George Orwell: A Literary Life (Literary Lives)

This account of Orwell's life focuses on what influenced Orwell, his relations with publishers and editors, and on certain key experiences in his life: the deposition that, while fighting in the Spanish Civil War, he was guilty of espionage and high treason; his work at the BBC, especially in developing 'cultural propaganda' and as the forerunner of the Open University; his interest in pamphlet literature; his time as a war correspondent; and his activities during the Cold War. A detailed analysis of his earnings between 1922 to 1945 reveals how very poor he was and challenges the widely-held, but unsustainable belief that he was paid a large sum to investigate conditions in Wigam. This account of Orwell's life is chiefly concerned with what influenced Orwell, his relations with publishers and editors, and the analysis of certain key experiences - the deposition that during the Spanish Civil War he was guilty of espionage and high treason; his work at the BBC; his interest in pamphlet literature; and his time as a war correspondent. There is a detailed assessment of his earnings from 1922 to 1945 and a fresh look at his attitudes to class, women, and religious belief. Special attention is paid to his essays. Front Matter....Pages i-xxvii Getting Started....Pages 1-14 Foreign Fields....Pages 15-37 The Profession of Author....Pages 38-66 The Turning-Point: Wigan and Spain....Pages 67-87 Orwell as Reviewer and Essayist....Pages 88-110 Events Leading Up to the War and the BBC Years....Pages 111-120 The Last Five Years....Pages 121-139 Conclusion ....Pages 140-147 Back Matter....Pages 148-175 This account of Orwell's life is chiefly concerned with what influenced Orwell, his relations with publishers and editors, and the analysis of certain key experiences. These include his work at the BBC, his interest in pamphlet literature and his time as a war correspondent A study of author George Orwell focusing on the people, readings and circumstances that influenced him and looking at his relationship with publishers and editors, with a detailed chronology of his life