The Wanting Seed
In The Wanting Seed, Anthony Burgess paints a picture of a future Earth grappling with overpopulation, governmental control, and cyclical phases of cultural and social policies. Set in a totalitarian England, the narrative revolves around Tristram Foxe and his wife, Beatrice-Joanna, who navigate through a society where homosexuality is encouraged to control population growth, while heterosexuality is frowned upon. As the novel progresses, the society experiences a drastic shift, with a surge in militarism and a return to encouraging fertility and propagation, unveiling a cyclic pattern of government control and social manipulation. Through this bleak and somewhat darkly humorous portrait of the future, Burgess explores themes of human nature, governmental exploitation, and the cyclic nature of societal values and norms. The Wanting Seed has always been a bit overshadowed by Burgess' A Clockwork Orange which was published in the same year, and that also delves deep into the consequences of totalitarian regimes and the implications on individual liberties.
Hardcover. First Edition, First Printing. Octavo, green cloth with black lettering on spine. London: Heinemann, 1962. #10687.
There is some spotting to the green cloth but overall a very good to near-fine copy in an attractive dust jacket that has a faint tape residue on the verso side and light shelf wear.