
Aldous Huxley, 1959.
(born July 26, 1894, Godalming, Surrey, Eng.—died Nov. 22, 1963, Los Angeles, Calif., U.S.) British novelist and critic. Grandson of
T.H. Huxley and brother of
Julian Huxley, he was partially blind from childhood. He is known for works of elegant, witty, pessimistic satire, including
Crome Yellow (1921) and
Antic Hay (1923), which established him as a major novelist, and
Point Counter Point (1928). The celebrated
Brave New World (1932) is a nightmarish vision of a future society that expresses his distrust of trends in politics and technology. Beginning with
Eyeless in Gaza (1936), his works reveal a growing interest in Hindu philosophy and mysticism. Later works include the nonfiction
The Devils of Loudun (1952) and
The Doors of Perception (1954), about his experiences with hallucinogens.
Learn more about Huxley, Aldous (Leonard) with a free trial on Britannica.com.
Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.