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A review by borisslocum
Homage to Catalonia by George Orwell
5.0
I can't recommend this book enough. Those of us lucky enough to have read Orwell's non-fiction will tell you it is as good, or better, than his fiction. Homage to Catalonia is an open, frank, and sometimes frightening look into Orwell's brief stint as a soldier fighting the Fascists in Spain. The matter-of-fact tone by which he sometimes recounts frightening events only gives power to the story.
Don't be put off. It was written in many ways by Orwell the journalist, and it presumes readers are at least passingly familiar with the political landscape of Spain (and Europe) at the time. It is a tough slog, so a modern reader should expect to stop occasionally to look up names and places. But it is well worth your energy. No one tells unpleasant truths better than Orwell.
Don't be put off. It was written in many ways by Orwell the journalist, and it presumes readers are at least passingly familiar with the political landscape of Spain (and Europe) at the time. It is a tough slog, so a modern reader should expect to stop occasionally to look up names and places. But it is well worth your energy. No one tells unpleasant truths better than Orwell.