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On Reading
George Orwell set out ‘to make political writing into an art’, and to a wide extent this aim shaped the future of English literature – his descriptions of authoritarian regimes helped to form a new vocabulary that is fundamental to understanding totalitarianism. While 1984 and Animal Farm are amongst the most popular classic novels in the English language, this new series of Orwell’s essays seeks to bring a wider selection of his writing on politics and literature to a new readership.
On Reading, the seventh in the Orwell’s Essays series, collects together Orwell’s short essays on books – ‘Bookshop Memories’, ‘Good Bad Books’, ‘Nonsense Poetry’, ‘Books vs. Cigarettes’ and ‘Confessions of a Book Reviewer’ – giving a rounded view of the great writer’s opinions on the literature of his day, and the vessels in which it was sold.
On Reading, the seventh in the Orwell’s Essays series, collects together Orwell’s short essays on books – ‘Bookshop Memories’, ‘Good Bad Books’, ‘Nonsense Poetry’, ‘Books vs. Cigarettes’ and ‘Confessions of a Book Reviewer’ – giving a rounded view of the great writer’s opinions on the literature of his day, and the vessels in which it was sold.
- GenresNonfiction
64 pages, Paperback
Published November 15, 2022
1 person is currently reading
32 people want to read
About the author
George Orwell
1,266 books50.6k followersEric 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
July 6, 2025
Orwell yapping
August 11, 2023
1. Bookshop Memories 4⭐️
2. Good Bad Books 2.5⭐️
3. Nonsense Poetry 3⭐️
4. Books vs. Cigarettes 4⭐️
5. Confessions of a Book Reviewer 3.5⭐️
Overall 3.4⭐️
2. Good Bad Books 2.5⭐️
3. Nonsense Poetry 3⭐️
4. Books vs. Cigarettes 4⭐️
5. Confessions of a Book Reviewer 3.5⭐️
Overall 3.4⭐️
December 14, 2022
I went as far as preordering this copy because of this:
While researching articles that dealt with the matter of reading, Orwell's essays came up as an obvious suggestion. A quick browse of options brought up this print, which put together the articles exactly relevant to my inquiry.
When setting out to add collections, rather than each text by themselves, to my shelves, I rarely find them containing exactly what I ask for and nothing else besides. For this sort of quality, I was willing to preorder and wait, even though all the essays by Orwell would be available individually elsewhere.
Looking at the concept of "Orwell's Essays" as a series, I would venture to say that Renard Press did a good job at editing and "re-mastering" these classics. Each volume, like the one here, binds together articles and essays by topic, at a decent price. The English is "updated", and annotations are added unobtrusively where necessary. I certainly consider turning this single acquisition into the start of building the series into my own book collection.
I say most about the print and little about the texts themselves precisely because they are widely available elsewhere, and much reviewed. But if anything I should say about Orwell's essays, it is that they are lighter than his novels, entertaining to read, inspiring to a degree - and easily consumed, without loss, within the hour after unpacking the parcel.
While researching articles that dealt with the matter of reading, Orwell's essays came up as an obvious suggestion. A quick browse of options brought up this print, which put together the articles exactly relevant to my inquiry.
When setting out to add collections, rather than each text by themselves, to my shelves, I rarely find them containing exactly what I ask for and nothing else besides. For this sort of quality, I was willing to preorder and wait, even though all the essays by Orwell would be available individually elsewhere.
Looking at the concept of "Orwell's Essays" as a series, I would venture to say that Renard Press did a good job at editing and "re-mastering" these classics. Each volume, like the one here, binds together articles and essays by topic, at a decent price. The English is "updated", and annotations are added unobtrusively where necessary. I certainly consider turning this single acquisition into the start of building the series into my own book collection.
I say most about the print and little about the texts themselves precisely because they are widely available elsewhere, and much reviewed. But if anything I should say about Orwell's essays, it is that they are lighter than his novels, entertaining to read, inspiring to a degree - and easily consumed, without loss, within the hour after unpacking the parcel.
May 11, 2023
I enjoyed reading this installment as much as previous ones. I admire the ability of the author to put forward ideas and criticism in a relatable and simpleton fashion. You learn, you discover, you debate - but somehow you never really get the feeling that "hey! That's not really nice thing to say!!"
Every essay in this volume speaks volumes in and of itself. Reading about the bookstore shenanigans reminded me of the cult series "Black Books". Discussions about "good bad books" spoke to my inner bookworm and my guilty pleasures. Notes about poetry reminded me why I still struggle to really engage with the genre. Talk about cigarettes and books and how they are priced - oh boy, the days I used to grab for a pack while reading in the company of good coffee ... Description of a book reviewer - as someone who is in academia, don't even get me started on the reviewers!
Every essay in this volume speaks volumes in and of itself. Reading about the bookstore shenanigans reminded me of the cult series "Black Books". Discussions about "good bad books" spoke to my inner bookworm and my guilty pleasures. Notes about poetry reminded me why I still struggle to really engage with the genre. Talk about cigarettes and books and how they are priced - oh boy, the days I used to grab for a pack while reading in the company of good coffee ... Description of a book reviewer - as someone who is in academia, don't even get me started on the reviewers!
June 23, 2024
3.5 stars
October 1, 2025
longest book ever
December 15, 2025
Often referenced by Shaun Bythell in his diary series. Fun enough for the price.
September 27, 2023
I read about these essays in Shaun Bythell’s book about his bookstore in Wigtown, Scotland. Interesting to read but a bit dated.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews