The George Orwell thread.

You have any arguments against it, or you just mad he went after some Sacred Cows?

Don't think Hitchens would appreciate the word "sacred" being anywhere near a sentence about him...

As for the substance of the article, all I could pick up was a strong smell of "want". As in the writer "wanted" to be remembered as much as either of those two, and has achieved it in his mind by getting it on the internet. And chose in that article to slag off two men who were in my view infinitely superior in how they filleted their subjects. But that's just me.

So the "You're just jealous!" school of criticism criticism. Figured you'd offer up something like that.

Got anything of substance to say?

I do. Orwell was kind of a huge asshole. I enjoy his books, though.

Hello. Just though id say i like the thread. As one can guess from my handle, im an Orwell fan or 'devotee'. Ive read most of what hes written multiple times, including his diaries, and i have read much of it twice. To me he is what every young author should aspire to be: Truthful, honest about ones own faults, persistent and courageous. Just...maybe better with fiction. Besides 1984, most of Orwell's fiction is forgettable.

Has anyone read Down And Out In Paris And London?

Because, to me, the scenes are generally more interesting in Paris than the scenes in London.