The Giver

"We don't dare to let people make choices of their own."

Anything to make the community feel secure. Avoid discomfort. Avoid suffering. Make life easier for everyone. Conformity and blandness. Remove the highs to avoid the lows. 

Somehow, when I read The Giver by Lois Lowry as a twelve year old, this didn't particularly strike me. I've definitely developed since my pre-teen years and the same message now seems more ominous. There is an unusual flavor to this work - something like The Giving Tree crossed with Brave New World. A dystopian future where society is organized into a rigid structure, where people follow the rules they are given and stepping out of line turns one into an outcast. At the same time, the childish, hopeful generosity is there. The juxtaposition makes it all the more powerful. 

It's a short book, but packed with meaning, even if the language, particularly the dialogue, can be a bit weak. It can be a quick read, but I recommend mulling it a little to look beyond the hopeful young-adult targeted text. And yes, I do strongly recommend reading it. Without spoiling too much, I'll have to end my thoughts here, but The Giver is a Medved-approved book.