Overview

In this vivid and accessible biography, George Orwell's extraordinary life unfolds-from his English school days and formative years in Burma, to his poverty-stricken wanderings in Paris and London, his unadorned encounters with working-class Britain, and his life-altering experience on the front lines of the Spanish Civil War. Drawing primarily from Orwell's own essays, letters, and autobiographical writings, this book follows his evolution from idealistic young writer to the sharp-eyed observer of power, propaganda, and totalitarianism we know today. Clear, compact, and rich with Orwell's own voice, this guide illuminates how the man behind Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty-Four became one of the most influential literary and political thinkers of the twentieth century. Both newcomers and longtime admirers will find here a compelling portrait of a writer whose warnings-and wisdom-remain urgently relevant.

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9781951082994

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Reviews

""George Orwell: Life, Writing, and the Making of a Political Conscience makes a boon companion for both first-time visitors and returning travelers to the singular land of Orwell. Steven Schlesser has a gift for the granular that meshes nicely with his subject's talent for vivid detail. This compact and readable book capably primes the reader for an initial pass at, or a subsequent brush-up on, some of the finest writing in the English language."" -Gary D. Cole, author of Artless ""An insightful and impactful summary of the sociological and political influences underpinning Orwell's major works. In particular, Schlesser shows us how Orwell had to live among the underclass before writing so poignantly about them."" -Jim McDermott, author of Bitter Is The Wind ""George Orwell was one of the most important writers of the twentieth century and is still essential reading if we want to understand how we got to where we are today. His Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty-Four are still best-sellers. If all the books in print today were destroyed except for twenty, his Nineteen Eighty-Four would be a priority to save among the others. That is why it is such a pleasure to see Steven Schlesser summarize Orwell's life and writings once again. We can never have enough of George Orwell. He was the conscience of the twentieth century in the West, and volunteered to fight against fascism in the Spanish Civil War in 1936, blithely saying, 'The rise in fascism - somebody's got to put a stop to it.'"" -John Harte, author of The Passionate Spies

Author Information

Steven Schlesser is an independent scholar and freelance writer based in Portland, Oregon. His first book, The Soldier, The Builder, and The Diplomat: Custer, The Titanic, and World War One, was reissued in a second edition with a new introduction in 2023. A graduate of Claremont McKenna College and Vermont Law School, Schlesser writes a monthly newsletter and works in the wood products industry, mostly with manufactured housing.

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