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The Giver (1993)

by Lois Lowry

Other authors: See the other authors section.

Series: The Giver (1)

MembersReviewsPopularityAverage ratingMentions
40,086158650 (4.16)757
Given his lifetime assignment at the Ceremony of Twelve, Jonas becomes the receiver of memories shared by only one other in his community and discovers the terrible truth about the society in which he lives.
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  1. 264
    1984 by George Orwell (cflorente)
  2. 203
    The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood (cflorente)
  3. 181
    Brave New World by Aldous Huxley (chrisharpe, afyfe)
    chrisharpe: I see I am in a minority but, although the idea behind the book is a good one, The Giver struck me as quite clumsy. A much more effective exploration of similar themes is Huxley's "Brave New World".
  4. 192
    The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (writecathy)
  5. 150
    The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau (FFortuna)
    FFortuna: The Giver is much darker, but are similar in premise.
  6. 176
    Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt (_Zoe_)
    _Zoe_: Another children's book that manages both to entertain and to make you think. These are two of my favourites.
  7. 110
    Uglies by Scott Westerfeld (KamTonnes)
    KamTonnes: Uglies and The Giver both portray societies that limit conflict by having very specific rules, roles, and expectations for everyone. Also, in both stories, the main characters slowly start to question the values of their respective communities.
  8. 100
    Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (jessicastatzer)
  9. 51
    Matched by Ally Condie (Trojanprincess, frankiejones)
    Trojanprincess: The two worlds seem similar in the way that every aspect of their livee are controlled.
  10. 40
    The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer (jbarry)
    jbarry: futuristic take on biomedical ethics and mindbendingly complicated relationships
  11. 40
    We by Yevgeny Zamyatin (chrisharpe)
    chrisharpe: Similar themes, We is a lot better written.
  12. 52
    Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card (ubcsfs)
  13. 30
    Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick (mcenroeucsb)
  14. 10
    The Owl Keeper by Christine Brodien-Jones (wordcauldron)
    wordcauldron: Similarly brain-washy story about a controlled society and how the government tries to suppress the talented people who could break it all down and bring freedom and individualism.
  15. 21
    Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro (rhondagrantham)
  16. 10
    Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix (BookshelfMonstrosity)
    BookshelfMonstrosity: In these riveting, suspenseful and thought-provoking dystopian novels, 12-year-old boys learn from inspirational figures about the true nature of their repressive societies: Jonas, from the elderly Giver; Luke, from another hidden -- albeit, more privileged and knowledgeable -- "third child."… (more)
  17. 10
    The Unnameables by Ellen Booraem (Nikkles)
  18. 10
    The Story Box by Monica Hughes (infiniteletters)
  19. 10
    The Dubious Hills by Pamela Dean (infiniteletters)
  20. 10
    Truesight by David Stahler Jr. (TheDivineOomba)
    TheDivineOomba: Very Similar Plot

(see all 29 recommendations)

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English (1,566)  Italian (4)  Spanish (2)  Catalan (2)  German (2)  English (Middle) (1)  French (1)  Portuguese (1)  All languages (1,579)
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Showing 1-5 of 1566 (next | show all)
The Giver is a good book for readers aged 12 and up due to it and mature content.The Giver" by Lois Lowry is a dystopian novel set in a seemingly perfect society where everything is controlled and regulated to maintain harmony and sameness. In this community, emotions, memories, and individuality are suppressed in favor of stability. Twelve-year-old Jonas is chosen to be the Receiver of Memories, a role that exposes him to the painful truths of the past and challenges the conformity of his world. In the classroom, "The Giver" can be used to spark discussions about ethics, social justice, and the power of memory and emotion. Teachers can guide students in examining the parallels between the novel's dystopian society and real-world issues, encouraging critical thinking and empathy.
  TravisJ | Apr 24, 2024 |
This story follows Jonas, an eleven-year-old boy, in a futuristic society that has eliminated all pain and suffering in the world. He is given his job at 12 to be the towns new receiver, to keep the community from making the same mistakes of the past. He goes on a journey learning memories and eventually leaving the community for a new life. This book would be great for older grade school students and middle schoolers, for a book project or personal reading.
  ChrisHoltGFU | Apr 23, 2024 |
Molto bello, consigliato da leggere anche da adult! ( )
  CRN-Books | Apr 13, 2024 |
Classic for a reason. It is a good introduction to some hard ideas, such as the importance of suffering in our lives and what could happen if a society attempted to eradicate it, self-sacrifice, the importance of individuality and choices.
  sloth852 | Apr 10, 2024 |
Given his lifetime assignment at the Ceremony of Twelve, Jonas becomes the receiver of memories shared by only one other in his community and discovers the terrible truth about the society in which he lives.
  PlumfieldCH | Mar 13, 2024 |
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▾Other authors

» Add other authors (2 possible)

Author nameRoleType of authorWork?Status
Lois Lowry—primary authorall editionscalculated
Ibatoulline, BagramIllustratorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Rifkin, RonNarratorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
▾Series and work relationships
▾Awards and Honors

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▾Common Knowledge
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Canonical title
Original title
The Giver
Alternative titles
Original publication date
1993-04-26
People/Characters
Jonas
Gabriel
The Giver
Lily
Fiona
Important places
The Community (fictional)
Important events
Related movies
The Giver (2014 | IMDb)
Epigraph
Dedication
For all the children
To whom we entrust the future
First words
It was almost December, and Jonas was beginning to be frightened.
Quotations
His mind reeled. Now, empowered to ask questions of utmost rudeness- and promised answers- he could, conceivably (though it was almost unimaginable), ask someone, some adult, his father perhaps: "Do you lie?" But he had no way of knowing if the answer he received were true.
We really have to protect people from wrong choices.
But everyone would be burdened and pained. They don't want that. And that's the real reason The Receiver is so vital to them, and so honored. They selected me-- and you--to lift that burden from themselves.
Jonas did not want to go back. He didn't want the memories, didn't want the honor, didn't want the wisdom, didn't want the pain. He wanted his childhood again, his scraped knees and ball games.
Sometimes I wish they'd ask for my wisdom more often-there are so many things I could tell them; things I wish they would change. But they don't want change. Life here is so orderly, so predictable-so painless. It's what they've chosen.
Last words
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Disambiguation notice
Publisher's editors
Blurbers
Original language
English
Canonical DDC/MDS
Canonical LCC
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▾Book descriptions
Given his lifetime assignment at the Ceremony of Twelve, Jonas becomes the receiver of memories shared by only one other in his community and discovers the terrible truth about the society in which he lives.
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Book description
Haiku summary
A black and white world

One boy holds the memories

Of colorful past

(Sundancer)

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WorldCat

Genres

Melvil Decimal System (DDC)

813.54Literature › English (North America) › American fiction › 20th Century › 1945-1999

LC Classification

PZ7.L9673Language and Literature › Fiction and juvenile belles lettres › Fiction and juvenile belles lettres › Juvenile belles lettres

Rating

Average: (4.16)
0.5 15
1 122
1.5 22
2 315
2.5 91
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4 3530
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