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Eileen: The Making of George Orwell
This is the never-before-told story of George Orwell's first wife, Eileen, a woman who shaped, supported and even saved the life of one of the twentieth century's greatest writers.
In 1934, Eileen O’Shaughnessy’s futuristic poem, ‘End of the Century, 1984’, was published. The next year, she would meet George Orwell, then known as Eric Blair, at a party. ‘Now,’ he remarked that night, ‘that’s the kind of girl I would like to marry.’ Years later, Orwell would name his greatest work, Nineteen Eighty-Four, in homage to the memory of Eileen, the woman who shaped his life and his art in ways that have never been acknowledged by history, until now.
From the time they spent in a tiny village tending goats and chickens, through the Spanish Civil War, the couple’s narrow escape from the destruction of their London flat during a German bombing raid, and their adoption of a baby boy, this is the first account of the Blairs’ nine-year marriage. It is also a vivid picture of bohemianism, political engagement, and sexual freedom in the 1930s and ’40s.
Through impressive depth of research, illustrated throughout with photos and images from the time, this captivating and inspiring biography offers a completely new perspective on Orwell himself, and most importantly tells the life story of an exceptional woman who has been unjustly overlooked.
In 1934, Eileen O’Shaughnessy’s futuristic poem, ‘End of the Century, 1984’, was published. The next year, she would meet George Orwell, then known as Eric Blair, at a party. ‘Now,’ he remarked that night, ‘that’s the kind of girl I would like to marry.’ Years later, Orwell would name his greatest work, Nineteen Eighty-Four, in homage to the memory of Eileen, the woman who shaped his life and his art in ways that have never been acknowledged by history, until now.
From the time they spent in a tiny village tending goats and chickens, through the Spanish Civil War, the couple’s narrow escape from the destruction of their London flat during a German bombing raid, and their adoption of a baby boy, this is the first account of the Blairs’ nine-year marriage. It is also a vivid picture of bohemianism, political engagement, and sexual freedom in the 1930s and ’40s.
Through impressive depth of research, illustrated throughout with photos and images from the time, this captivating and inspiring biography offers a completely new perspective on Orwell himself, and most importantly tells the life story of an exceptional woman who has been unjustly overlooked.
850 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 5, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
August 21, 2022
I took a while to get into this book, but then found it absolutely fascinating. Orwell's second wife, Sonia Orwell, has had a lot more biographical attention than his first wife, Eileen, who sadly died even younger than he did, shortly after they had adopted a baby, Richard. However, Sylvia Topp has helped to put that right with this biography.
In the early chapters, there was more detail than I was expecting about Eileen's childhood and student days - at times I got the impression the author put in every scrap of information she had gleaned. But gradually I realised that the very level of sometimes gossipy detail (including constant mentions of chain smoking and ash on the floor) is the book's strength, as the number of extracts from letters and memoirs makes Eileen's personality come across strongly.
She was very witty and trenchant, and was a good writer herself, as those letter extracts also show. During the war, after possibly working in censorship for a while, she worked in PR for the Ministry of Food, and was involved in producing a BBC radio drama advising housewives on how to cook with limited rations. This was especially interesting to me as I recently read a book about Lord Woolton, Eggs or Anarchy: The Remarkable Story of the Man Tasked with the Impossible: to Feed a Nation at War.
While at the Ministry, Eileen worked closely with Lettice Cooper, a writer who has had some books republished by Persephone. They were good friends and the author says that Ann, a character in one of her books, Black Bethlehem, is based on Eileen. I was pleased to find that Black Bethlehem is on Kindle and available via Kindle Unlimited, so I will hope to read it soon with this biography fresh in my mind.
Of course, Eileen and George/Eric's relationship is at the core of the book. The author documents tensions between the couple, including the surprising number of affairs which Orwell had despite his constant ill-health. He described their marriage as 'open' but it seems he took more advantage of this than Eileen did, although she had an affair with his commanding officer during the Spanish Civil War and he remained a friend.
However, Topp presents them as a devoted couple despite the problems. They shared a desire to live simply, spending much of their married life at a small farm which lacked most mod cons, and they also went to the Spanish Civil War together. The book looks at how closely they worked together, with Eileen not only typing up her husband's manuscripts but also suggesting many changes that he adopted.
It is said she actually suggested the writing of Animal Farm as an allegory rather than a straight essay. The author also suggests that the title of 1984 was possibly inspired by a poem Eileen had written for her school magazine 'End of the Century: 1984'. The author doesn't actually show a definite link between the poem and the novel, just surmises, but there are some similarities in terms of the vision of the future.
All in all, I found this very interesting to read and would recommend it to admirers of Orwell.
In the early chapters, there was more detail than I was expecting about Eileen's childhood and student days - at times I got the impression the author put in every scrap of information she had gleaned. But gradually I realised that the very level of sometimes gossipy detail (including constant mentions of chain smoking and ash on the floor) is the book's strength, as the number of extracts from letters and memoirs makes Eileen's personality come across strongly.
She was very witty and trenchant, and was a good writer herself, as those letter extracts also show. During the war, after possibly working in censorship for a while, she worked in PR for the Ministry of Food, and was involved in producing a BBC radio drama advising housewives on how to cook with limited rations. This was especially interesting to me as I recently read a book about Lord Woolton, Eggs or Anarchy: The Remarkable Story of the Man Tasked with the Impossible: to Feed a Nation at War.
While at the Ministry, Eileen worked closely with Lettice Cooper, a writer who has had some books republished by Persephone. They were good friends and the author says that Ann, a character in one of her books, Black Bethlehem, is based on Eileen. I was pleased to find that Black Bethlehem is on Kindle and available via Kindle Unlimited, so I will hope to read it soon with this biography fresh in my mind.
Of course, Eileen and George/Eric's relationship is at the core of the book. The author documents tensions between the couple, including the surprising number of affairs which Orwell had despite his constant ill-health. He described their marriage as 'open' but it seems he took more advantage of this than Eileen did, although she had an affair with his commanding officer during the Spanish Civil War and he remained a friend.
However, Topp presents them as a devoted couple despite the problems. They shared a desire to live simply, spending much of their married life at a small farm which lacked most mod cons, and they also went to the Spanish Civil War together. The book looks at how closely they worked together, with Eileen not only typing up her husband's manuscripts but also suggesting many changes that he adopted.
It is said she actually suggested the writing of Animal Farm as an allegory rather than a straight essay. The author also suggests that the title of 1984 was possibly inspired by a poem Eileen had written for her school magazine 'End of the Century: 1984'. The author doesn't actually show a definite link between the poem and the novel, just surmises, but there are some similarities in terms of the vision of the future.
All in all, I found this very interesting to read and would recommend it to admirers of Orwell.
September 20, 2020
If you think of Orwell as a secular saint, beware. The great man carpeted the floor with used cigarettes, dodged the household chores, and slept around like there was no tomorrow. This is the first Orwell biography to describe the emaciated author as ‘sexy’. His neck must have been cast in solid brass; there can’t be many other men that begged their wife to let them bed a hooker on holiday.
The cruel irony of these sorts of books (see Brenda Maddox’s biography of Nora Barnacle) is they aim to showcase the wife, but only really get interesting when the husband finally arrives.
Topp does make some interesting points. She does not think it was any accident that Orwell’s books became funnier and clearer after he married Eileen only to lapse again after her death. Topp’s biggest discovery is that 1984 drew its title from a futuristic poem Eileen wrote many years before Orwell upped sticks to Jura.
This book was the second crowdfunded book I’ve read: the names of all 372 contributors are faithfully reproduced at the end. Good for them.
The cruel irony of these sorts of books (see Brenda Maddox’s biography of Nora Barnacle) is they aim to showcase the wife, but only really get interesting when the husband finally arrives.
Topp does make some interesting points. She does not think it was any accident that Orwell’s books became funnier and clearer after he married Eileen only to lapse again after her death. Topp’s biggest discovery is that 1984 drew its title from a futuristic poem Eileen wrote many years before Orwell upped sticks to Jura.
This book was the second crowdfunded book I’ve read: the names of all 372 contributors are faithfully reproduced at the end. Good for them.
March 2, 2020
'Eileen: The Making of George Orwell', by Sylvia Topp, is an in-depth study of Eileen O'Shaughnessy's life and marriage to George Orwell. As a futuristic poet, Eileen's work had an influence on her husband's later works of fiction, most notably, 'Nineteen Eighty-Four'. Indeed, it is argued that Orwell named the novel after her poem 'End of the Century, 1984'.
As Orwell largely valued privacy and simplicity, he never wanted a biography to be written about him, as he felt it would kill the magic of his fiction. Although many of his essays and nonfiction works, like 'Down and Out in Paris and London' and 'Shooting an Elephant', focus on his political outlook and personal experiences in society, he maintained a distinction between his personal and public life.
Against his belief that a biographic work would lessen the enjoyment of his literature, Sylvia Topp revitalises Orwell through Eileen. In focusing on the overlooked life of Eileen O'Shaughnessy, Topp draws from the shadows one of the most influential figures in Orwell's life. Her role in keeping him alive during the Spanish Civil War, as well as in the making of 'Animal Farm', is certainly a refreshing perspective in Orwell studies.
Sylvia Topp's work draws attention to the hidden voices behind our favourite works of art. In re-experiencing the political tension and bohemianism of the 1930s and 1940s through Eileen's eyes, the reader gets a taste of the activism in literary circles and in the home.
After eight years of dedication and research, this work was possible through the support of The Orwell Society and Orwell Archive, and in collaboration with Unbound - a crowdfunding book publisher
As Orwell largely valued privacy and simplicity, he never wanted a biography to be written about him, as he felt it would kill the magic of his fiction. Although many of his essays and nonfiction works, like 'Down and Out in Paris and London' and 'Shooting an Elephant', focus on his political outlook and personal experiences in society, he maintained a distinction between his personal and public life.
Against his belief that a biographic work would lessen the enjoyment of his literature, Sylvia Topp revitalises Orwell through Eileen. In focusing on the overlooked life of Eileen O'Shaughnessy, Topp draws from the shadows one of the most influential figures in Orwell's life. Her role in keeping him alive during the Spanish Civil War, as well as in the making of 'Animal Farm', is certainly a refreshing perspective in Orwell studies.
Sylvia Topp's work draws attention to the hidden voices behind our favourite works of art. In re-experiencing the political tension and bohemianism of the 1930s and 1940s through Eileen's eyes, the reader gets a taste of the activism in literary circles and in the home.
After eight years of dedication and research, this work was possible through the support of The Orwell Society and Orwell Archive, and in collaboration with Unbound - a crowdfunding book publisher
March 15, 2020
Sunday just gone (March 8th) was International Women's Day. It's a day we mark at the Senior School where I currently spend my working day as their Librarian. We do this to continue to bring awareness to the struggle past and present for equal rights for women and the freedom to live a life free from harm and oppression. We also do it to show the contribution that women and girls make to our world in the hope that it will inspire ALL of our pupils that they too can achieve their own hopes and ambitions. We have come so far in so many ways.
For my part, I like to put together a small exhibition in the Library celebrating inspiring women. I find the curating incredibly interesting and always make new discoveries that have inspiring stories to share. Therefore when I was invited to take part in this blog tour I was intrigued. I had, of course, heard of George Orwell, have some of his books and even today continue to feel the influence he has had on literature. There is of course no arguing of his reputation as a writer but we all have our influences and I was intrgued to know more about his.
When I search for information on Orwell, there is little mention of Eileen. Indeed when I searched even the Encyclopaedia Britannica it made no mention of his first wife at all. She has, it seems remained very much in the shadows. Until now that it.
Sylvia Topp has written an absolutely fascinating biography of the woman to whom Orwell was married for nine years and who was inwardly devastated when she died at suvh a young age. She was his support and helped him to become the best he could be at his craft. Wife, encourager and yet brilliant in her own right, it is easy to see the impact she had on his life and his writing. To have her light and contribution to this world remain hidden is unthinkable and so I do urge you to read this book. Not only is this a story about an incredibly inspiring woman but it also adds a completely fresh and new insight into the life of one of our most famous authors and the time in which they lived. It is also an interesting and new insight into the war years and living on the home front.
Brilliantly costructed, with indepth research this is a very readable biography. In it Syliva does state that Eileen 'cannot be described as a feminist' and I can't say for sure if I agree with that statement. Yes, Orwell's writing came above anything and perhaps if she has put herself first then she too would be a much celebrated author, but she obviously saw something in her husband, a greatness that could be nutured and perhaps it was together that these great works of fiction were created. Finally, 75 years after her death a book has been written to acknowledge the extraordinary and sadly short life she led.
For my part, I like to put together a small exhibition in the Library celebrating inspiring women. I find the curating incredibly interesting and always make new discoveries that have inspiring stories to share. Therefore when I was invited to take part in this blog tour I was intrigued. I had, of course, heard of George Orwell, have some of his books and even today continue to feel the influence he has had on literature. There is of course no arguing of his reputation as a writer but we all have our influences and I was intrgued to know more about his.
When I search for information on Orwell, there is little mention of Eileen. Indeed when I searched even the Encyclopaedia Britannica it made no mention of his first wife at all. She has, it seems remained very much in the shadows. Until now that it.
Sylvia Topp has written an absolutely fascinating biography of the woman to whom Orwell was married for nine years and who was inwardly devastated when she died at suvh a young age. She was his support and helped him to become the best he could be at his craft. Wife, encourager and yet brilliant in her own right, it is easy to see the impact she had on his life and his writing. To have her light and contribution to this world remain hidden is unthinkable and so I do urge you to read this book. Not only is this a story about an incredibly inspiring woman but it also adds a completely fresh and new insight into the life of one of our most famous authors and the time in which they lived. It is also an interesting and new insight into the war years and living on the home front.
Brilliantly costructed, with indepth research this is a very readable biography. In it Syliva does state that Eileen 'cannot be described as a feminist' and I can't say for sure if I agree with that statement. Yes, Orwell's writing came above anything and perhaps if she has put herself first then she too would be a much celebrated author, but she obviously saw something in her husband, a greatness that could be nutured and perhaps it was together that these great works of fiction were created. Finally, 75 years after her death a book has been written to acknowledge the extraordinary and sadly short life she led.
January 18, 2025
Brilliant! The "real" story behind "Wifedom" and behind George Orwell. Devastating study of a deeply complex and underestimated woman who almost literally sacrificed her life on the altar of her husband's literary career. How many other such stories must there be that have not so far been documented?
March 20, 2020
I readily admit that before reading this book, I knew absolutely nothing about George Orwell apart from having read Animal Farm while I was at school. So I was even further in the dark about his first wife Eileen.
This book is an excellent read, and I feel quite knowledgeable now! The author takes us right through Eileen’s life from her birth to when she first meets George Orwell, then known as Eric Blair.
A year before she meets him , she herself has a poem published called ‘End of the Century 1984’ and after her death George Orwell named his greatest work after her. The woman who ultimately made him what he was.
Once they had met, Eileen shaped George Orwell’s life, forsaking her own writing career to aid his. She helped to type up and edit Animal Farm.
A great biography of a woman who really does deserve more recognition.
This book is an excellent read, and I feel quite knowledgeable now! The author takes us right through Eileen’s life from her birth to when she first meets George Orwell, then known as Eric Blair.
A year before she meets him , she herself has a poem published called ‘End of the Century 1984’ and after her death George Orwell named his greatest work after her. The woman who ultimately made him what he was.
Once they had met, Eileen shaped George Orwell’s life, forsaking her own writing career to aid his. She helped to type up and edit Animal Farm.
A great biography of a woman who really does deserve more recognition.
March 16, 2020
This is certainly the book which will form the definitive biography of Eileen O’Shaughnessy, first wife of the author who adopted the name George Orwell. It is definitive because it has taken every scrap of information that can be probably found about a woman who died at the tragically early age of thirty - nine, who had packed a lot into those years. An Oxford graduate in the early days of women being tolerated at University, and able as a writer and typist, she turned her considerable literary talents into helping, editing and promoting the work of two Erics, her brother who was a noted surgeon, and Eric Blair, better known as George Orwell.
This book puts forward descriptions of this attractive and intelligent woman who chose to subsume her own talents under the pressure of the career of the author of such books as “Animal Farm” to which she may well contributed ideas just before her death. She undoubtedly was the person who worked hard to ensure the well being and writing of a husband who demanded trying living arrangements while struggling with his own health. She was the first to type up the manuscript of “The Road to Wigan Pier”, and she was part of Orwell’s Spanish adventure which was behind the book “Homage to Catalonia”. Much more than merely a muse or inspiration, she took on the job of working on the text of the books, typing, suggesting and improving manuscripts. Topp is to be congratulated on her sterling work in tracking down every scrap of information about this brilliant woman, and combining it into an immensely readable book. I was so pleased to have the opportunity to read and review this extremely successful book.
This book looks at the immediate ancestors of Eileen, the places she lived, and the influences on a girl who was typically Head Girl and House captain at school. On going to Oxford in 1924, Topp has tried to capture what it was actually like for the tiny number of women attending the University in this period. She has gathered all the available comments on her academic work, showing that she was certainly gifted and hard working. Her life after graduation lacked a certain direction, but she was generally admired and succeeded in every post she held, even running a typists’ agency. Her fateful meeting with the slightly strange Eric Blair was certainly memorable for him, as he apparently decided that she exactly fulfilled his requirements for a wife, despite his other attachments to various women. He is shown to be self centred and demanding, though undoubtedly quickly devoted to his vivacious and much admired young woman. Their wedding challenged expectations, as well as the demands of the somewhat primitive cottage that they embarked on sharing with many visitors. The rigid timetable that Blair/ Orwell adopted meant a lot of hard physical work, which she only abandoned when she chose to follow him to a dangerous war torn Spain. While it is highly likely that she did not live a lonely life in Barcelona according to Topp’s painstaking investigations, she was extremely active in transporting the badly wounded Blair from a dangerous Spain where he became a hunted man. Her life when they returned to Britain was obviously sadly affected by the outbreak of war and the loss of her much loved brother Eric. When in became obvious that the couple were unable to have children naturally, the adoption of a baby, Richard, added to the pressure on a woman already in weakened health. Her much mourned and sudden death obviously had a strong effect on a man who was established as an author, significantly resulting from her efforts.
This is a book which is the product of so much painstaking research, yet the insightful writing makes it a pleasure to read. I recommend this book not only to those interested in Orwell, but also those interested in women who were subject to the challenges and changes of the mid twentieth century.
This book puts forward descriptions of this attractive and intelligent woman who chose to subsume her own talents under the pressure of the career of the author of such books as “Animal Farm” to which she may well contributed ideas just before her death. She undoubtedly was the person who worked hard to ensure the well being and writing of a husband who demanded trying living arrangements while struggling with his own health. She was the first to type up the manuscript of “The Road to Wigan Pier”, and she was part of Orwell’s Spanish adventure which was behind the book “Homage to Catalonia”. Much more than merely a muse or inspiration, she took on the job of working on the text of the books, typing, suggesting and improving manuscripts. Topp is to be congratulated on her sterling work in tracking down every scrap of information about this brilliant woman, and combining it into an immensely readable book. I was so pleased to have the opportunity to read and review this extremely successful book.
This book looks at the immediate ancestors of Eileen, the places she lived, and the influences on a girl who was typically Head Girl and House captain at school. On going to Oxford in 1924, Topp has tried to capture what it was actually like for the tiny number of women attending the University in this period. She has gathered all the available comments on her academic work, showing that she was certainly gifted and hard working. Her life after graduation lacked a certain direction, but she was generally admired and succeeded in every post she held, even running a typists’ agency. Her fateful meeting with the slightly strange Eric Blair was certainly memorable for him, as he apparently decided that she exactly fulfilled his requirements for a wife, despite his other attachments to various women. He is shown to be self centred and demanding, though undoubtedly quickly devoted to his vivacious and much admired young woman. Their wedding challenged expectations, as well as the demands of the somewhat primitive cottage that they embarked on sharing with many visitors. The rigid timetable that Blair/ Orwell adopted meant a lot of hard physical work, which she only abandoned when she chose to follow him to a dangerous war torn Spain. While it is highly likely that she did not live a lonely life in Barcelona according to Topp’s painstaking investigations, she was extremely active in transporting the badly wounded Blair from a dangerous Spain where he became a hunted man. Her life when they returned to Britain was obviously sadly affected by the outbreak of war and the loss of her much loved brother Eric. When in became obvious that the couple were unable to have children naturally, the adoption of a baby, Richard, added to the pressure on a woman already in weakened health. Her much mourned and sudden death obviously had a strong effect on a man who was established as an author, significantly resulting from her efforts.
This is a book which is the product of so much painstaking research, yet the insightful writing makes it a pleasure to read. I recommend this book not only to those interested in Orwell, but also those interested in women who were subject to the challenges and changes of the mid twentieth century.
December 15, 2025
Warning: This is a five hanky book. Born in 1905, Eileen O’Shaughnessy Blair, the first wife of Eric Blair (a.k.a. George Orwell) was an incredible personality in her own right. She took an honors degree from Oxford in English, and completed the course-work for an MA in Psychology. Due to the insights gained from the 2005 discovery of a treasure trove of correspondence with her good friend, Norah Symes, it is now accepted that Eileen helped Orwell immeasurably with composing, editing, and typing his manuscripts, culminating in the grand success his allegory, “Animal Farm” … Interestingly, a poem by Eileen, published in the 1934 “Sunderland High School Magazine” was entitled “End of the Century, 1984” … Orwell’s final novel, “1984,” is an homage to Eileen, not only in that he bases the personality of his heroine Julia on that of his wife, but also its title reveals her unacknowledged influence … startling and riveting …
by
George Orwell
by
George Orwell
by
George Orwell
by
George Orwell
April 13, 2020
A great addition to the biographies of Orwell, bringing a whole new perspective and shedding light on the woman in his life in her own right. At times too much speculation, too many ifs, maybes and what ifs threatens but does not in the end detract from a the book that shows Eileen Blair to be a brilliant woman of her time.
August 5, 2020
After reading Homage to Catalonia, I wondered who Orwell's wife was. Her courage and conviction, and her steadfastness to him in awful circumstances made her a heroine in my eyes.
Silvia Topp's biography of Eileen answers my questions. I marvel at the amount of research and interaction with Eileen's friends, acquaintances and family, that Ms Topp has covered over the years to compile this book.
I read the hardback version, and it is a weighty tome! The photographs show snippets of Eileen's brief life before and with Orwell, who was a far more difficult chap to live with than I had imagined.
The book is a triumph, as I now know just what a marvelous person Eileen O'Shaughnessy was. Her selflessness and gentle, mocking humor comes across in incidents throughout her life.
Were I to play the game of guests at the dinner table, I would invite Eileen. (and Sylvia Topp!)
Silvia Topp's biography of Eileen answers my questions. I marvel at the amount of research and interaction with Eileen's friends, acquaintances and family, that Ms Topp has covered over the years to compile this book.
I read the hardback version, and it is a weighty tome! The photographs show snippets of Eileen's brief life before and with Orwell, who was a far more difficult chap to live with than I had imagined.
The book is a triumph, as I now know just what a marvelous person Eileen O'Shaughnessy was. Her selflessness and gentle, mocking humor comes across in incidents throughout her life.
Were I to play the game of guests at the dinner table, I would invite Eileen. (and Sylvia Topp!)
March 4, 2020
https://thecaffeinatedreader.com/2020...
I will admit the first 4-5 chapters are a bit of info-dumping, Topp is giving us the background of Eileen's family but so little is known about certain relatives that it felt a lot like conjecture, however, after that? Smooth sailing. I found myself totally engrossed as we focused on Eileen and her story of meeting, marrying, and caring for Orwell.
Eileen was a strong-willed woman, educated, quick-witted, and sharp, her extrovert manners helped to balance Orwell who was not always the best with socialising. Not only that but we find out, for those of us who didn't know, that she helped edit and type up his works, in particular, Animal Farm, and this was fascinating to read about.
She was a woman who saw greatness in her husband, in fact, one may argue that's why she married him, she saw something in him and his writings and wanted to help him become all he could be as a renowned writer.
Eileen was truly remarkable in her own right and Orwell knew he had a partner in her and that she could have been a writer had she chosen so, sadly, Orwell may have taken advantage of her at times but there's no doubt he deeply felt her loss, dying so young.
Topp has a bright and informative writing voice and it relays information easily with the flare of a storyteller.
Four cups of coffee from me! Thank you to Anne and Unbound for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion as part of the blog tour.
I will admit the first 4-5 chapters are a bit of info-dumping, Topp is giving us the background of Eileen's family but so little is known about certain relatives that it felt a lot like conjecture, however, after that? Smooth sailing. I found myself totally engrossed as we focused on Eileen and her story of meeting, marrying, and caring for Orwell.
Eileen was a strong-willed woman, educated, quick-witted, and sharp, her extrovert manners helped to balance Orwell who was not always the best with socialising. Not only that but we find out, for those of us who didn't know, that she helped edit and type up his works, in particular, Animal Farm, and this was fascinating to read about.
She was a woman who saw greatness in her husband, in fact, one may argue that's why she married him, she saw something in him and his writings and wanted to help him become all he could be as a renowned writer.
Eileen was truly remarkable in her own right and Orwell knew he had a partner in her and that she could have been a writer had she chosen so, sadly, Orwell may have taken advantage of her at times but there's no doubt he deeply felt her loss, dying so young.
Topp has a bright and informative writing voice and it relays information easily with the flare of a storyteller.
Four cups of coffee from me! Thank you to Anne and Unbound for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion as part of the blog tour.
March 5, 2020
I found this novel really interesting. I hadn’t known anything about Orwell’s first wife Eileen before reading this book. .
The whole novel is packed with interesting facts from Eileen’s family background, through to her meeting and marrying Orwell, their life together, through to her early death.
Eileen was a highly intelligent extrovert. Her outgoing character made Orwell seem dour and insular in comparison.
I was fascinated to learn how much of an influence Eileen had on Orwell’s writing, how she edited and typed up his manuscripts for Animal Farm.
Eileen put Orwell first throughout her marriage. It is of no doubt she was devoted to him, caring for him and putting him and his work before everything. Eileen could have been a brilliant writer in her own right but chose to sacrifice this for Orwell.
At times I found Orwell to be selfish and very much appear to take advantage of Eileen’s goodwill and nature. Although she never seemed complain, even downplaying her illness to the end.
A remarkable woman who seemed to be the backbone of Orwell’s life.
Overall I found this an interesting read about a women I knew nothing of before.
The whole novel is packed with interesting facts from Eileen’s family background, through to her meeting and marrying Orwell, their life together, through to her early death.
Eileen was a highly intelligent extrovert. Her outgoing character made Orwell seem dour and insular in comparison.
I was fascinated to learn how much of an influence Eileen had on Orwell’s writing, how she edited and typed up his manuscripts for Animal Farm.
Eileen put Orwell first throughout her marriage. It is of no doubt she was devoted to him, caring for him and putting him and his work before everything. Eileen could have been a brilliant writer in her own right but chose to sacrifice this for Orwell.
At times I found Orwell to be selfish and very much appear to take advantage of Eileen’s goodwill and nature. Although she never seemed complain, even downplaying her illness to the end.
A remarkable woman who seemed to be the backbone of Orwell’s life.
Overall I found this an interesting read about a women I knew nothing of before.
September 18, 2020
Until recently I didn’t know George Orwell had a first wife, having only heard of his second Sonia Brownell. This book gives a fascinating insight into his first marriage. His first wife was a talented person in her own right and contributed to Orwell’s work with her editing and psychological insights. She joined him on his adventure to Spain during the Spanish Civil War and their experiment at self sufficient living in the countryside. There are lots of interesting revelations about the kind of man Orwell was. Despite his obvious concern for the future of mankind by warning us of the dangers of totalitarianism that gets out of hand to create a dystopian nightmare in the future and his rejection of his elitist background to experience real life for the sake of his writing, standing shoulder to shoulder with the poor in their slums, the miners in their pits, he was of his era and capable of a certain misogyny towards women. His wife abandoned her MA in psychology as soon as she married him, as being his wife was evidently a full time job, even before children arrived. An early girlfriend narrowly avoided being raped by him, he was guilty of treating his wife like a domestic drudge, expecting her to do the majority of the household chores, frequently abandoning her while he went off on his travels, and conducting various flirtations and affairs with other women. The lack of a child of their own seems to have overshadowed the marriage and it is tragic that Eileen died six months after adopting their son Richard. Despite these things there is no doubt that he loved his wife dearly and he was honest in admitting to not having treated her very well.
November 18, 2023
This systematic, thoroughly researched biography of George Orwell’s first wife Eileen Blair has been overshadowed by Anna Funder’s more recent, subjective and at times dramatised account, “Wifedom”. The latter’s damming portrayal of Orwell, as an appallingly selfish man whose clumsy advances would nowadays trigger the wrath of the #MeToo Movement induced me to turn to Sylvia Topp’s work for a second opinion.
It is true that Orwell pursued his interests with a single-minded obsession, whether it was to rush off to Spain to fight Franco’s fascist forces, or to lead an arduous life of self-sufficiency in a rundown cottage in an isolated village, rearing goats and selling eggs to make ends meet. He also seems to have made frequent passes at women, apparently regarding fidelity in marriage as unimportant, yet still deviously concealing an attempted fling with one of his wife’s so-called best friends. The fact that a fascination with young Arab girls prompted him to ask Eileen for permission to visit a Moroccan brothel is particularly disturbing. He seems callous in his lack of concern over her ill health, but perhaps because he was frequently so unwell himself, he underestimated the risks of her final operation, leaving her to die alone while he went abroad. The empathy which prompted him to comfort a traumatised stranger he came across during the London blitz did not seem to extend to his wife.
Yet Sylvia Topp makes it repeatedly clear that Eileen willingly chose to devote her life to supporting Orwell for the decade of their marriage. This was despite being sufficiently ambitious to be very disappointed not to get a First at Oxford, and eventually finding an interest which could have given her a fulfilling, independent career – she was working on a Masters in the psychology of education when she met Orwell. She was conventional enough to think that, approaching thirty, “it was time” for her to get married. She also seemed to have a leaning towards achieving success vicariously through others, not only Orwell but also her high-flying brother Eric whose medical articles and books she typed and edited long before she took on the same role for Orwell.
By modern standards, Eileen was not a feminist. Yet since Oxford University only started awarding women degrees in 1920, four years before she began to study there, while women only gained the right to vote in 1918, and then had to wait a decade to have the voting age reduced from 30 to 21, she possibly felt that this was sufficient clear evidence of advances in achieving equality. She was clearly not a victim but prepared to speak out, and show initiative when she really wanted to do so. Admittedly, Orwell’s frequent bouts of illness as his TB developed cramped her style, but she seems to have been an innately kind person who could not have done otherwise than care for him.
The couple somehow found time for a very active social life, entertaining friends in their often uncomfortable homes, and there is a pattern in their guests’ comments on Eileen: energetic, lively and attractive. She had no shortage of admirers: while Orwell was fighting in Catalonia, she had an enjoyable social life in Barcelona, forming a close relationship with a man called George Kopp, who may have wanted to marry her. Yet when Orwell was shot, she helped to ensure he received the best possible treatment, and later saved him from arrest as a suspected communist, by contriving to give him advance warning.
With her belief in Orwell’s talent, Eileen seems to have enjoyed being closely involved in his creative writing. There is evidence that her feedback led to a marked improvement in his style, which colleagues noticed without identifying the reason. The couple were intellectually very compatible, able to discuss issues on equal terms, and Orwell valued her opinion and trusted her enough to tell his publishers to deal with her, and accept her decisions in his frequent absences. There is even a suggestion that aspects of “1984”, an certainly the title of the classic, were derived from a poem which she wrote before even meeting Orwell: “End of the Century, 1984”.
The couple were also bound by a rejection of materialism, concern for social justice, and perhaps a sense of there being some virtue in a life of struggle, although Sylvia Topp notes tartly how they frequently took advantage of the good will and home comforts of wealthier relatives. Ironically, by the time of Eileen’s tragically early death, Orwell’s writing was beginning to bring in a good income, although he too only lived for a further five years. They paid a high price for a shared addiction to strong black tobacco.
Despite a tendency to be overdetailed and to speculate too long over minor points, to the extent that it might be advisable to skim-read the first three chapters, and later through Eileen’s final employment at the BBC, this biography proves in the main very absorbing and revealing, not only about Eileen and Orwell, but also the times in which they lived.
It is true that Orwell pursued his interests with a single-minded obsession, whether it was to rush off to Spain to fight Franco’s fascist forces, or to lead an arduous life of self-sufficiency in a rundown cottage in an isolated village, rearing goats and selling eggs to make ends meet. He also seems to have made frequent passes at women, apparently regarding fidelity in marriage as unimportant, yet still deviously concealing an attempted fling with one of his wife’s so-called best friends. The fact that a fascination with young Arab girls prompted him to ask Eileen for permission to visit a Moroccan brothel is particularly disturbing. He seems callous in his lack of concern over her ill health, but perhaps because he was frequently so unwell himself, he underestimated the risks of her final operation, leaving her to die alone while he went abroad. The empathy which prompted him to comfort a traumatised stranger he came across during the London blitz did not seem to extend to his wife.
Yet Sylvia Topp makes it repeatedly clear that Eileen willingly chose to devote her life to supporting Orwell for the decade of their marriage. This was despite being sufficiently ambitious to be very disappointed not to get a First at Oxford, and eventually finding an interest which could have given her a fulfilling, independent career – she was working on a Masters in the psychology of education when she met Orwell. She was conventional enough to think that, approaching thirty, “it was time” for her to get married. She also seemed to have a leaning towards achieving success vicariously through others, not only Orwell but also her high-flying brother Eric whose medical articles and books she typed and edited long before she took on the same role for Orwell.
By modern standards, Eileen was not a feminist. Yet since Oxford University only started awarding women degrees in 1920, four years before she began to study there, while women only gained the right to vote in 1918, and then had to wait a decade to have the voting age reduced from 30 to 21, she possibly felt that this was sufficient clear evidence of advances in achieving equality. She was clearly not a victim but prepared to speak out, and show initiative when she really wanted to do so. Admittedly, Orwell’s frequent bouts of illness as his TB developed cramped her style, but she seems to have been an innately kind person who could not have done otherwise than care for him.
The couple somehow found time for a very active social life, entertaining friends in their often uncomfortable homes, and there is a pattern in their guests’ comments on Eileen: energetic, lively and attractive. She had no shortage of admirers: while Orwell was fighting in Catalonia, she had an enjoyable social life in Barcelona, forming a close relationship with a man called George Kopp, who may have wanted to marry her. Yet when Orwell was shot, she helped to ensure he received the best possible treatment, and later saved him from arrest as a suspected communist, by contriving to give him advance warning.
With her belief in Orwell’s talent, Eileen seems to have enjoyed being closely involved in his creative writing. There is evidence that her feedback led to a marked improvement in his style, which colleagues noticed without identifying the reason. The couple were intellectually very compatible, able to discuss issues on equal terms, and Orwell valued her opinion and trusted her enough to tell his publishers to deal with her, and accept her decisions in his frequent absences. There is even a suggestion that aspects of “1984”, an certainly the title of the classic, were derived from a poem which she wrote before even meeting Orwell: “End of the Century, 1984”.
The couple were also bound by a rejection of materialism, concern for social justice, and perhaps a sense of there being some virtue in a life of struggle, although Sylvia Topp notes tartly how they frequently took advantage of the good will and home comforts of wealthier relatives. Ironically, by the time of Eileen’s tragically early death, Orwell’s writing was beginning to bring in a good income, although he too only lived for a further five years. They paid a high price for a shared addiction to strong black tobacco.
Despite a tendency to be overdetailed and to speculate too long over minor points, to the extent that it might be advisable to skim-read the first three chapters, and later through Eileen’s final employment at the BBC, this biography proves in the main very absorbing and revealing, not only about Eileen and Orwell, but also the times in which they lived.
August 8, 2022
Thoroughly enjoyable and thought provoking book. Another one that’s been on my “to read” list for a bit but without me ever really getting started on it despite a few shots. That’s maybe because the first few chapters are the normal biography type information on family and early life and whilst I know these things are essential I don’t find them easy to read. I usually get interested in biographies when the subject reaches late school age and then leaves home for college, university or work. This is when personalities seem to develop, indiscreet letters are written and experiments with interesting activities begin.
So it is with “Eileen” the biography of an intelligent, attractive, dryly humorous woman with a talent for story telling and writing. It tells the story of her life including periods working for the Ministry of Information devising programmes for BBC radio about how to make the best use of rationed food in wartime, her depression following the death of her older brother, her travels to Spain and affair with a military commander whilst there. It also tells of her time in a cottage miles from anywhere, tending chickens and running a village shop. There are stories of friendships, rivalries and disputes with friends and family. It also tells of her chronic illness causing abdominal pain and persistent vaginal bleeding which eventually leads her to undergo an operation from which she never wakes up.
All this is quite enough for an interesting biography of a young intelligent woman making her way in the male dominated British society of the inter war years.
But of course this Eileen is Eileen Blair (née O’Shaughnessy) the wife of Eric Blair (aka George Orwell) and perhaps inevitably therefore her story gets, if not quite pushed aside, then seen in the light of that of her famous husband. In fairness the subtitle of the book “The making of George Orwell” does signal that by telling Eileen’s story the author is giving us a perspective on an important if not the crucial influence on Orwell’s life and work. Certainly his most famous books Animal Farm and 1984 were by this evidence heavily influenced by Eileen’s thoughts, style and wit. Would it be too much to suggest that she should be jointly credited as an author? Maybe but her influence was clearly very strong indeed.
Taken in this spirit I think the book is a great read and I warmed to it even more when I realised that it was a crowd funded self published effort. I did enjoy the humanising of one of my literary heroes who in personal life, at least as evidenced here, was a bit of a s**t, and whose enthusiasm for an “open” relationship seems to have been much greater than Eileen’s when it really came to it. Nevertheless they were a partnership which worked and her death affected him badly.
I found the book to be very readable, well structured and researched. There are one or two areas of minor repetition and a couple of aspects which I thought grated just a bit. Firstly there is a slight tendency to theorise and make assumptions about things where evidence is missing - occasionally there is speculation about people knowing each other or having come into contact on what seemed to be quite flimsy grounds. It’s good gossipy stuff but maybe stretches things a bit far sometimes. Secondly, some of the medical information seems a bit tenuous to me - attributing illnesses to family weaknesses, the accounts of whether Orwell had bronchiectasis or TB or both and when is unclear at least to me, and the significance of Eileen being thought to have endometriosis and also cysts as well as not being able to conceive could perhaps have been drawn out more and put in the context of her final fatal operation.
But these are minor matters compared to the overwhelming contribution that this book makes to understanding one of the major practical, emotional, literary and I suspect political influences on an author who produced what I still believe to be the finest work of political fiction in the 20th century.
I had the great privilege of hearing the author Sylvia Topp talk about the book to one of the Orwell Society’s monthly George Talks with the video being available on their website and YouTube channel (search for Orwell Society).
So it is with “Eileen” the biography of an intelligent, attractive, dryly humorous woman with a talent for story telling and writing. It tells the story of her life including periods working for the Ministry of Information devising programmes for BBC radio about how to make the best use of rationed food in wartime, her depression following the death of her older brother, her travels to Spain and affair with a military commander whilst there. It also tells of her time in a cottage miles from anywhere, tending chickens and running a village shop. There are stories of friendships, rivalries and disputes with friends and family. It also tells of her chronic illness causing abdominal pain and persistent vaginal bleeding which eventually leads her to undergo an operation from which she never wakes up.
All this is quite enough for an interesting biography of a young intelligent woman making her way in the male dominated British society of the inter war years.
But of course this Eileen is Eileen Blair (née O’Shaughnessy) the wife of Eric Blair (aka George Orwell) and perhaps inevitably therefore her story gets, if not quite pushed aside, then seen in the light of that of her famous husband. In fairness the subtitle of the book “The making of George Orwell” does signal that by telling Eileen’s story the author is giving us a perspective on an important if not the crucial influence on Orwell’s life and work. Certainly his most famous books Animal Farm and 1984 were by this evidence heavily influenced by Eileen’s thoughts, style and wit. Would it be too much to suggest that she should be jointly credited as an author? Maybe but her influence was clearly very strong indeed.
Taken in this spirit I think the book is a great read and I warmed to it even more when I realised that it was a crowd funded self published effort. I did enjoy the humanising of one of my literary heroes who in personal life, at least as evidenced here, was a bit of a s**t, and whose enthusiasm for an “open” relationship seems to have been much greater than Eileen’s when it really came to it. Nevertheless they were a partnership which worked and her death affected him badly.
I found the book to be very readable, well structured and researched. There are one or two areas of minor repetition and a couple of aspects which I thought grated just a bit. Firstly there is a slight tendency to theorise and make assumptions about things where evidence is missing - occasionally there is speculation about people knowing each other or having come into contact on what seemed to be quite flimsy grounds. It’s good gossipy stuff but maybe stretches things a bit far sometimes. Secondly, some of the medical information seems a bit tenuous to me - attributing illnesses to family weaknesses, the accounts of whether Orwell had bronchiectasis or TB or both and when is unclear at least to me, and the significance of Eileen being thought to have endometriosis and also cysts as well as not being able to conceive could perhaps have been drawn out more and put in the context of her final fatal operation.
But these are minor matters compared to the overwhelming contribution that this book makes to understanding one of the major practical, emotional, literary and I suspect political influences on an author who produced what I still believe to be the finest work of political fiction in the 20th century.
I had the great privilege of hearing the author Sylvia Topp talk about the book to one of the Orwell Society’s monthly George Talks with the video being available on their website and YouTube channel (search for Orwell Society).
July 31, 2025
A masterpiece of biography
A delight to read - the most compelling literary biography I’ve encountered since Richard Ellmann’s James Joyce, and I can’t offer higher praise than that. Sylvia Topp’s Eileen: The Making of George Orwell far surpasses the tiresome Wifedom by Anna Funder. Topp presents an engrossing, deeply humane portrait of one of the most fascinating couples of the 20th century.
George Orwell (Eric Blair) and Eileen O’Shaughnessy were both fiercely intelligent, independent spirits, determined to live outside the conventions of their time. That meant enduring cold, poverty, and frequent illness, but also a joyful eccentricity: goats, chickens, dogs, and exceptionally well-tended vegetable gardens. They were true free-thinkers, and Topp shows us how central their shared life was to the making of Orwell’s political vision and literary voice.
The book also offers a vivid sense of the era - 1930s Britain, with its entrenched class structure and colonial mindset. Both Eric and Eileen were born into the privileged, well-educated middle class of a white imperial nation, and at times their attitudes reflect the unexamined prejudices of their background. A particularly disturbing episode takes place during their time in Morocco, where Eric’s desire for a young Arab girl is met with shocking indifference from Eileen. It’s to Topp’s credit that she doesn't shy away from such moments, but presents them plainly, allowing readers to grapple with these uncomfortable truths.
Their shared commitment to radical politics took them to revolutionary Barcelona, and later back to a bleak but determinedly self-sufficient life in the English countryside - where, astonishingly, Orwell wrote some of his most celebrated work, typed and proofread by Eileen. During the Second World War, Eileen came into her own: juggling high-level work at the BBC and the Ministry of Information, maintaining a difficult marriage, and carving out a life that was distinctly hers - including a love life, conducted discreetly, but unashamedly.
Eileen died tragically young, undergoing surgery in Newcastle upon Tyne with no friends or family by her side. Her death was as solitary as much of her contribution to Orwell’s life had been unacknowledged.
Topp’s biography is not only beautifully written and meticulously researched, but rich in context - family backgrounds, literary networks, the texture of British life between the wars. Names like T. S. Eliot, H. G. Wells, and Cyril Connolly walk in and out of these pages, but the focus remains firmly on Eileen and the world she inhabited. I found the book especially absorbing because the Blairs once lived just around the corner from where I live now, but even without that personal connection, this is a remarkable work of social history, intellectual biography, and emotional depth.
Unmissable.
A delight to read - the most compelling literary biography I’ve encountered since Richard Ellmann’s James Joyce, and I can’t offer higher praise than that. Sylvia Topp’s Eileen: The Making of George Orwell far surpasses the tiresome Wifedom by Anna Funder. Topp presents an engrossing, deeply humane portrait of one of the most fascinating couples of the 20th century.
George Orwell (Eric Blair) and Eileen O’Shaughnessy were both fiercely intelligent, independent spirits, determined to live outside the conventions of their time. That meant enduring cold, poverty, and frequent illness, but also a joyful eccentricity: goats, chickens, dogs, and exceptionally well-tended vegetable gardens. They were true free-thinkers, and Topp shows us how central their shared life was to the making of Orwell’s political vision and literary voice.
The book also offers a vivid sense of the era - 1930s Britain, with its entrenched class structure and colonial mindset. Both Eric and Eileen were born into the privileged, well-educated middle class of a white imperial nation, and at times their attitudes reflect the unexamined prejudices of their background. A particularly disturbing episode takes place during their time in Morocco, where Eric’s desire for a young Arab girl is met with shocking indifference from Eileen. It’s to Topp’s credit that she doesn't shy away from such moments, but presents them plainly, allowing readers to grapple with these uncomfortable truths.
Their shared commitment to radical politics took them to revolutionary Barcelona, and later back to a bleak but determinedly self-sufficient life in the English countryside - where, astonishingly, Orwell wrote some of his most celebrated work, typed and proofread by Eileen. During the Second World War, Eileen came into her own: juggling high-level work at the BBC and the Ministry of Information, maintaining a difficult marriage, and carving out a life that was distinctly hers - including a love life, conducted discreetly, but unashamedly.
Eileen died tragically young, undergoing surgery in Newcastle upon Tyne with no friends or family by her side. Her death was as solitary as much of her contribution to Orwell’s life had been unacknowledged.
Topp’s biography is not only beautifully written and meticulously researched, but rich in context - family backgrounds, literary networks, the texture of British life between the wars. Names like T. S. Eliot, H. G. Wells, and Cyril Connolly walk in and out of these pages, but the focus remains firmly on Eileen and the world she inhabited. I found the book especially absorbing because the Blairs once lived just around the corner from where I live now, but even without that personal connection, this is a remarkable work of social history, intellectual biography, and emotional depth.
Unmissable.
December 6, 2020
The first biography of Eileen Blair, George Orwell’s first wife, a task made more daunting for Sylvia Topp by the couple’s mania for destroying the correspondence that flowed between them or that friends wrote to them. The initial chapters are a bit dense with biographical information, although this does help to centre Eileen in Orwell’s world – like him she had civil servants in the family, but unlike him she went to Oxford. It is when Eileen and the writer then known as Eric cross paths that the tale really begins to sparkle, pieced together from the memories and memoirs and letters to people with less strict destruction policies.
Though they caused a lot of consternation by marrying while relatively penniless and going off to live in the country, the prevailing mood is one of contentment and books, only marred by occasional goat trouble*. (* not a euphemism/typo)
Eileen: The Making of Orwell is a comprehensive portrait of a genuine partnership, and of two people who determined to make the best of the time they had together, knowing it might be short.
Read my full review for Eileen: The Making of Orwell at my website, ten million hardbacks
Though they caused a lot of consternation by marrying while relatively penniless and going off to live in the country, the prevailing mood is one of contentment and books, only marred by occasional goat trouble*. (* not a euphemism/typo)
Eileen: The Making of Orwell is a comprehensive portrait of a genuine partnership, and of two people who determined to make the best of the time they had together, knowing it might be short.
Read my full review for Eileen: The Making of Orwell at my website, ten million hardbacks
May 9, 2025
An interesting book but too much detail for me. Do readers really need an ongoing count of eggs produced by Orwell’s hens?
The book captures the time period well and I found descriptions of the war years enlightening. Eileen was a remarkable and talented woman and it is good to see her given recognition for her support and influence on Orwell’s work. There is no doubt that she sacrificed herself for him.
The book captures the time period well and I found descriptions of the war years enlightening. Eileen was a remarkable and talented woman and it is good to see her given recognition for her support and influence on Orwell’s work. There is no doubt that she sacrificed herself for him.
November 5, 2020
While 'Eileen' is obviously of interest to anyone who wants to know more about George Orwell (there is a lot here that I haven't seen elsewhere); it's also a fascinating study of a woman worth reading about in her own right. Much to recommend!
May 22, 2025
Just what is required, clarity and the ability to tell a story. Aspects of a biography that are fairly uncommon.
Minor issues of author presuming very occasionally, and Eileen’s annoying tone in her letters. Good read.
Minor issues of author presuming very occasionally, and Eileen’s annoying tone in her letters. Good read.
May 5, 2024
A very comprehensive and thorough description of the Orwell's relationship and Eileen's contribution to George Orwell's writing and life.
June 6, 2025
What an incredible woman Eileen Blair was.
February 5, 2024
I am not getting far with this. Starts with pages and pages about her grandparents, and it's so dull. Also lots of absurd generalisations - the idea that people who have North Eastern English accents are calm because of how they speak. Looking at an image of her and saying she must have been rebellious, as pretty girls often are! Not promising, especially after reading D J Taylor's Orwell biography. Maybe it will get better if she stops focusing on things like the fate of the cups which used to be awarded in her subject's school.
I know the early years of famous people are uniformly dull but there are ways of making them interesting which this writer does not know. It makes me wonder if the reviews on the back were written by her friends, as often happens on publishing. I really wish reviewers would stop this.
EDIT: Have now nearly finished. There was a good section in the middle but then it became dull again. How many times do we need to be told that people thought she was pretty! And the reams about her work broadcasting cookery tips to women during the war... Oh my god. She appeared in radio broadcasts as a comical cockney. I really can't stand posh class people who ape working class people for laughs "The Buggins" Oh hahaha how fraightfully droll! I wish I could say BBC Radio has changed since then...
To be honest I skipped most of this stuff.
I know the early years of famous people are uniformly dull but there are ways of making them interesting which this writer does not know. It makes me wonder if the reviews on the back were written by her friends, as often happens on publishing. I really wish reviewers would stop this.
EDIT: Have now nearly finished. There was a good section in the middle but then it became dull again. How many times do we need to be told that people thought she was pretty! And the reams about her work broadcasting cookery tips to women during the war... Oh my god. She appeared in radio broadcasts as a comical cockney. I really can't stand posh class people who ape working class people for laughs "The Buggins" Oh hahaha how fraightfully droll! I wish I could say BBC Radio has changed since then...
To be honest I skipped most of this stuff.
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