Orwell vs Dickens – who is the greater writer?

Monday 30th March 2009 | 4pm | Garden Marquee

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• Read Orwell's essay on Dickens

The first of the Orwell Prize's events at the Sunday Times Oxford Literary Festival 2009.

In 1939, George Orwell composed a famous essay about Charles Dickens. 'When one reads any strongly individual piece of writing, one has the impression of seeing a face somewhere behind the page,' wrote Orwell. But in this contest between two of Britain's greatest writers, which face will fit? Both Orwell and Dickens will have two advocates speaking up for them in this debate – and you, the audience, will get to vote on which is the greatest author.

• Chaired by Francine Stock (BBC Radio 4)
• For Orwell: Hardeep Singh Kohli (writer and broadcaster), Jean Seaton (Director of the Orwell Prize, academic)
• For Dickens: Philip Hensher (novelist, critic, Booker Prize-shortlisted for The Northern Clemency), Jenny Hartley (academic, author of Dickens and the House of Fallen Women)

Part 1

 

Francine Stock and Philip Hensher

Part 2

 

Jean Seaton

Part 3

 

Jenny Hartley

Part 4

 

Hardeep Singh Kohli

Part 5

 

Discussion

Part 6

 

Discussion

Part 7

 

Discussion

Part 8

 

Discussion