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7136318 No.7136318 [Reply] [Original]

Where do I start with Orwell? What are his must-read essays?

Are Animal Farm, 1984 and The Road to Wigan Pier a good place to start?

>> No.7136329

I'm also interested in his criticisms of other writers and intellectuals.

>> No.7136333

>>7136318

Just read his fucking books.

His essays are his best works though, just read them.

>> No.7136352

>>7136318
Everything.

Politics and the English Language.
1984.
Animal Farm.
Keep the Aspidistra Flying
Wigan Pier.

>> No.7136353

The whole lot. Chronologically.

>> No.7136354

>>7136333
That's not really what I'm asking though. I'm wondering where to start and which are the most worth reading

>> No.7136366

>>7136318

I should probably read The Road to Wigan Pier, given that I live less than 10 miles from Wigan.

>> No.7136374

>>7136318

Orwell fan here. Here's what I consider to be the "essential" Orwell.

>Non-fiction
Down and Out in Paris and London
Wigan Pier
Homage to Catalonia
A Collection of Essays (check the table of contents for specific essays.)

>Fiction
Animal Farm
1984


Then you can get the everyman omnibus of essays if you really like him, and Coming Up for Air

>> No.7136375

>>7136318
Are you British?

If yes -> The Road to Wigan Pier then Down and Out in Paris and London then Keep the Aspidistra Flying then Burmese Days then 1984 then Animal Farm then Homage to Catalonia. Essays and journalism can be interspersed at any time- any collected anthology will do. Check out the stuff he wrote for the New Statesman.

If no -> 1984 then Animal Farm then Homage to Catalonia then read a bit about Britain in the 1930s and read Why Orwell Matters by Christopher Hitchens then see list above (excluding works already mentioned).

British people are exempt from reading Why Orwell Matters because we already know. It's genetic, like knowing Beatles lyrics and how to make a cup of tea.

>inb4 hurf durr Hitchens etc etc hat meme etc

>> No.7136382

>>7136375

Orwell matters because he is the founding father of hit reality television show 'Big Brother', right?

>> No.7136409

>>7136318
don't he's shit and read by neckbeards.

read bataille

>> No.7136413

>>7136352
Wigan Pier is skippable in my opinion. It's very dull, but if you want to know how poor people lived like in a particular part of the world then it may be interesting.

>> No.7136415

>>7136375
>British people are exempt from reading Why Orwell Matters because we already know. It's genetic, like knowing Beatles lyrics and how to make a cup of tea.
top cringe m8. keep calm and carry on xD

>> No.7136419
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7136419

Homage to Catalonia is very overlooked, but it's on par with Storm of Steel when it comes to on the ground war memoir.

Those trench and siege chapters man, I get chills every time I read them.

>> No.7136422

>>7136375
I am British, and to my shame I've never read any Orwell which is why I want to start. Is he a 'readable' writer? Or one that takes some background reading to fully grasp?

I always found Hitchens much more interesting when he talked about politics and his polemics against figures like Diana, Kissinger and Clinton rather than his somewhat tiresome atheism.

>> No.7136428

>>7136419
Storm of Steel was one of the best things I've read, I want to read some more Junger but don't know where to begin. I'll definitely read Homage to Catalonia now so thanks.

>> No.7136452

>>7136428
That book really made me appreciate what those men went through.

WW1 was the worst thing to ever happen to us.

>> No.7136470

>>7136366
You already know it then I take it.

>> No.7136475

>>7136422
Orwell is as readable as it gets. his prose is extremely clear. Literally clearer than Dickens.

>> No.7136482

>>7136470

I know vaguely what the book is about, but my English history is lacking and it may be interesting to learn more about the area I'm from.

Wigan's not a particularly interesting place in the present day.

>> No.7136500
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7136500

>no one mentioning this

I hate you all

>> No.7136501

>>7136500
His worst tbh.

Haven't read A Clergyman's Daughter though.

>> No.7136509

>>7136501
HOW DARE YOU

>> No.7136513

>>7136409
well memed

>> No.7136518

>>7136375
Shit, I forgot A Clergyman's Daughter. Insert into the list after Aspidistra and before Burmese Days.

>>7136382
I know you wrote that in jest, but Orwell's descendants get royalties from every series of the show from the use of the term, and will continue to do so until 2025 when the copyright expires.

>>7136415
Fuck off

>>7136422
> Is he a 'readable' writer?

Yes. His non fiction is always good company. I was not joking when I mentioned his New Statesman stuff- Politics and the English Language is one of the best journalistic essays ever written. He was as sarcastic as a pic related and as adept with language as any writer you care to mention.

>> No.7136524

>>7136509
I liked the underlying political subtext and the existentialism, but it was poorly executed tbh. His writing was very sloppy.

>> No.7136526

>>7136500
I forgot this too. I am shamed

>> No.7136535

>>7136482
I was making a joke based on the title. Of course you know the geographical route to Wigan if you live close to it.
Serious note - It's definitely worth reading for an insight into the British working class. His descriptions of the working conditions in the coal mines are as haunting as 1984.
It's also an interesting piece that shows Orwell's early, more idealistic, thoughts on socialism.