Orwell's Ghosts: Wisdom and Warnings for the Twenty-First Century

by Laura Beers

For the 75th anniversary of 1984 , Laura Beers explores George Orwell’s still-radical ideas and why they are critical today.
George Orwell devoted his career to exposing social injustice and political duplicity, urging his readers to face hard truths about Western society and politics. Now, the uncanny parallels between the interwar era and our own—rising inequality, censorship, and challenges to traditional social hierarchies—make his writing even more of the moment. In Orwell’s Ghosts , historian Laura Beers considers Orwell’s full body of work—his six novels, three nonfiction works, as well as his brilliant essays—to examine what “Orwellian” means and to take it out of the hands of political pundits. She explores how Orwell’s writing on free speech addresses the proliferation of “fake news,” highlights his vivid critiques of capitalism, and, in contrast, analyzes his failure to understand feminism. Timely, wide-ranging, and thought-provoking, Orwell’s Ghosts investigates how the writings of a lionized champion of truth and freedom can help us face the crises of modernity.

Genres: Nonfiction, Politics, Biography, History, Philosophy, Writing, Sociology

240 pages, Hardcover

First published June 11, 2024

Reviews

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy-to-read, incisive study of Orwell and his presence in—and usefulness for—these times. Beers is clear-eyed and thoughtful about Orwell’s faults—particularly his awful misogyny—without dismissing him or reducing his impact. Orwell’s particular leftism mixed with social conservatism allows him to be misread by right and left thinkers, but Beers patiently disentangles his views and underlines his keen focus on truth, equity, and democratic socialism. The right does not get him; and if the left wishes he were a bit less obtuse about women and some of his own prejudices, they also get some of the best writing on equality and honesty and words that has ever been.

I read this as an ARC.

[Pranjal Awasthi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Laura Beers takes a comprehensive look at Orwell. She does what "experts" find so hard to do when evaluating personalities and their ideas - be nuanced. She discusses the multitudes which Orwell had and uses his extensive writings to understand the person and contextualise him better.

I'd only known Orwell from his criticism of totalitarianism through his 2 famous novels and some of his essays about his disillusionment with the Raj and how to write well but Beers scholarship introduced me to a new Orwell. One who engages with feminists of the day rather sparingly and has unequivocal traces of misogyny in his writings. One who's criticism of the Raj stood in the face of his adulation of the English way of living. One who's a big proponent of free speech but also supports fetters on speech when it suits him. Overall the book helps understand Orwell's genius and humanises him helping us appreciate both his reach and understand he is limitations.

[Kathryne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an outstanding analysis of Orwell's writing and thought that skillfully ties it to its own historical context and to its continued relevance today. Beers' understanding of the complexity of Orwell's positions is presented to her readers clearly and with an even-handedness that Orwell himself would admire. This should be required reading for all college students and for those concerned with the disturbing economic and political threats confronting us today.

[Carolyn Whitzman · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an utterly important book to read now. In terse and powerful prose, Laura Beers reclaims the writer I love from the perverse and misogynist man who bugs the hell out of me. Make no mistake about it: Eric Blair/ George Orwell was a bit of a shit. But he was so prescient and so… damn right. He talked about how his writing stemmed from anger at a lie and that is also my defining motivation. And yes, his writing illuminates so much of what is wrong today.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Required reading for anyone interested in or a lver of Orwell's writings.

[Dan Downing · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again I crossed paths with people who steered me to wonderful books, some early on. There is great delight in reading a book at age, say, 14, while steeped in ignorance and innocence, and then, 15 years on, reading it again. In George Orwell's case, several other books of his were read between first finding "1984" and later readings. Dr. Laura Beers found George about the time I did, but she has studied his work at length and in-depth.
Reading about George Orwell in August 2024 means one must think about Donald Trump. His name does come up in the text. Orwell taught Donald well, taught him doublethink. Don had, of course, other teachers, such as Adolf Hitler, who propounded the idea of "The Big Lie" in "Mein Kamph".
George had many ideas besides those we most remember from "1984". Laura Beers does a cracker-jack job of rounding them up, defining pros and cons, and putting Orwell's work into a perspective we can use today.
Recommended.

[ids · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Orwell is justly admired for his grasp of the essential truth that tyranny is incompatible with liberty. There is no such thing as a benevolent dictatorship, he taught us, whether it be a dictatorship of the left or of the right, or the white man's burden of imperial dictatorship. Writing in 1946, Orwell attributed the desire to become an author in part to a “historical impulse,” or the “desire to see things as they are, to find out true facts and store them up for the use of posterity.”

Orwell's Ghosts is an exploration of Orwell's life and his work. It chronicles his beginning, as an officer in Burma, as an integral part of the continuation of colonisation. Then moves on, to tell the tale of his disillusionment as young man. How he realises his own privilege and devotes his life to fighting the good fight against tyranny and oppression through his writing. Beers, makes it clear to the reader that Orwell is an imperfect figure who has made a lot of mistakes throughout his life and neglected the role of women in the fight against tyranny, which I think is an important point. Beer makes excellent points, and it's well-written, but unfortunately, it's a pretty boring read that only touches on the present implications of his work and doesn't truly delve into how applicable his work is now.

[Jamad · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an engaging and accessible exploration of George Orwell’s work and its enduring relevance in today’s political climate. Beers’ confronts his flaws—including his occasionally problematic views on gender and race—while emphasizing the continued importance of his critiques of power, imperialism, and disinformation.

Beers deftly illustrates how Orwell’s warnings resonate in our modern context. For example, she links his condemnation of propaganda and the manipulation of truth in 1984 to the spread of fake news and “alternative facts” in today’s media landscape, particularly in the UK and US. The rise of populist politics, as seen in Brexit campaigns and Donald Trump’s presidency, echoes Orwell’s fears about the erosion of objective truth. Similarly, his critique of authoritarianism in Animal Farm feels alarmingly relevant as political leaders worldwide use surveillance and fear to consolidate power.

[Bita · Rating 5 out of 5]

A GREAT read about a great author who’s been misunderstood in so many ways because of political misuse!
The book looks at Orwell’s life, his writing, and the modern echoes of his warnings, asking what his legacy really demands of us today. Beers argues that quoting Orwell isn’t enough; what matters is thinking like him: with honesty, curiosity, and moral clarity. Being Orwellian means having a moral compass that values truth and integrity, even when it’s uncomfortable.
Sure, he could be sexist, racist, and a harsh moralist … but he knew it! and that honesty was part of who he was; he faced his own flaws openly, his courage wasn’t about being perfect; but about refusing to pretend.
Reading this made me want to go back and revisit my favorite Orwell books all over again :)

[James Junke · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating read from start to finish. Masterful use of Orwell’s sixteen years of writings to address her treatment of their wisdom and warnings for the here and now. She does not specify explicitly her use of what historians call “presentism”, using the lens of the present to pass judgement on the past. This she does with respect to his attitudes to women, which were indeed deplorable, but he was a product of his time, including dying of tuberculosis at the age of fifty. Much of his advocacy now forms a large part of the fabric Western social democracies, more so beyond the US and the UK which was her principal focus.

[AZ BOOKS · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Yet, even as the world has changed, many of the core problems that Orwell identified in his own time continue to haunt us in the twenty-first century .
Orwell is justly admired for his grasp of the essential truth that tyranny is incompatible with liberty." pg. 192

"And here, Orwells"s writing contains an enduring lesson for our modern moment. His body of work emphasizes the importance of finding unity in a shared sense of humanity not rooted in an exclusionary "nationalism" of country, class, politics, race, or religion." pg. 203

[Abraham · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was way too focused on right wing quotes. Josh Hawley and Donald Trump Jr were literally mentioned dozens of time. This book should have placed its main emphasis on the Orwellian machinery of multinational enterprises. It briefly glosses over this but then it goes back over and over to discrediting foolish quotes by American conservatives.

[George Poirier · Rating 4 out of 5]

A strong appraisal of Orwell’s life and work, highlighting the simplistic views that many have of his ideology by demonstrating what really mattered to him: truth above all, followed closely by freedom and equality. He would be very disappointed by how far we continue to fall short of the mark in all three areas.

[Gareth Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

Laura Beers claims that her book would be of interest to those that have not read any or much of Orwell’s writings. It would be interesting to know if this is true. Having read a lot of Orwell, all the novels and a good number of selected essays, and having read about Orwell, most recently Wifedom, I very much enjoyed Beers’ evaluation of Orwell’s writing and whether it has pertinence today.

[Hugo · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book showing how Orwell might have seen the world days. The section on Orwell thoughts on feminism (rather lack there off) was really interesting and unexpected showing him to be not quite the social revolutionary that you might expect him to be.

[Daniel Kukwa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent, concise analysis of Orwell's writings...and not afraid to expose his blind spots, as well as his systemic bigotry and misogyny. Especially interesting is the examination of the right has taken the framework of Orwell and twisted it to their own designs...cunning and disturbing.

[Irwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Timely and though-provoking”

An exceptionally well-written and researched book on an author that should be on most people’s minds here in the US as we stumble forward, and backwards under a new regime.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think if I had read this at a different time of year, I’d like it better. As it is, I’m a teacher decompressing over summer break, and this felt a lot like homework. I think I need to come back to this one when I’m in a different headspace. Definitely lots to think about here.

[Barb · Rating 2 out of 5]

Orwell was definitely complex.

[Aditi Butala · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed. Would appreciate a lens like this on every male philosopher I admire

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another very good book about Orwell.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read. Need an update for Trump 2.

[David Kent · Rating 4 out of 5]

A deep analysis of Orwell's writings applied both to how Orwell thought in real life and how his works inform modern society. Well worth the read.

[Matt · Rating 3 out of 5]

My take on the book, and Orwell's legacy:
https://www.thesmartset.com/1984-in-2...

[Mike Kanner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like Dr. Beers, I have used Orwell to teach politics, although in my case it was in comparison with Brave New World as examples of totalitarian states.

Although I did not agree with many of Dr. Beers' comparisons, I found the book inciteful in showing 1) that there was more to Orwell than 1984 and Animal Farm and 2) that much of what Orwell wrote about economics, politics, and free speech are still relevant. She also demonstrated why he is cited by pundits on both the right and the left.