Orwell's Island

George, Jura and 1984

Les Wilson

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English

Saraband
01 June 2024

Biography; Biography: literary; Literary studies: from c 1900 -; Literary studies: fiction, novelists & prose writers

Revered across the globe as an author of compelling novels, journalism, and essays that came to define the twentieth century, George Orwell was anunmatchedpolitical visionary, shining a light on the insidious nature of propaganda. Yet this chronicler of war,social injusticesand urban poverty spent his later years livingina rustic abandoned farmhouse that was miles from the nearest neighbour.

His rural escapewas on the remote Scottish island of Jura - another paradox, given that he had harbored anirrational prejudice against Scotland for much of his life.

In 1946, Orwell arrived at his isolated home of Barnhill as a grieving widowerlivingin the shadow of war and the nuclear threat. It was there he wrote hismasterpiece,Nineteen Eighty-Four.

Beyond the writing desk, he was transformed: his new life was one of natural beauty and tight-knit community - and he grew to love a corner of the world that he had once dismissed.

Orwell's Islandcasts important new light on a great modern thinker and author.

No previous biography has revealed so much about Orwell's later years or his time on Jura, despite this being where he created Big Brother, the Thought Police and Room 101 - creations still in common currency today.

By: Les Wilson
Imprint: Saraband
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 198mm, Width: 129mm,
ISBN: 9781913393779
ISBN 10: 1913393771
Pages: 224
Publication Date: 01 June 2024
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

A former political journalist, Les Wilson is Creative Director of Caledonia TV, directing and executive producing documentaries on Scottish history, the British monarchy (Scotland’s War, The Enchanted Glass), and many programmes in the Scottish Gaelic language on literature and arts. He is co-author (with Seona Robertson) of Scotland’s War and has a novel and several history books to his name: Islay Voices, The Drowned and the Saved: How War Came to the Hebrides (winner of Scotland’s National Book Awards, history) and Putting the Tea in Britain: How Scots Invented our National Drink.

Reviews for Orwell's Island: George, Jura and 1984

'As compelling and concise as Orwell himself, nothing escapes Wilson’s forensic pursuit. I felt as though I was a mere couple of steps behind the man … a dutiful and beautiful homage to one of our most enduring writers.' -- Cathy Macdonald