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sunleung's review against another edition
informative
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
3.5
The book is supposedly a real account of Orwell’s experiences as a tramp in Paris and in London. He provides an enlightening window into the psyche of the destitute. Though the book reads as “poverty tourism”, he rarely speaks down about the poor - he ends with short reflections on poor and what he thought were acceptable solutions to their plight.
The book is broken down in two parts: first part recounts his experiences in Paris, the latter his tramping days in London. The first part was a better read for me. His stint working as a plongeur for a fine hotel and his description of the hierarchy system within a kitchen was insightful to me - that alone provided me with the most joy in the book.
The book is broken down in two parts: first part recounts his experiences in Paris, the latter his tramping days in London. The first part was a better read for me. His stint working as a plongeur for a fine hotel and his description of the hierarchy system within a kitchen was insightful to me - that alone provided me with the most joy in the book.
notaturnip's review against another edition
5.0
Absolutely compelling! A quick read, although I did need to Google a lot of the French.
jtrogers1992's review against another edition
4.0
Excellent reading for understanding poverty. Much of the book is about poverty in a specific time and place but most of the themes are timeless.
Overall lesson: Being poor is expensive and extremely hard work.
Overall lesson: Being poor is expensive and extremely hard work.
stolb's review against another edition
5.0
confidências de um jovem orwell em subempregos na frança e mendigarias na inglaterra.
rosietakesonliterature's review against another edition
4.0
As someone who spent most of this year living in Paris and is currently in London, I found this very thought-provoking. It is through reading about them that we get to know the places we live in best. History is often more relevant than the present. If you want to eat and lodge in peace in any of these two cities, do not read this.
What I think is most interesting is the way Orwell talks about poverty. He positions himself above it as if he is an outsider looking in. They, the tramps, and they, the plongeurs—never we, despite occupying those exact positions. The English pursuit of honor is truly fascinating. In this context, he is the tramp, and he is the plongeur, but with how he describes them, they are so dehumanized that he refuses to be a part of that culture. Why not just leave? Why not go back to India, and live the lavish life of an overprivileged educated colonizer? As he says, once you are in poverty, you are stuck in the moment. You see no future, no way out. You don't know where your next meal shall come from, and thus the thoughts of the future only cause anxiety. Just like his anxiety over not admitting how bad his situation truly was.
A formative piece for Orwell, probably shaped who he became as an author. Anyone interested in working conditions in the service industry and/or homelessness would benefit from reading this.
What I think is most interesting is the way Orwell talks about poverty. He positions himself above it as if he is an outsider looking in. They, the tramps, and they, the plongeurs—never we, despite occupying those exact positions. The English pursuit of honor is truly fascinating. In this context, he is the tramp, and he is the plongeur, but with how he describes them, they are so dehumanized that he refuses to be a part of that culture. Why not just leave? Why not go back to India, and live the lavish life of an overprivileged educated colonizer? As he says, once you are in poverty, you are stuck in the moment. You see no future, no way out. You don't know where your next meal shall come from, and thus the thoughts of the future only cause anxiety. Just like his anxiety over not admitting how bad his situation truly was.
A formative piece for Orwell, probably shaped who he became as an author. Anyone interested in working conditions in the service industry and/or homelessness would benefit from reading this.
chronicallyonline's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
4.0