George Orwell is regarded as the greatest political writer in English of the twentieth century. The massive critical literature on Orwell has not only become extremely specialized, and therefore somewhat inaccessible to the nonscholar, but it has also attributed to and even created misconceptions about the man, the writer and his literary legacy. For these reasons, an overview of Orwell's writing and influence is an indispensable resource. Accordingly, this 2007 Companion serves as both an introduction to Orwell's work and furnishes numerous innovative interpretations and fresh critical perspectives on it. Throughout the Companion, which includes chapters dedicated to two of Orwell's major novels, Nineteen Eighty-Four and Animal Farm, Orwell's work is placed within the context of the political and social climate of the time. His response to the Depression, British imperialism, Stalinism, World War II, and the politics of the British Left are also examined.
Edited by:
John Rodden (University of Texas Austin)
Imprint: Cambridge University Press
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions:
Height: 229mm,
Width: 152mm,
Spine: 13mm
Weight: 330g
ISBN: 9780521675079
ISBN 10: 0521675073
Series: Cambridge Companions to Literature
Pages: 238
Publication Date: 01 July 2007
Audience:
College/higher education
,
Professional and scholarly
,
General/trade
,
Primary
,
Undergraduate
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
Preface; Notes on contributors; An Orwell calendar John Rodden; 1. A political writer John Rossi and John Rodden; 2. Orwell and the biographers Gordon Bowker; 3. Englands his Englands: Orwell's Britain between the wars Jonathan Rose; 4. The truths of experience: Orwell's nonfiction of the 1930s Margery Sabin; 5. The fictional realist: novels of the 1930s Michael Levenson; 6. Orwell's essays as a literary experience William Cain; 7. 'My Country, Right or Left': Orwell's patriotism John Rossi; 8. Orwell and the British left Ian Williams; 9. Orwell, anti-semitism, and the Holocaust John Newsinger; 10. Orwell and the Cold War Robert Conquest; 11. Animal Farm: history as fable M. Dickstein; 12. Nineteen Eighty-Four: context and controversy B. Crick; 13. Orwell, the academy, and the intellectuals Neil McLaughlin; 14. Orwell for today's reader: an open letter John Rodden; 15. George Orwell: a bibliographic essay Erika Gottlieb; 16. Why Orwell still matters Christopher Hitchens; Further reading.
John Rodden is Adjunct Professor of Communication Studies at the University of Texas at Austin.
Reviews for The Cambridge Companion to George Orwell
'This is a genuine companion. The essays are sharp and to the point; never outstay their welcome; and, unlike so much academic writing which seems to be more concerned to address a narrow field of fellow academics, is completely free of jargon. Orwell would have been delighted.' Peter Davison, The Orwell Forum '...the broad readership that his title will appeal to is well served by this accessible book that would be a welcome addition to both public and academic library collections.' Languages and Literature ' ... there are some interesting things in this volume. There is good introductory essays by John Rossi and Jon Rodden ...' The Review of English Studies
