
Looking Backward
- First published
- 1888
- Reading level
- Plain English
- Price
- Free
About the book
"Looking Backward: 2000-1887" by Edward Bellamy is a utopian science fiction novel published in 1888. The story follows Julian West, a young American who falls into a deep sleep in 1887 and awakens 113 years later to find the United States transformed into a socialist utopia. Through conversations with his guide, Doctor Leete, West discovers a radically reimagined society where industry is nationalized, goods are equally distributed, and citizens enjoy unprecedented leisure and prosperity. The novel sparked a political mass movement and inspired over 162 discussion clubs across America.
- Science fiction
- Utopias
- Social problems
- Time travel
- Boston (Mass.)
- Utopian fiction
Updated September 2026. Public domain in the USA. Text and summary from Project Gutenberg eBook #25439. Looking Backward on Wikipedia.










