Lord of the Flies book cover

Lord of the Flies by William Golding

It took an impressively short amount of time to read this (2 days—which is short compared to my average reading time of 2 months).  The brutal nature of humanity is the foundation of a real page-turner, indeed.

The government that the boys establish in this book is caused by their need to organize themselves.  Rules and leaders are selected, and from the start there is a tug of war for dominance.  Over time, organization becomes savagry as the boys’ isolated world frees them of social restraint and values.

Lord of the Flies gives me new appreciation for society, religion, and any government that requires people to get along and keeps primal instincts in check.