George Orwell: A Life in Letters

Description

The first ever paperback publication of Orwell's remarkable letters Personal as well as political, Orwell's letters offer a fascinating window into the mind of a phenomenal man. We are privy to snatched glimpses of his family life- his son Richard's developing teeth, the death of his wife Eileen, and his own illness. Candid portraits of Barcelona during the Spanish Civil War, his opinions on bayonets, and on the chaining of German prisoners display his magnificent talent as a political writer, and letters to friends and his publisher provide a unique insight into the development and publication of some of the most important novels in the English language. A Life in Letters features previously unpublished material, including letters which shed new light on a love that would haunt him for his whole life, as well as revealing the inspiration for some of his most famous characters. Presented for the first time in a dedicated volume, this selection of Orwell's letters is an indispensible companion to his diaries.

Eric Arthur Blair (George Orwell) was born in India in 1903. He was educated at Eton, served with the Indian Imperial Police in Burma, and worked in Britain as a private tutor, schoolteacher, bookshop assistant and journalist. In 1936, Orwell went to fight for the Republicans in the Spanish Civil War and was wounded. In 1938 he was admitted into a sanatorium and from then on was never fully fit. George Orwell died in London in 1950. Peter Davison has published over one hundred volumes on drama, bibliographical and cultural studies, and George Orwell. He was appointed OBE in 1999 for services to Enlgish Literature, and in 2003 was awarded the Gold Medal of the Bibliographical Society.

Arouses your warmest sympathy * Daily Mail * A Life in Letters contains nearly everything a reader new to Orwell needs to know about him -- DJ Taylor * New Statesman * 'Mr Davison's new edition of the letters is compelling...unlike a conventional biography, the character of the subject comes through undiluted.' * Sunday Telegraph * 'This is the authentic Orwell voice: wonderfully clear and fresh and forthright' * Mail on Sunday * 'the best single-volume selection we could hope for' * Sunday Times * 'Orwell: A Life in Letters should take its place beside the five major biographies ... as an indepsensible resource for understanding George Orwell and his times.' * John Rodden *