Gli anni dell'«Observer»: La raccolta inedita degli articoli e le recensioni

by George Orwell

George Orwell scrisse il suo primo articolo per l'"Observer" nel febbraio del 1942. L'allora proprietario e direttore, David Astor, ne apprezzava la "profonda rettitudine, l'onestà e la modestia". La loro salda amicizia durò per tutti gli anni Quaranta, fino alla prematura scomparsa dello scrittore. Questo libro raccoglie tutti gli articoli e le recensioni scritti da Orwell per l'"Observer" dal 1942 al 1949. I cento pezzi esatti che compongono questa raccolta offrono il ritratto di un Orwell di grande rigore morale, ma anche di un mondo non così lontano in cui la storia era ancora cronaca e la letteratura non era ancora storia. Tristi, arrabbiati, a volte severi, spesso divertenti, questi articoli testimoniano l'associazione di alti ideali e dolorosa consapevolezza che veniva a incarnarsi nella figura di Orwell. "Se ti guardi dentro, chi sei, don Chisciotte o Sancho Panza?", una volta aveva domandato. "Quasi sicuramente entrambi." Era proprio la contraddizione tra questi due aspetti, la dialettica tra idealismo e cinismo, a conferire a Orwell quella peculiare energia che lo ha reso uno dei più grandi scrittori del Novecento.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Politics

348 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1949

About the author

Eric Arthur Blair was an English novelist, poet, essayist, journalist and critic who wrote under the pen name of George Orwell. His work is characterised by lucid prose, social criticism, opposition to all totalitarianism (both fascism and stalinism), and support of democratic socialism.

Orwell is best known for his allegorical novella Animal Farm (1945) and the dystopian novel Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949), although his works also encompass literary criticism, poetry, fiction and polemical journalism. His non-fiction works, including The Road to Wigan Pier (1937), documenting his experience of working-class life in the industrial north of England, and Homage to Catalonia (1938), an account of his experiences soldiering for the Republican faction of the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939), are as critically respected as his essays on politics, literature, language and culture.

Orwell's work remains influential in popular culture and in political culture, and the adjective "Orwellian"—describing totalitarian and authoritarian social practices—is part of the English language, like many of his neologisms, such as "Big Brother", "Thought Police", "Room 101", "Newspeak", "memory hole", "doublethink", and "thoughtcrime". In 2008, The Times named Orwell the second-greatest British writer since 1945.

Reviews

[Dylan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating volume of Orwell’s journalism for The Observer, and also a less interesting collection of his book reviews.

Amid the chaos and confusion of the last days of the War in Europe, Orwell’s clear focus and sharp observations asked the right questions. What now of the displaced and demobbed? The hungry prisoners now released hundreds of miles from their homeland? Will (should) German industrial power be allowed to rebuild and reenergise after such destruction? Who will carry the cost of the clean up, and who will now benefit from exerting control?

His literary criticism is less engaging, but his fabulous takedown of a lazy H G Wells publication is worth reading just for the impudence.

Orwell’s vision, prescient eye, and ability to always be looking through the lens of the intensely personal are sorely missed in these troubling times.

[daniblues · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sorprende lo actual que sigue siendo el contenido del libro. Así que no parece que vayamos por el buen camino.