A Life in Letters - Hardcover

Orwell, George

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1846553555 ISBN 13: 9781846553554

Publisher: Harvill Secker, 2010

Synopsis

George Orwell was a tireless and lively correspondent. He communicated with family members, friends and newspapers, figures such as Henry Miller, Cyril Connolly, Stephen Spender and Arthur Koestler, and strangers who wrote to him out of the blue. This carefully selected volume of his correspondence provides an eloquent narrative of Orwell's life, from his schooldays to his final illness. Orwell's letters afford a unique and fascinating view of his thoughts on matters both personal, political and much in between, from poltergeists, to girls' school songs and the art of playing croquet. In a note home to his mother from school, he reports having 'aufel fun after tea'; much later he writes of choosing a pseudonym and smuggling a copy of Ulysses into the country. We catch illuminating glimpses of his family life: his son Richard's developing teeth, the death of his wife Eileen and his own illness. His talent as a political writer comes to the fore in his descriptions of Barcelona during the Spanish Civil War, his opinions on bayonets, and on the chaining of German prisoners. And of course, letters to friends and his publisher chart the development and publication of some of the most famous novels in the English language, providing unparalleled insight into his views on his own work and that of his contemporaries. "A Life in Letters" features previously unpublished material, including letters which shed new light on a love that would haunt him for his whole life, as well as revealing the inspiration for some of his most famous characters. Presented for the first time in a dedicated volume, this selection of Orwell's letters is an indispensible companion to his diaries.

About this title

About the Author:

George Orwell (1903-1950) served with the Imperial Police in Burma, fought with the Republicans during the Spanish Civil War, and was a member of the Home Guard and a writer for the BBC during World War II. He is the author of many works of non-fiction and fiction.

Review:

"It is the portable Orwell, the condensed autobiography that Orwell never wrote, but maybe had his health rallied, he would have. But this collection of letters - a few engaging ones from Eileeen, most written by Orwell to such distinguished correspondents as Arthur Koestler, David Astor, Anthony Powell, Stephen Spender and Cyril Connolly - is probably an improvement on a putative Life written by him... All [the letters] remain fresh, illuminating the complex paradox that was George Orwell." * Daily Telegraph * "This is the first time Orwell's life told through his letters, including several previously unpublished, has appeared. They have been selected and annotated by Peter Davison, the expert editor of the complete works... He hopes it will serve as a substitute for the autobiography that Orwell never wrote." * Daily Mail * "Peter Davison's contribution to Orwell studies is not often enough celebrated...A Life in Letters contains nearly everything a reader new to Orwell needs to know about him, and a great deal that diehard fans will be enchanted to have." -- DJ Taylor * New Statesman * "Beautifully edited... One of the glories of this volume is that it shows Orwell in the round, complete with all his human idiosyncracies and contradictions. [Peter Davison's] attention to detail is nothing short of heroic... This is the authentic Orwell voice: wonderfully clear and fresh and forthright" * Mail on Sunday * "The theme of Mr Davison's new edition of the letters is compelling: a version of the life is told through the letters of the man himself...Unlike a conventional biography, the character of the subject comes through undiluted." * Sunday Telegraph *

About this edition

• Publisher: Harvill Secker
• Publication date: 2010
• ISBN 10: 1846553555
• ISBN 13: 9781846553554
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 544