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Imagine any of today's writers of "creative nonfiction" dispatching a rogue elephant before an audience of several thousand. Now, imagine the essay that would result. Can we say "narcissism"? As part of the Imperial Police in Burma, George Orwell actually found himself aiming the gun, and his record--first published in 1936--comprises eight of the highest voltage pages of English prose you'll ever read. In "Shooting an Elephant," Orwell illumines the shoddy recesses of his own character, illustrates the morally corrupting nature of imperialism, and indicts you, the reader, in the creature's death, a process so vividly reported it's likely to show up in your nightmares ever after. "The owner was furious, but he was only an Indian and could do nothing.... Among the Europeans opinion was divided. The older men said I was right, the younger men said it was a damn shame to shoot an elephant for killing a coolie, because an elephant was worth much more than any damn Coringhee coolie."
This essay alone would be worth the cover price, and the dozen other pieces collected here prove that, given the right thinker/writer, today's journalism actually can become tomorrow's literature. "The Art of Donald McGill," ostensibly an appreciation of the jokey, vaguely obscene illustrated postcards beloved of the working classes, uses the lens of popular culture to examine the battle lines and rules of engagement in the war of the sexes, circa 1941. "Politics and the English Language" is a prose working-out of Orwell's perceptions about the slippery relationship of word and thought that becomes a key premise of 1984. "Looking Back on the Spanish War" is as clear-eyed a veteran's memoir of the nature of war as you're likely to find, and Orwell's long ruminations on the wildly popular "good bad" writers Charles Dickens and Rudyard Kipling showcase his singular virtues--searing honesty and independent thinking. From English boarding schools to Gandhi's character to an early appreciation of Henry Miller's Tropic of Cancer, these pieces give an idiosyncratic tour of the first half of the passing century in the company of an articulate and engaged guide. Don't let the idea that Orwell is an "important" writer put you off reading him. He's really too good, and too human, to miss. --Joyce Thompson
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SOON after I arrived at Crossgates (not immediately, but a week or two, just when I seemed to be settling into the routine of school life) I began wetting my bed. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
SOON after I arrived at Crossgates (not immediately, but a week or two, just when I seemed to be settling into the routine of school life) I began wetting my bed. Read the first page
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Most helpful customer reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
The end of all isms....,
By "martinaluise7" (Hawaii) - See all my reviews
This review is from: A Collection of Essays (Paperback)
Orwell was not only a keen observer of human nature and somebody who had the guts and foresight to condemn extremism from all corners he was also essentially a great humanitarian. The care he takes in using discriminating language and urging others to do so is a great legacy and one we are in dire need of today in this era of thoughtless engineering and sloganeering and aliteracy among the literate. His disemination of Gandhi and his sceptical stance towards hero worship is also badly in need of being reread and rejuvinated. All saints should be pronounced guilty until proven innocent would be a laudable addition to public life, or church for that matter. Orwell is without missionary zeal except when it comes to writing itself which he describes as a disease as well as a cure and a matter of seriousness for soul evaluation.Anything penned by the man who gave us the following explanation for fascism is worth contemplating: "The dog which performs his tricks because he is afraid of the whip is not yet well trained enough. The really well trained dog does his somersaults without being asked to perform."
5.0 out of 5 stars
A great essayist and a lively read.,
By Penguin Egg (London, England) - See all my reviews
This review is from: A Collection of Essays (Paperback)
Orwell is as likely to go down in history as an essayist as he is as a novelist. The clarity of his style is matched only by the clarity of his thought. Orwell's belief in using language correctly, in order to transmit ideas, rather than to obscure them, is as essential to his idea of freedom as is democracy. He thought that the English language was in a bad way and set about to correct it in 'Politics & the English Language.' "The English language," says Orwell," becomes ugly and inaccurate because our thoughts are foolish, but the slovenliness of our language makes it easier for us to have foolish thoughts.... Modern English is full of bad habits...If one gets rid of these habits one can think more clearly, and to think clearly is a necessary first step towards political regeneration." Lazy language - pretentious diction, meaningless words, and cliché - was a mask for lazy thinking. He would have been aghast at the abundance of modern jargon or the 'spin' put on news stories by politicians today, both of which is to either hide up the paucity of genuine ideas or to mislead the public. For Orwell, to speak, and just as importantly, to write, clearly are important for the political process. These ideas were, of course, to feed into his novel, 1984, with its use of Double Speak, to say one thing while thinking another. We recognise these words and phrases all too well: People's Democracies for Communist dictatorship; pacification for mass murder and terror; We, the people for We, the ruling elite; and Protecting democracy for Defending our financial interests. These essays, written in the 1930s and 40s, capture the era perfectly. His subject matter ranges widely and there is much here to chew over. It doesn't matter whether he is talking about the outdated jingoism of Rudyard Kipling, the true nature of British imperialism in India, the slightly obscene picture postcards of Donald McGill, the brutality and snobbishness of English Public schools, the lack of radicalism in Charles Dickens, or the horror of an execution that Orwell witnessed, all are brought vividly to life by the clarity of his writing, his keenness of intellect, and his eye for detail. Orwell will be remembered because he not only articulated the times in which he lived but also because he was a genuine literary artist.
5.0 out of 5 stars
This Guy Is Nuts.,
By Tom (Palatine, IL USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: A Collection of Essays (Paperback)
This is the man who wrote "1984," the single most frightening piece of fiction I have ever read.Still... In this excellent collection of works that is only slightly duplicated in "The Orwell Reader," Mr. Orwells sees fit to to critically analyze the worlds of smutty post cards and boy's 2-penny newspapers. I kid you not. They make amazing, and amazingly funny reading. With the same zeal and clear critical thought that Orwell applied to the Spanish Civil War and homeless countrymen, he analyzes the art and purpose of smutty post cards. What a hoot! Actually, it is refreshing. This is big fun. Want to see more reviews on this item?
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