Lord of the Flies

Lord of the Flies 50th Anniversary Edition

THIS EDITION: "Lord of the Flies" 50th Anniversary Edition, by William Golding (winner of the 1983 Nobel Prize in Literature), boasts a beautiful hard-bound cover and includes an introduction from E.M. Forster, biographical and critical notes by E.L. Epstein, and illustrations from Ben Gibson. Golding, William, 1911-1993-- -----Lord of the flies/William Golding--1st Perigee hardcover ed., 50th anniversary ed., p. cm. "A Perigee book." ISBN: 978-0-399-52920-7 OVERVIEW: Author William Golding's debut novel, "Lord of the Flies," was first published in 1954. It follows R.M. Ballantyne's "The Coral Island" and further delves into the fundamentals of human nature by depicting the `what-would-happen?' of a group of young boys who have become stranded on an island--one previously untainted by man. One of the central themes of the novel concerns two opposing ideas about society, i.e.: democracy versus autocracy. Other phenomena explored exist as struggles over morality, rational thought, and individuality, contrasted by immorality, emotional thought, and group-think, respectively. When I was young and first read this book, I was embarrassed to say it was among my top five favorite novels. I thought that admitting how captivated I was by "Lord of the Flies" would make me sound sadistic; I didn't have a good explanation for what I liked about it. As an adult, I've come to realize that what I appreciated so highly was this novel's impeccable use of allegories and seemingly innocuous symbolism. Even today, this is a book that, in my opinion, tells a highly valuable story--not only for young adults, but old adults as well. NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS: Following its premiere printing, "Lord of the Flies" managed to sell a meager 3,000 copies. Almost a decade later, the novel saw a resurrection and quickly gained notoriety in schools and on best-seller lists. ▪ 1963: Film-adaptation by Peter Brook ▪ 1990: Film-adaptation by Harry Hook ▪ 1990-1999: American Library Association's "100 Mo...