The Oldie

Phoney Blair

Orwell: The New Life

By DJ Taylor

Constable £30

Why – how – does Orwell matter? It is because of Animal Farm.

Like so many decent people, Orwell espoused the aspirations of the Left during the dark years of the European dictatorships. Being honest as well as decent, he saw how inexorably the idealistic dreams of the William Morris socialist era developed into the Gulag.

And he told the story with immense sympathy, pathos and humour, making

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from The Oldie

The Oldie5 min read
Do Mention The War
Never go back. Or, then again, cast aside any such thinking and, like a famous rock star, book the venues, load up the vans and hit the road one more time. John Cleese isn’t a rock star and isn’t exactly hitting the road. But he’s certainly reaching
The Oldie1 min read
The Oldie
Editor Harry Mount Sub-editor Penny Phillips Art editor Michael Hardaker Supplements editor Charlotte Metcalf Editorial assistant Amelia Milne Publisher James Pembroke Patron saints Jeremy Lewis, Barry Cryer At large Richard Beatty Our Old Master Dav
The Oldie3 min read
I'm Dying To Cure The Cost-of-living Crisis
I’m too much of a Catholic convent girl to be persuaded by the arguments favouring euthanasia – now called ‘assisted dying’. But if I were to be tempted by the campaign advanced so successfully by Esther Rantzen, the point that might lure me is money

Related Books & Audiobooks