George Orwell Books

Patrick Reilly takes masterpieces and offers a critical reading of them. He takes 1984 and strips it down to the basic story. In other words, he treats it just like any other story, discussing the work, breaking down the work, as if you would do with any other story. To him, the story is about Jack the Giant Killer, but this Jack fails and fails big time, against a Giant who is smarter, more powerful and always two steps ahead. His insight and ideas on the work, approaching from the angle of pure fiction, did make for a very interesting read on the many issues and events within the book. A must for any fan of Orwell, his works or English classics in general.

1984 is extremely influential on the way we as a society label each other and our government with names such as "Big Brother" Orwellian and such. These names like calling someone a Nazi allow us to appear to argue but actually allow us to dodge the real issues. This is fairly ironic considering the origin of such terms. Basically 1984 is set in London in the distopian future. Orwell wrote it in response to Stalin's corrupting the ideals of Socialism. He was a socialist and so was really bothered by that failure.

The plot to 1984 isn't so important as the setting. Basically the story follows Winston Smith. Smith harbors less than perfect views of his environment, for which he will one day be arrested regardless of his actions. Not loving the government (thought crime) is the only crime that is recognized. Hidden cameras and microphones are omnipresent in the city, included mandatory TVs which can't be turned off, only show a single government station and contain hidden cameras through which "thought police" may monitor what is in front of the TV at any time. Social interaction doesn't exist, since that would be considered weird and therefore criminal.

There are three classes of people in London: Inner Party members, Party members like Winston and the proletariate, who aren't watched so closely because they aren't considered human. In this world Winston goes from merely not liking the government to engaging in unusual behavior. He starts by buying decorative antiques at a proletariate shop and progresses to having a girl friend, who he can only meet with in remote country side settings on account of social interaction is not allowed by the government. It is obvious to him that he will one day be taken to the Ministry of Love, a windowless building which handles law enforcement, and never fails at getting thought criminals to love the government.

The novel is always dark. No happy beginning, no happy middle and no happy ending. Still it is important to read it before throwing around terms like "Orwellian" It has been so influential on society that it is required reading - if you want to pass your tenth grade English. Failing to read is a sign of insurgence against the government.

In a society that has eliminated many imbalances, surplus goods, and even class struggle, there are bound to be deviates; Winston Smith is one of those. He starts out, due to his inability to doublethink, with thoughtcrime. This is in a society that believes a thought is as real as the deed. Eventually he graduates through a series of misdemeanors to illicit sex and even plans to overthrow the very government that took him in as an orphan.
If he gets caught, he will be sent to the "Ministry of Love" where they have a record of 100% cures for this sort of insanity. They will even forgive his past indiscretions.

Be sure to watch the three different movies made from this book:
1984 (1954) Peter Cushing is Winston Smith
1984 (1956) Edmond O'Brien is Winston Smith
Nineteen Eighty-Four (1984) John Hurt is Winston smith

One caveat if you are thinking of buying this edition: this is not the way you should read the story for the first time. However, if you've read it and would like a piece of history to call your own, this is a worthy addition to your library.

I first read 1984 when I was in the seventh grade. It earned me sneers and odd looks from my classmates, but I recognized it for what it is - a warning. This book helped shape my outlook on the world, and particularly on politics. It made me wary of false promises and doubletalk - "newspeak" - something that has unfortunately come true within my lifetime. War is peace, black is white, down is up.

Last year I finally bought a hardcover edition of the standard edition to add to my library. This manuscript is no substitute for a standard edition, in terms of reading at leisure. It has all of the corrections, crossed-out paragraphs (and pages), and the majority of it is in Orwell's own hand (i.e. not typed). To read the story in this form for the first time would be daunting.

Nevertheless I cherish it. I cannot recommend this book highly enough to devotees of Orwell. It occupies a treasured space in my bookcase.

Literature-Book Review

Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell, published by Penguin Books

WHAT a cleverly written, a very enticing book to read with a much unexpected twist in the end. George Orwell showcases his brilliant writing skills in this marvellous book. For those who have read Animal Farm, they should know what to expect in this brilliantly written book. This book explores the rule of totalitarianism, how the world has not come to terms with totalitarianism. This should keep you in suspense from the first chapter till the last chapter. This is not for the faint hearted, but for those who are political minded. This is a true breath taking fiction. The style is not fast paced as it entices you to read more.

George Orwell writes about a world where there is no happiness whatsoever. The book is set in 1984 in a country called Oceania. This country is ruled by Big Brother with his party known as The Party. A world where laughter is tears, where love is turned to hate. A world where there are no emotions, only misery in people's hearts. `Thoughtcrime does not entail death: thoughtcrime is death.' The novel tells of how you're supposed to be a supporter of Big Brother. If you have thoughts of your own, that are resistant to Big Brother's party you die.
The protagonist is Winston Smith. He has a quest of his own. His will is to go against The Party's teachings and rules. He believes that if he wants to remain sane, he should follow his own heart and mind.

In this heart moving novel George Orwell showcases his journalistic writing skills. Even if you not keen of politics but this one is surely a winner.

As Continental forces and Virginia militia units were engaged in winning independence, American quartermasters and provisioners struggled to provide these units with all the necessities of life, from meals and guns to meat, fodder for horses, the horses themselves, firewood, and every other type of material. Much of this was requisitioned from the civilian population and certificates were issued payable in either continental or state funds, depending on the units supplied, upon presentation to court authorities. Thousands of these certificates issued to Virginians were duly entered by the courts, and they provide a fascinating insight into the period of the Revolution. These "Publick" Claims booklets contain interesting and useful information about the contributions of ordinary people to the Revolutionary War. They provide some details of people's service in the militia or as guards for prisoners of war; they indicate where some bodies of troops were at particular times; and they identify providers of horses, wagons, cattle, grain, or other supplies. Much of the information in these booklets cannot be found anywhere else, which makes the surviving records particularly valuable. Also remarkable is the fact that records survived from virtually every county in the state at that time with the exception of the newly formed Kentucky counties. This makes the collection even more valuable in covering areas which heretofore in this time period have suffered from a lack of personal data. The "Virginia Publick Claims" are published by counties. In addition to a faithful transcription by Janice Luck Abercrombie and the late Richard Slatten, a complete index is provided for each county booklet. This series is an extremely important genealogical tool for searchers in Revolutionary-era materials.

It is a shame that this little gem is out of print and so rare or expensive to find. "Orwell's London" is full of photographs of places George Orwell lived, worked and ate in and around London, 115 pictures by my count. They are evenly divided between historical photos of life in London during Orwell's lifetime and ones taken in 1984, when the book was published. The photos are grouped chronologically according to the different phases of Orwell's life and are accompanied by brief biographical sketches that lend context. The final chapter, "No enemy to pleasure", shows restaurants Orwell frequented.

The most useful feature of the book is the addresses given for every place photographed. This is very handy for anyone visiting London who would like to see places where Orwell worked or lived. I made that trip myself in 1999 and can vouch for the accuracy of the references. Of particular interest are the offices of Victor Gollancz, 14 Henrietta St., WC2 (only shown from the inside in this book), Booklover's Corner, South End Green, NW3 (now a pizza shop with an Orwell plaque near the door), and the Senate House, Malet St., WC1 (rumored to be the model for the Ministry of Truth in "1984").

All in all worthwhile, snap this one up if you can find it.

For those who are interested in new ideas and philosophy, I highly recommend this excellent novel. Mr. Wong is not afraid to challenge basic preconceptions and politically correct norms. He sees the world through fresh eyes and in a much grander scale than most modern writers can hope to achieve.

In vivid and poignant detail, the book, "Out of Chaos", paints a grim picture of what China might look like in the not so distant future if the politically correct views that are accepted in the United States and much of the Western world were adopted by China. Mr. Wong, an obviously brilliant and well-read author/philospher, explains that from a historical and sociological standpoint, the political system that works in the United States would be a disaster for China. Mr. Wong convincingly makes his point through the use of facsinatingly original characters. Interestingly, the lead character is obviously symbolic of China as a whole. In the beginning of the story, he is an illiterate young man raised on a farm, totally lacking in self-confidence, but with immense physical strength and a voracious appetite for learning. We learn that China, notwithstanding its great potential, falls into chaos due to political upheaval caused by various political factions interested only in their own selfish interests rather than the greater good of China. Mr. Wong spins a marvelous and interesting story where the lead character begins an intellectual, moral and ethical growth process. His personal growth is symbolic of what can and should happen for all of China if disasterous in-fighting between various political/ geographical factions can be set aside for the good of the country as a whole.

This was a marvelous and enlightening story. I highly recommend it to all persons interested in seeing the world, and particularly China, in a new and refreshing light.

GEROGE ORWELL WAS THE COOLEST GUY IN 1949!!! YOU ALL SHOULD READ THIS BOOK IT REALLY IS A CLASIC. THIS BOOK IS ABOUT A MAN IN THE EARLY 1900'S AND HE IS SECREATLY FALLING IN LOVE WITH HIS GIRLFRIEND JULIA AND HIS LIFE IS BASED AROUND THE GOVERMENT AND HE KNWOS EVERYTHING IS CHANGING AND HE IS AFRAID OF THE FEAUTURE. I THINK THAT EVERYONE SHOULD READ THIS IT TRULY IS A GOOD BOOK. P.S. NOT THIS BOOK IS THE GAYEST BOOK IN THE UNIVERSE. GEORGE ORWELL MUST HAVE BEEN INSANE TO PUBLISH SUCH A BORRING BOOK!!! I RECOMEND NO ONE TO READ THIS! NOT EVEN 'ANIMAL FARM' THAT IS GAY TOO I DONT KNOW WHERE HE THINKS THESE THINGS UP!!! JUST DONT READ IT YOU WILL FALL A SLEEP... FAST!!!

This book is a three parter. In the first part John W. Young explains to us how language in Orwell's "1984" was used for thought control. In part Two and Three, he compares the fiction to the reality of language and terminology used in Nazi Germany and Communist Russia. Not only does he show us the flaws in totalitarion languages, he even shows us the counter-languages that develop to help people under the dictatorial rule keep things 'real'.
One point he makes is that while governments have a hard time changing the meaning of words or banning them completely, they can make words worthless by using them so much that the words lose all meaning. Kind of like how we use 'democratic' today.