Works

A selection of essays, scripts and even poems by George Orwell, and articles about him. Look out for our special features.

Our friends at Finlay Publisher (who publish Jacintha Buddicom's account of her childhood with Orwell, Eric & Us) are publishing bi-monthly (and brand new) essays on Orwell and his work.

Features

BBC Archive: George Orwell at the BBC

To celebrate the 60th anniversary of 1984's publication (June 2009), the BBC archive released a number of documents from Orwell's time at the BBC - including criticism of his voice...

Peter Davison: A Life in Letters

Peter Davison, editor of George Orwell: The Complete Works, talks Jean Seaton through the new material in Orwell: A Life in Letters (2010).

Burmese Days

To celebrate the 75th anniversary of the first publication of Orwell's first novel, we've assembled some of Orwell's preliminary sketches for Burmese Days and other works he wrote about Burma, and some other articles including Emma Larkin's introduction to the noevel and a photo-essay by Julio Etchart.

British Cookery

View the manuscript of Orwell's 1946 essay on British Cookery, and read some of his other thoughts on British food and drink.

Doublethink: Interview with Akala

The MOBO Award-winning hip hop artist talks about his new album, Doublethink, inspired by Orwell (and Huxley and Zamyatin), language and the politics of hip hop.

Orwell and Poetry

Read some of Orwell's poems and his thoughts on poetry, and view some of the manuscripts.

Gordon Bowker: Orwell's London

An article by Gordon Bowker on the places Orwell lived in (and frequented) in the British capital, complete with links, images, and a Google Map.

Works by George Orwell

SCRIPT: Free Will (a one act drama)

An early, and very short dramatic sketch observing the ridiculousness of the idea of 'free will' revolving around a family engagement.

POEM: The Pagan

An early poem, addressed to friend Jacintha Buddicom, inspired by her agnostic family's battle with school authorities.

POEM: Suggested by a Tooth Paste Advertisement

A curious little poem that Orwell used to recite while brushing his teeth.

ESSAY: A Hanging

Orwell's famous essay about witnessing a hanging in Burma, first published in 1931.

ESSAY: Hop-picking

An essay from 1931 detailing Orwell's tramping and hop-picking exploits.

POEM: Summer-like for an instant

A poem of Orwell's published in The Adelphi in May 1933.

POEM: A dressed man and a naked man

Two men meet outside a kip-house.

POEM: On a Ruined Farm near the His Master’s Voice Gramophone Factory

Black and budless trees to the left of him, factory-towers to the right, Orwell finds himself stuck in the middle.

POEM: A Happy Vicar I Might Have Been

One of Orwell's more famous poems, it contrasts the 'pleasant haven' of the past with the 'evil time' to come.

ESSAY: Shooting an Elephant

One of Orwell's most famous essays, from his time in Burma, first published in 1936.

ESSAY: Bookshop Memories

Orwell's experience of selling books, at the Westrope Bookshop, Hampstead.

POEM: Gordon Comstock’s poem from Keep the Aspidistra Flying

He may never have finished his epic poem, London Pleasures, but the main character of Orwell's novel did finish this work.

ESSAY: The Road to Wigan Pier (extract)

An extract on food, from Orwell's famous piece of extended journalism and polemic.

ESSAY: Homage to Catalonia (extract)

An extract outlining some of the different factions in the Spanish Civil War, complementing the Orwell Diaries blog.

LETTER: to Jack Common

A letter from August 1938, providing a little extra context for one of entries from the Orwell Diaries.

ESSAY: Charles Dickens

Orwell's famous critical essay on Dickens, written in 1939.

ESSAY: The Art of Donald McGill

Orwell explores the British character and the value of jokes through seaside postcards, especially those of the eponymous Mr McGill.

POEM: from 'Looking Back on the Spanish War'

Written in 1939 and published in 1943, Orwell recounts a meeting with an Italian soldier during the Spanish Civil War.

BROADCAST: Voices, 6

A special Christmas edition of Orwell's poetry-based radio magazine show, Voices, broadcast in December 1942.

REVIEW: The Pub and the People by Mass-Observation

An unsigned review for The Listener on a Mass-Observation study of the pub-going habits of 'Worktown'.

ESSAY: Can Socialists Be Happy?

A Tribune article, attributed to 'John Freeman', on Christmas and socialism.

ESSAY: Poetry and the Microphone

Inspired by his wartime broadcasts for the BBC, Orwell considers how to popularise poetry.

ESSAY: The freedom of the press

Orwell's proposed preface to Animal Farm (first published by the TLS in 1972), on censorship, self-censorship and freedom of expression.

ESSAY: In Defence of English Cooking

Orwell defends English cooking - primarily from the English themselves.

ESSAY: The Sporting Spirit

Orwell's thoughts on sport, prompted by the visit of the Dynamo football team to the UK.

ESSAY: The Moon Under Water

Orwell discusses his ideal public house.

ESSAY: A Nice Cup of Tea

One of Britain's favourite authors considers the best way of making one of Britain's favourite drinks.

Articles about George Orwell

D. J. Taylor: Orwell - The (Brief) Life

A short biography by Orwell biographer, critic and novelist, D. J. Taylor.

D. J. Taylor: An Oxfordshire Tomb

Orwell's latest, Whitbread Prize-winning biographer explains Orwell's influence on him and why he wrote an Orwell biography, and offers a short history of biographies of Eric Blair.

D. J. Taylor: Orwell and the Rats

Where did Orwell's obsession with rats, most obvious in Winston Smith's experiences in Room 101, come from?

D. J. Taylor: Orwell's Face

D. J. Taylor explores Orwell's obsession with faces and their place in his work, and looks at Orwell's own face.

D. J. Taylor: Orwell's Voice

No recording of Orwell's voice is known to exist - so what did he sound like, and why does it matter?

D. J. Taylor: Orwell Reflects on Big Brother

What does Orwell think of reality TV show Big Brother, taking its name and inspiration from his novel, Nineteen Eighty-Four? D. J. Taylor finds out.

D. J. Taylor: Orwell's poetry

One of Orwell's foremost biographers considers one of the more neglected aspects of Orwell's work. Originally published by Finlay Publisher.

Ben Pimlott: Introduction to Nineteen Eighty-Four

One of the greatest political biographers of his generation and a leading left-wing essayist and commentator, Pimlott's piece is a thought-provoking introduction to perhaps Orwell's greatest work.

Ben Pimlott: Introduction to Orwell's England

The late biographer and journalist looks at Orwell's works on England and the English, with a particular emphasis on The Road to Wigan Pier.

Eric Hobsbawm: Intellectuals and the Spanish Civil War

An essay, written by one of Britain's finest left-wing historians, on the role of intellectuals in the 1930s and the conflict which crystallized Orwell's political views.

Sir Bernard Crick: Orwell as a comic writer

A new essay, written by Orwell's authorised biographer, originally published by our friends at Finlay Publisher. You can discuss the essay in their forum.

Sir Bernard Crick: George Orwell - Voice of a Long Generation

A brief life and study of Orwell's influence, written for the BBC History website (external link).

Dione Venables: Orwell - Plain Speaking and Hidden Agendas

Authority on Orwell's childhood friend, Jacintha Buddicom, Venables offers her thoughts on reading - and re-reading - Orwell's works. For more information, visit Finlay Publisher.

James Walton: What a Carry On!

The TV critic for the Daily Telegraph suggests that, to understand the Carry On! films, Orwell's look at seaside postcards is required reading.

Colin Brush: 'It was a bright cold day in April...'

Penguin's Senior Copywriter considers briefly the challenges of writing a blurb for Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four.

Loraine Saunders: George Orwell - A Master of Narration

In an extract from her new book, Loraine Saunders argues that Orwell's skill as a novelist has been underrated. Originally published by our friends at Finlay Publisher.

Loraine Saunders: Between Nineteen Eighty-Four and Brave New World: A Far Cry from Orwell’s Socialism

In an essay originally published by our friends at Finlay Publisher, Loraine Saunders considers the satires of Orwell and Huxley - and whether they presage the future.

Peter Davison: Orwell - Religion and Ethical Values

The editor of Orwell's complete works and one of the foremost authorities on Orwell, Davison discusses religion and morality in Orwell's works. Given the response in Finlay Publisher's forum, the author posted a further response which you can also read.

Peter Davison: Orwell's Morocco Diaries

A bibliographical note from George Orwell: The Complete Works, reproduced with Peter Davison's kind permission and designed to complement the Orwell Diaries blog.

Peter Davison: Orwell and Sport

An essay originally written for our friends at Finlay Publisher looks at Orwell's encounters with the sporting world.

Gordon Bowker: The Biography Orwell Never Wrote

Gordon Bowker, biographer of Orwell, wonders what sort of biography Orwell himself might have written. Originally published by Finlay Publisher.

Gordon Bowker: Orwell on the S. S. Stratheden

Extracts from Gordon Bowker's biography, reproduced by kind permission of the author, about an unexpected reunion onboard the ship taking Orwell and Eileen to Gibraltar, September 1938. Complete with links to exclusive archive material.

Gordon Bowker: The Road to Morocco (Part 1)

Gordon Bowker: The Road to Morocco (Part 2 - link to Orwell Diaries blog)

Gordon Bowker: The Road to Morocco (Part 3)

Chapter 12 of Gordon Bowker's George Orwell, on Orwell's return from Spain, voyage to Morocco, and the publication of Coming Up for Air.

Gordon Bowker: Orwell's Library

One of Orwell's biographers considers the books Orwell collected throughout his life, and his experience of working in a bookshop.

Douglas Kerr: Orwell, Kipling and Empire

Douglas Kerr explores the relationship between the works of two of the 20th Century's most famous literary figures. Originally published by Finlay Publisher.

Richard Blair: Life with my Aunt Avril Blair

The first essay to be written by Orwell's son, Richard Blair's account was first published on Finlay Publisher's website.

John Rodden (with John Rossi): Papa and St George

Originally published by Finlay Publisher, Orwell scholar John Rodden examines the supposed meeting between Orwell and Hemingway.

Liam Hunt: Why Orwell Went to Burma

Hunt revisits the theories of Jacintha Buddicom, Orwell's childhood friend, as to why Orwell went to Burma, First published by Finlay Publisher.

Peter Stansky: Searching for Orwell: A Reminiscence

The current Finlay Publisher Orwell essay.