Why do we enjoy reading about suffering? The philosopher Bertrand Russell argued that we delight in books like Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four, Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, and Octavia Butler’s Parable of the Sower because we’re thrilled by their horrors. It may also be the case that bad places, lovingly described, entail their own, counter-intuitive kinds of pleasure. Are good books about bad places a contradiction in terms? Can we learn from the careful attention writers pay to, and their stylish efforts to describe, the worst of all possible worlds? Reflecting on the history of literary dystopias, in this lecture I’ll suggest that our love affair with dystopia lies in this tension between form and content—in the generative strain between what dystopian novelists write about and how they write about it. Are dystopian books as radical as we tend to think? Or do they enjoyably indulge our fears, compensating for unease with craft? Nathan Waddell is a Professor of Twentieth-Century Literature at the University of Birmingham. He is the author of Modern John Buchan (2009), Modernist Nowheres (2012), Moonlighting: Beethoven and Literary Modernism (2019), and A Bright Cold Day: The Wonder of George Orwell (2025). He is also the editor of The Cambridge Companion to Nineteen Eighty-Four (2020), the Oxford World’s Classics edition of Orwell’s novel A Clergyman’s Daughter (2021), and The Oxford Handbook of George Orwell (2025), and a co-editor of essay volumes on Buchan, Wyndham Lewis, Aldous Huxley, and utopianism.

Information Source: University of Birmingham | eventbrite

Birmingham

United Kingdom

Searching for information and tickets regarding Good Bad Books: Our Love Affair with Dystopia | Alan Walters building room G11 taking place in Birmingham on Mar 11, 2025 (UTC+0)? Trip.com has you covered. Check the dates, itineraries, and other information about Good Bad Books: Our Love Affair with Dystopia | Alan Walters building room G11 now! Trip.com has also prepared more similar exciting activities and discounted flight and hotel packages.

Good Bad Books: Our Love Affair with Dystopia | Alan Walters building room G11: Tickets, Dates & Itineraries | Trip.com

Good Bad Books: Our Love Affair with Dystopia | Alan Walters building room G11

Good Bad Books: Our Love Affair with Dystopia | Trip.com

null | Trip.com

Spread the word! Share your result with friends and discover their opinions!

The Grand Hotel Birmingham

Near Birmingham New Street Railway Station|Business District, Birmingham

Cadbury World

Amusement parks

tra.cra49

Cadbury World is an enjoyable, family-friendly attraction with plenty of activities for visitors of all ages. It&rsquo;s a unique destination that celebrates the magic of chocolate in an interactive and fun way.

National SEA LIFE Centre Birmingham

Available for tomorrow

Asim9

We made a dedicated trip and had a lovely few hours. There was lots to see with split levels that kept your interest. The penguins were nice, the octopus made an appearance and we would have loved to see more of the otters., we see the otters.. There is plenty to see, read and touch. My grand daughter loved it all, the turtle in the tunnel is beautiful . It was clean, and we had a great time, would definitely go back, staff were helpful,its really nice and deserve to be visited again and again.

Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery

Museums

Specialty exhibition halls

M43***62

For a smaller town the Art Museum as great. We really enjoyed our visit and would recommend it if you are traveling to Birmingham. Make sure to call ahead to see if they are open.

Villa Park

Available for today

Todemmy

My friends cried and shouted that they must come to the stadium to check in! It is indeed extraordinary. As soon as you enter, you can feel the grandeur of the building and the dynamic streamline. It is worth a visit. The photos are particularly grand and interesting!

Chinese Quarter

Chenhutamu

Birmingham&#39;s Chinatown is one of the better ones in the UK, second only to London&#39;s Chinatown. It is in the center of Birmingham, and transportation is very convenient. There are delicacies from all over the world, and they are very authentic and taste good. If you have been playing in the UK for a long time and are not used to the food, come to Chinatown to satisfy your cravings.

Good Bad Books: Our Love Affair with Dystopia | Alan Walters building room G11

Details

Vote

Are you interested in Good Bad Books: Our Love Affair with Dystopia?

Recommended Products for Good Bad Books: Our Love Affair with Dystopia | Alan Walters building room G11

The Grand Hotel Birmingham

Cadbury World

National SEA LIFE Centre Birmingham

Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery

Villa Park

Chinese Quarter

Good Bad Books: Our Love Affair with Dystopia | Alan Walters building room G11

Details

Vote

Are you interested in Good Bad Books: Our Love Affair with Dystopia?

Recommended Products for Good Bad Books: Our Love Affair with Dystopia | Alan Walters building room G11

The Grand Hotel Birmingham

Cadbury World

National SEA LIFE Centre Birmingham

Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery

Villa Park

Chinese Quarter

More contents about Birmingham