The Orwell Reader: Fiction, Essays, and Reportage
by George Orwell
Book Summary Information
Author: George OrwellEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 1961-03-08
ISBN: 0156701766
Number of pages: 480
Publisher: Mariner Books
Product features:
- ISBN13: 9780156701761
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
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Book Reviews of The Orwell Reader: Fiction, Essays, and Reportage
Book Review: Fiction in Fragments...Orwell hidden.
Summary: 1 Stars
I am no stranger to the sin of pride. I pride myself on being systematic and as a result being as objective as possible (hopefully.)I believe I have read every published writing Orwell has ever written.Reading this collection reminded me of the colonial partition of Africa. Have you ever studied the crazy patchwork of counties created in Africa without regard to tribal boundries? Orwell's writing has been divided up by an editor who disregarded the unity of the works being reviewed..this is a grave disservice to Orwell.
This collection consists of exerpts from Orwell's early novels, essays and and a short selection from 1984. The writings are in chronological order starting from the Burma period to the novel "1984" written in 1948. The book has collections which appear in many other works; I am always worried that I have missed something because of the many overlapping editions of Orwell works spanning decades.
Orwell's novels appear in strange fragmentary chapters in "The Orwell Reader" which hide Orwell's complete writing from us. Orwell's great ability as a descriptive writer is hiden from us in fragments of selections.Orwell's novels tend to be one dimensional. The novels lack introspective dialogue and depth, but have an interesting journalistic quality which we refer to today as "atmosphere."
The selection from "Keep the Aspidistra Flying" describes Gordon Comstock, the protagonist, researching fetal development after discovering his girlfriend is pregnant. This incident shocks him from his wandering penury to face the responsibilities of life. This novel reflects personal letters in which Orwell mentions the evil of abortion and opines about a future UK devoid of children... facing demographic crisis. Very prophetic. Abortion was a subject in other essays. Orwell once remarked that abortion should be seen as "more than a pecadillo."
Much of Orwell's fiction is based on source material found in the large four volume collection of personal writings begining with "In an Age Like This." These four volumes provide an invaluable insight into the thought life of Orwell and are cheap.
In "England Your England" we are told that the struggle with Germany has to be fought as a socialist struggle against Fascism, yet we are only told that the socialism is democratic...we are never a detailed description of what alternative existed to the dying British Empire and capitalism. Orwell later recanted some views on the War stating that he under estimated the power of patriotism.
The essays on James Burnham and Ghandi are particulary noteworthy for their keen political insights. Orwell correctly stated that if the Soviets did not democratize they would eventually collapse and that Ghandi had subordinated spiritual values to baser political ones. Orwell, however, never explored the spiritual core of Ghandi which he dismissed as "unappealing." The superficiality of Orwell perhaps made him an objective journalist; this is his enduring legacy, his efficency of thought.
The selection from "The Road to Wigan Pier" is an ideal example of the travel journalism which shows the essiential compassion and time capsule value of Orwell's writing about depression era poverty. Orwell lived with the coal miners he wrote about.The Road to Wigan Pier
This book should be ignored and the reader would be better advised to just buy individual Orwell novels and collections of complete writings. When you purchase large collections of Orwell's writings it is best to check the table of contents to avoid duplicating selections and wasting money.
Great writer...very bad, butchered edition; therefore, one star.
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