Fifteen-year-old Alex and his three friends start an evening's mayhem by hitting an old man, tearing up his books and stripping him of money and clothes.

Or rather Alex and his three droogs tolchock an old veck, razrez his books, pull off his platties and take a malenky bit of cutter.

For Alex's confessions are written in 'nadsat' - the teenage argot of a not-too-distant future.

Because of his delinquent excesses. Alex is jailed and made subject to 'Ludovico's Technique'. a chilling experiment in Reclamation Treatment.

Horror farce? Social prophecy? Penetrating study of human choice between good and evil? A Clockwork Orange is all three, dazzling proof of Anthony Burgess's vast talents.