George Orwell, English author

Eric Blair (George Orwell r) with his mother, Ida Mable, sister Avril and father, Richard in 1916

George Orwell was one of the most important writers of the 20th century and his works have sold millions of copies . Despite his fame, Orwell was an very private man whose life was full of contradictions . Orwell's socialism found root in the Depression of the 1930s with early works such as Down and Out in Paris and The Road to Wigan Pier . Disillusionment followed after going to Spain to fight in the Spanish civil war and Homage to Catalonia shows his break with the orthodox left and became more politically isolated in the later years of his life as his works warned of the dangers of totalitarian thought and the end results of revolutionary ideals . He died of tuberculosis at the age of 46, six months after 1984 was published . Unfortunately, he was too ill to enjoy his fame and fortune to enjoy much benefit from it .

Video and audio on George Orwell

Gordon Bowker Orwell biography

In all his complex contradictions, Orwell comes to energetic life

1984 film

(1984 version)

Richard Burton's last movie

 1984

(1954 version)

 Why Orwell Matters

 Cool Orwell

related t shirts

1984 soundtrack

Eurymithics