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timmetcalfe's review against another edition
challenging
funny
informative
medium-paced
filipabcorreia's review against another edition
5.0
Why i write - 4 stars
The Lion and the unicorn - 5 stars
A hanging - 4 stars
Politics and the English language - 5 stars
Orwell's highly critical and almost ruthless writing shines in a great selection of his essays.
" for it is movements that make leaders and not leaders movements"
The Lion and the unicorn - 5 stars
A hanging - 4 stars
Politics and the English language - 5 stars
Orwell's highly critical and almost ruthless writing shines in a great selection of his essays.
" for it is movements that make leaders and not leaders movements"
punchofwishes's review against another edition
challenging
slow-paced
2.5
This was a very mixed bag for me. While there is a lot in here to make you think, it's also definitely not as "timeless" as the Penguin Great Ideas description claims. On multiple occasions I agreed with what Orwell is saying but hated how he said it. From contradictions, grim languages referring to people of colour, to a rough break in topics between the chapters, I found this to be a chore to read.
icarusandthesun's review against another edition
'why i write' is an essay collection about the english language & politics. i was more interested in the language aspect of it, but unfortunately that was not the more prevalent part.
so, sadly, not for me.
so, sadly, not for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Colonisation
introvertisa's review
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
4.0
gostei muito muito muito dos dois primeiros ensaios. o terceiro foi ok, bom. o último nem tankei
sfletcher26's review against another edition
3.0
This is a collection of 4 essays written between 1931 and 1946 each very different in tone and style.
The first, Why I Write, is a sgort exploration of what writing is to Orwell and what his motivation is.
The second and longest essay, The Lion and The Unicorn, is a polemic written against fascism and tries to make the case for socialism. Whilst interesting it is a little dated and history has proved some of what he has to say naive in the extreme.
The third essay, A Hanging, is the best of the four. It is a short, personal and scathing attack on the practice of capital punnishment.
The fourth, Politics andbthe English Language, is a damning attack on the state of the English language that is as relevent today as it was in 1946.
This is a great little book that deserves a wider readership.
The first, Why I Write, is a sgort exploration of what writing is to Orwell and what his motivation is.
The second and longest essay, The Lion and The Unicorn, is a polemic written against fascism and tries to make the case for socialism. Whilst interesting it is a little dated and history has proved some of what he has to say naive in the extreme.
The third essay, A Hanging, is the best of the four. It is a short, personal and scathing attack on the practice of capital punnishment.
The fourth, Politics andbthe English Language, is a damning attack on the state of the English language that is as relevent today as it was in 1946.
This is a great little book that deserves a wider readership.
snapier's review against another edition
4.0
I don't know whether to be astounded or terrified that Orwell's critique of British political culture is still unbearably relevant today. It's a little bit of both.
(Orwell also goes in hard on right wing views and Fascism - particularly entertaining are his thoughts on Oswald Mosley. Worth a read for this alone.)
(Orwell also goes in hard on right wing views and Fascism - particularly entertaining are his thoughts on Oswald Mosley. Worth a read for this alone.)