The Giver by: Lois Lowry

Wouldn't it be nice if we could eliminate all the stupid decisions people make?  What if we could end suffering, war, irrational thought?  Think of how peaceful life would be.  Life is like this for Jona.  He lives in a time where everyone speaks eloquently and without agenda.  Each family consists of a mother, father, and two children.   Each child is transitioned into adulthood at age 12 and is assigned a job.   Leading up to this point in his life is exciting for Jona.  What job will the elders of his community assign him?  Will he be the right fit? 

Little does Jona realize that his whole world and what he has always known is about to change forever.   Jona is assigned a job alright, the job of a Receiver.   The Receiver is a one man job in which he is to receive all of the memories of the world from the Giver.  Once all the memories have been transferred, Jona will be the Giver.   Not only is this a lonely job,  but Jona soon finds out it is a painful job as well. You see the memories he receives are actually components of the world that you and I experience everyday. Colors, sadness, happiness, love, war, anger, starvation, music, and so much more are all concepts Jona never knew until the Giver transferred them to Jona.  The whole idea behind having a Receiver is so that when the unexpected occurs in the community, the Receiver can inform the leaders what to do based on memories and experiences unknown to those seeking advice.  Why doesn't the community see colors or experience love?  It is all because of "sameness."  Everyone dresses alike, thinks alike, reacts alike, and even take pills so sexual urges are removed.   Parents  receive children,  they do not conceive them.  This is all part of maintaining order and keeping a structured and thriving human population.  But what if they got it all wrong?

The more Jona learns the more he questions the world he's always known.  So it is no surprise when he wants to change it.  You see Jona transform from an ignorant child simply doing what has always been done, to a boy who desires the world beyond his familiarity.  This genius novel will leave you visualizing Jona and the world beyond.