I read Churchill and Orwell because I am a fan of the author, Thomas E. Ricks. Ricks is best known as a military historian who wrote Fiasco and The Generals, both of which I highly recommend. This book is a bit of a departure for Ricks but the topic seemed interesting. Churchill and Orwell is a dual biography of two British men who had similarly parallel lives during WWII-era Great Britain. I was surprised to find how much the two men had in common, especially […]
Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past.
WAR IS PEACE. FREEDOM IS SLAVERY. IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH. Winston Smith does not know what year it is when he sits down to write his diary. He thinks it’s 1984, but he can’t be sure. The past has been edited and rewritten so many times that the current date and year of Oceania can be hard to trace. In fact it’s Winston’s job to help rewrite the past, by updating newspapers and media everytime the Party demands it. “Who controls the past controls the future. […]
Don’t be a dictator
“All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.” Animal farm is one of those classics that are pretty much absorbed and ingrained in society. It tells the story of some animals on a farm becoming deeply enraged about the unfairness as they do all the work and the farmer reaps the reward. They stage a revolution and rename the farm “Animal farm.” They adopt the Seven Commandments of Animalism, the most important of which is, “All animals are equal.” And for […]
Gin and Lies
So, there has been a lot of interest in George Orwell’s classic book, 1984, lately. First written in 1948, the book is back on top of the Amazon best-seller list, with tens of thousands of new copies being printed in the first few months of 2017 alone. Some people are re-reading the book and others, like myself and my book club, are reading it for the first time. And, I have to tell you, it really is terrifying. There are definitely some parallels between Orwell’s […]
When dystopia and documentary begin to merge..down to sexist male fantasies.
I feel like the last week or so has been spent chasing down book club selections (and I even missed the CBR Book Club, which was unfortunate, although the reviews have not exactly been glowing—so maybe it wasn’t a tragedy to have missed out?). This Sunday marks my regular book club meeting—A has chosen George Orwell’s 1984, which seemed terribly fitting, since the United States has a president who is being praised for not pooping on stage (that’s only the barest of exaggerations. I mean, […]
I Came For the Dystopia, I Left With the Misogyny
Where to start with this review? First, I think I missed the boat on this one. I think had I read it in high school or college I would have enjoyed/appreciated it more. I’ve read more compelling dystopian novels and this one just doesn’t compare. Saying that, I feel like the wrath of the reading world will rain down upon me. “1984” seems to be a classic for many readers and I can appreciate it that. What was most powerful about the novel was the […]