Scan barcode
A review by sunleung
Down and Out in Paris and London by George Orwell
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.