I just finished it yesterday. MOST AMAZING!

I don't know anything about George Orwell other than the back cover describes him as a socialist.

It would be interesting to to go down the list of everything he described in that book and what is happening today in our society.

I get the impression that his answer to a totalitarian regime was more socialism? I dunno... Amazing book.

Careful. I hear the NSA is keeping a list of everyone who buys that book.

Sorry Robert. You're too late. We could have used your help earlier though.

He definitely started out as a lefty, well after he was a Colonial Policeman, he was a lefty, but he got to see Stalinism up close in Spain, and didn't much like it after that.

For a quick read, see "Why Orwell Matters" by the late Christopher Hitchens.

For a great read, try "Homage to Catalonia" by George Orwell.

"The Road to Wigan Pier" and "Down and Out in Paris and London" are good also.

Sycamore

Another great read is Beat Whoever Questions the Constitution to Death in a Public Forum.

It hasn't been published yet, but the author has some fascinating ideals.



Travis

+1 on 'Homage'

A good listen on Orwell's disillusionment with real world socialism / communism is this from, surprisingly, the BBC:

The Road to Nineteen Eighty-Four

Duration:
58 minutes

First broadcast:
Saturday 09 February 2013

What led avowed socialist George Orwell to write a novel beloved of the Right?

David Aaronovitch traces how a decade of political chaos shaped Orwell's vision of a totalitarian future.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01qhb8b#threeG

No, they are only keeping a list of those who read it!


Sycamore

I am kind of slow to catch on to some things!LOL

Hey y'all, thanks for the feedback, Sycamore- I will check out those other books.

One of the many mistakes I made whilst in university, at least I thought, was to put off my general education courses and chase those that would "make me" a mechanical engineer so calculus, physics and the early ME courses mattered most. As such, my basic first year literature course became a grad course years later titled, "George Orwell". As a master's level course, the first of a few I took once I realized how different and enjoyable they were to the BS (that is Bachelor of Science ) I was chasing. The professor, books and students were fantastic. If you enjoyed 1984, go after The Road to Wigan Pier, Animal Farm and Down and Out in Paris and London. All great stuff.

If you read Animal Farm be careful around here.Some here will start calling you an anarchist if you dont believe all laws must be followed just because its the law.You know who you are.

I worry not at all about what folks here call me. Most think I am OK, some not. All know pretty well where I stand. I do know where I stand which is all that really matters.