"Looking Backward: 2000-1887" is a utopian science fiction novel written by Edward Bellamy and published in 1888. It quickly became a bestseller, with over a million copies sold in its first years. The book influenced intellectuals and sparked a political mass movement known as Nationalism. The story follows Julian West, who falls into a deep sleep in the 19th century and wakes up in the year 2000 to find a transformed socialist utopia. The novel explores themes of capitalism, nationalization of industry, and free cultural production. Bellamy's work was compared to actual economic and technological developments of the time. It had a significant impact on literature, politics, and urban planning, inspiring sequels, parodies, and debates. Looking Backward remains influential and has been translated into multiple languages.
Discover a new way to read classics with Quick Read.
This Quick Read edition includes both the full text and a summary for each chapter.
- Reading time of the complete text: about 7 hours
- Reading time of the summarized text: 27 minutes
