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oddishsaur's review against another edition
5.0
An intimate portrayal of Orwell during his 'down and out' days, this book reads like fiction on almost every page. The account starts in Paris, taking the reader on a journey through what it's like to live as a poor person in the City of Love. Orwell's descriptions of the people he meets are, as always, perfectly wonderful. His life as a plongeur is one of black humour and upset, and it really doesn't get much better on his returns to England. However, this book isn't a reflection of personal sorrow, but rather a very sobering account of his experiences as a (as he calls it) tramp. At the very end of the book, he lists ways in which the system could be improved. Sadly, the numbers of homeless people are still high and reading it eighty-four years after its publication leaves one with a harrowing sense of dread. Orwell is a master of his craft and this work of non-fiction is just as unputdownable as his novels.
kristianawithak's review against another edition
3.0
When I started reading Last Night at the Lobster (O'Nan) I decided people who have worked in restaurants should probably not read books about working in a restaurant. Listening to Orwell describe working in a hotel restaurant was amazing and charming. Perhaps it's the elapse of time that makes his discriptions seem poignant versus a contemporary explanation of what restaurant work is like.
I prefered being down and out in Paris more than the London parts, but overall it was a good read...hey that's the name of this site.
I prefered being down and out in Paris more than the London parts, but overall it was a good read...hey that's the name of this site.
ed_vai_11's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
3.5
It’s definitely not his most exciting work, however, the message behind the book is inspiring and thought provoking. One has to think about the less fortunate and how they came to be that way. Deeply interesting to see how they spend their days and what drives them to carry on. Very sad that our world seems to completely disregard homeless people and see them as less.
alexlangdon's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
fast-paced
4.25
arf88's review against another edition
3.0
The was as well written as you'd expect an Orwell book to be - he just has such an amazing and brutal way of describing the world. You can pretty much go to any page and have something amazing to read. Which is why it pains me to say I found parts of this book boring and a slog to get through, especially the parts set in the Paris restaurant. I'm glad I read it, but I'm also glad it's over.