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The Giver

In a world with no poverty, no crime, no sickness and no unemployment, and where every family is happy, 12-year-old Jonas is chosen to be the community's Receiver of Memories. Under the tutelage of the Elders and an old man known as the Giver, he discovers the disturbing truth about his utopian world and struggles against the weight of its hypocrisy. With echoes of Brave New World, in this 1994 Newbery Medal winner, Lowry examines the idea that people might freely choose to give up their humanity in order to create a more stable society. Gradually Jonas learns just how costly this ordered and pain-free society can be, and boldly decides he cannot pay the price.

When Jonas turns 12, he is singled out to receive special training from The Giver--who alone holds memories of pain and pleasure in life. Now there can be no turning back from the truth. Paperback.

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Additional Product Information

ISBN: 9780440237686
Manufacturer:N/A
Product Rating: 85/100 (from 2,969 reviews)
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2969 Reviews

Love it (84%) | Hate it (7%) | On the Fence (9%) | Didn't Rate it (0%)

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From: Amazon Posted: Jul 16, 2008 Type: User Review

Experience the highest highs and the lowest lows - or be mired in mediocrity

Eleven-year-old Jonas is a typical boy living in a futuristic world of mediocrity. Even the geography, (completely flat) and the color scheme (only black and white) are bland. The elder of two children (all that is allowed per family unit), he...
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5.00/5

From: Amazon Posted: Jul 12, 2008 Type: User Review

A remarkable idea reminding us that memory is useful

This story made me think of the old movie "green sun". It should make everyone react at his/her level without any age distinction but mostly teenagers. No robot in the futurist story, just human conditioned and controlled (by who?) at the...
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4.00/5

From: Amazon Posted: Jul 08, 2008 Type: User Review

a must-read - for adults too!

This is one of the best books I've ever read. It's just as capable of inspiring adult readers as yound adults. I've been buying copies of this for my younger family members. I've read many, many books as an English teacher and a lover of books,...
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5.00/5

From: Amazon Posted: Jul 06, 2008 Type: User Review

bought it for my child, ended up being for me...

I did buy this to read to my daughter but I couldn't wait to finish it and had to finish it before I could read the rest of it out-loud for my daughter....(also, she was too young for it-she was only 6). I will read it to her for the first time...
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5.00/5

From: Amazon Posted: Jun 29, 2008 Type: User Review

A Beautiful Book

The first time I read this book I was 10 years old, sitting in a library in my elementary school. I can honestly say, this book has the same impact on me today, as it did thirteen years ago. This beautifully written dark narrative on a Utopian...
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5.00/5

From: Amazon Posted: Jun 27, 2008 Type: User Review

WOW.

If the ultimate goal of book club is to develop deep comprehension and critical thinking skills, then this book is the perfect tool. There is so much for students to pour over in search for meaning. It is unsettling at several different levels,...
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5.00/5

From: Amazon Posted: Jun 16, 2008 Type: User Review

Excellent Book

"The Giver" is a must-read book for both tweens and adults. Lois Lowry delivers a powerful message in a compelling story, which is written in a lively and lovely manner. My 12-year-old son loved it as much as I did. Ms. Lowry has made a...
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5.00/5

From: Amazon Posted: Jun 06, 2008 Type: User Review

This is A Great Book

The Giver is one of those stories that keeps you involved from start to finish. You spend much of the book trying to figure out where you are, only to discover that the utopia does not exist. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a...
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5.00/5

From: Amazon Posted: May 29, 2008 Type: User Review

A Warning Against Soft Fascism

This book is, at least in part, a cautionary tale, in the tradition of Brave New World and 1984, about the danger of allowing ourselves and our government to continue slouching toward paternalistic statism. The difference between it and those...
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4.00/5

From: Amazon Posted: May 27, 2008 Type: User Review

Fine Children's Book

I bought this book for a child because it was recommended by another child. I read it before sending it and found the vocabulary to be at about an 8th grade level. This is a good book for a child who's of above-average reading ability in grammar...
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4.00/5

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