Orwell: Wintry Conscience of a GenerationRespected biographer Jeffrey Meyers delves into the complex life of the man whose visionary work gave us the great anti-utopias of modern literature. "The breadth of his research is impressive" (New York Times Book Review), drawing on a close study of the new edition of Orwell's Complete Works, personal interviews, and unpublished material in London's Orwell Archive. Meyers's "briskly paced, absorbing narrative...offers keen insights" (Boston Sunday Globe) on Orwell's intellectual development, as well as his human failings--his childhood insecurities, his political dilemmas, and his conflicted relationships with women. "Leagues in front of" Orwell's previous biographers, Meyers "convincingly demonstrates the essence of [Orwell's] character" (Denver Post), revealing a "much more helpful and believable portrait" (Paul Theroux). "The breadth of his research is impressive."--New York Times Book Review "A respected biographer and no stranger to his subject."--Newark Star-Ledger "[B]riskly paced, absorbing narrative...offers keen insights."--Boston Sunday Globe "[Meyers] convincingly demonstrates the essence of [Orwell's] character."--Denver Post "[A]dmirable for its portrayal of Orwell the man and writer--dark, disturbed, obsessing, contrary....both moving and edifying."--Paul Theroux "[L]ikely to be seen as the most insightful and balanced portrait...for a long time to come."--Joseph Frank "Meyers has uncovered fascinating aspects of Orwell's life that put a new face to one of Britain's most influential authors."--Phillip Knightley, author of The First Casualty |
Contents
An Edwardian Childhood 19031914 | 3 |
Misery at St Cyprians 19111916 | 16 |
Slacking Off at Eton 19171921 | 28 |
Policing Burma 19221927 | 48 |
The Joy of Destitution 19271932 | 73 |
Among School Children 19321934 | 95 |
Eileen and Wigan Pier 19351937 | 118 |
Fighting for Spain 1937 | 139 |
Escape to Jura 19461947 | 256 |
The Dark Vision of Nineteen EightyFour 1948 | 274 |
The Art of Dying 19491950 | 292 |
Epilogue Orwells Legacy | 314 |
The Geography of Kiplings Mandalay | 327 |
Allusions in Burmese Days | 329 |
Getting at the Truth | 331 |
A History of Illness | 337 |
Morocco and Coming Up for Air 19381939 | 178 |
London in the Blitz 19391941 | 194 |
Wartime Propagandist 19411943 | 213 |
Fatherhood and Eileens Death 19441945 | 227 |
Animal Farm and Fame 1945 | 243 |
Notes | 339 |
367 | |
371 | |
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Common terms and phrases
Animal Farm Anthony Powell Aspidistra Flying Avril Barcelona became boys British Buddicom Burma Burmese Days Communist Crick Critical Cyprian's Cyril Connolly D.H. Lawrence Dakin David Astor described Diary Dickens Eileen England English Eric Eric's essay Eton Fascist father feel felt Frankford Fredric Warburg friends Fyvel gave George Orwell Gollancz Heppenstall Homage to Catalonia India intellectual Interview Jeffrey Meyers Julian Symons Jura Keep the Aspidistra knew Koestler later Letter literary lived London looked lung Lydia Malcolm Muggeridge Mandalay March married Moulmein Muggeridge never Nineteen Eighty-Four novel novelist O'Shaughnessy Orwell Archive Orwell's Paris police political POUM published Rangoon Remembering Orwell Review Richard Blair Richard Rees Road to Wigan Runciman sanatorium seemed sexual Shelden social Socialist Sonia Southwold Spain Spender Steven Runciman Susan Symons things thought told took tramping Wadhams Wallington wanted Warburg who'd Wigan Pier Winston women writing York