On Nineteen Eighty-Four offers some very interesting history to the writing of George Orwell’s masterpiece. The book is structured in three parts before the writing of the book (1903-43), during (1943-49) and then after its publication in 1949. The before section cover Orwell’s early life, schooling and the experiences that influenced his thinking. I had never knows how influential his schoolmaster was to the shaping of the ‘Big Brother” mindset. The During section covers Orwell’s working life at the time as well as some of the current events that formed his thinking including major political events of the day (ending of WWII, Tehran Conference, rise of Socialism), life in wartime England, the death of his wife Eileen in 1945 and many other events. The after publication section covers from the Cold War period until recently
If you have or have had any appreciation for Nineteen Eighty-Four, I think you’ll appreciate this book.