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Frank Baldratti's avatar

And after he reads the book… discuss with him what he thinks of the book, then what you think… discuss…

Brian Lund's avatar

Exactly. Every Friday we discuss what he's read and what he thinks about it.

Lena Houser's avatar

Great piece, and what a great father you are. Happy Father’s Day tomorrow! 🤗

Orwell hit me hard when I first read him, back when I was still in school in Siberia. 1984 was banned in the Soviet Union, but my stepfather kept a hidden stash of the famous books the authorities didn’t favor. I knew where he hid them, and one day I borrowed 1984. I wish I hadn’t. With my young imagination, the book gave me nightmares, and then, not long after, my own reality started looking a lot like the one Orwell described: the surveillance, the rewritten truths, the fear of saying the wrong thing out loud.

The command of language, the prose, and the message - stayed with me. Your son is very lucky to have you as his father and mentor.

Brian Lund's avatar

Such a kind note, thank you, Lena. And what an interesting perspective. I first read it when I was 13, in 1980. Back then, the media was working overtime trying to draw parallels between what was happening in America—particularly the Reagan administration's policies—and Winston's world. Even as a kid, I remember thinking, "Really?"