Scenes from an Afterlife: The Legacy of George Orwell

This sequel to Rodden's study of Orwell's legacy, The Politics of Literary Reputation, considers Orwell's influence since 1984, the totemic year for Orwell scholars and admirers. Rodden examines the changing perceptions of Orwell during and after the collapse of the Soviet Union; the appropriation of Orwell's rhetoric by the Right and Left; and the controversies among Orwell biographers. In his chapter, "W.W.G.O.D.," Rodden considers Orwell's persistence as an intellectual and political emblem. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

John Rodden has taught at the University of Virginia and the University of Texas at Austin. He is the author or editor of the Politics of Literary Reputation: The Making and Claiming of "St. George" Orwell; Lionel Trilling and the Critics; Understanding George Orwell's Animal Farm; and The Worlds of Irving Howe.