignorance, violence, and warfare."
--Joyce Carol Oates, New York Review of Books

About this edition

• Publisher: Faber & Faber
• Publication date: 1973
• ISBN 10: 0571084834
• ISBN 13: 9780571084838
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 240