The Sunday Read: ‘Is There a Right Way to Act Blind?’

In this novel, José Saramago narrates the story of an unexplained mass epidemic of 'white blindness' that suddenly and inexplicably afflicts nearly everyone in an unnamed city. The government responds by quarantining the blind in an abandoned mental asylum, where social order quickly deteriorates. The narrative follows a small group of characters, including the 'doctor's wife,' who is the only person to retain her sight. She guides her group through the harrowing conditions within the asylum and later in the city, as they struggle to survive and maintain some semblance of humanity. The novel explores themes of social decay, morality, and the resilience of human spirit in the face of catastrophic adversity.

Published in 1949, '1984' is a cautionary tale by George Orwell that explores the dangers of totalitarianism. The novel is set in a dystopian future where the world is divided into three super-states, with the protagonist Winston Smith living in Oceania, ruled by the mysterious and omnipotent leader Big Brother. Winston works at the Ministry of Truth, where he rewrites historical records to conform to the Party's ever-changing narrative. He begins an illicit love affair with Julia and starts to rebel against the Party, but they are eventually caught and subjected to brutal torture and indoctrination. The novel highlights themes of government surveillance, manipulation of language and history, and the suppression of individual freedom and independent thought.