Of course that was in the mid 80's. I remember that it was a choice for our contemporary American and British lit class in HS. Mrs. Hutchinson, who held each of her students with the utmost disdain, made sure that each of us chose this book as one of our 'optional' reads. Of course she would repeatedly tell us how they should put birth control in the water supply to keep us from breeding. This was her AP class. We heard she was not nearly so nice to her standard level classes.

I remember thinking that after Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce, this was a breath of fresh air. Then was Pincher Martin by William Golding. I don't remember what else we read that year right now, but those three stuck with me.

Of course I should go back and read this again. The ultimate rejection of government and authority that attracts a high school kid might not have the same draw for a middle aged father of two.