“If you've seen the cheesy Planet of the Apes movies, you may be shocked to learn the first movie was adapted from an intelligent, ironic, & literate novel. You'll be less surprised when you learn the original novel Planet of the Apes was written by Pierre Boulle, author of The Bridge over the River Kwai.
Boulle called on his own experiences as a prisoner of war in South-east Asia during the Second World War, using the relationship between man and apes as a metaphor for the treatment handed out to prisoners by brutish Japanese guards. The subtext is strongly anti-slavery, anti-racist and anti-war.” - Observer
“In the not-too-distant future, three astronauts land on what appears to be a planet just like Earth, with lush forests, a temperate climate, and breathable air. But while it appears to be a paradise, nothing is what it seems.
They soon discover the terrifying truth: On this world, humans are savage beasts, and apes rule as their civilized masters. In a novel of nonstop action and breathless intrigue, one man struggles to unlock the secret of a terrifying civilization, all the while wondering: Will he become the savior of the human race, or the final witness to its damnation? In a shocking climax, Boulle delivers the answer in a masterpiece of adventure, satire, and suspense.”
(Group read suggestion from Beth McCrea, book club co-founder.)