On Nineteen Eighty-Four

From the author of the definitive biography of George Orwell,
a captivating account of the origin and enduring power of his landmark
dystopian novel




Since its publication nearly 70 years ago, George Orwell's 1984
has been regarded as one of the most influential novels of the modern
age. Politicians have testified to its influence on their intellectual
identities, rock musicians have made records about it, TV viewers watch a
reality show named for it, and a White House spokesperson tells of
"alternative facts." The world we live in is often described as an
Orwellian one, awash in inescapable surveillance and invasions of
privacy.




On 1984 dives deep into Orwell's life to chart his earlier
writings and key moments in his youth, such as his years at a boarding
school, whose strict and charismatic headmaster shaped the idea of Big
Brother. Taylor tells the story of the writing of the book, taking
readers to the Scottish island of Jura, where Orwell, newly famous
thanks to Animal Farm but coping with personal tragedy and rapidly declining health, struggled to finish 1984.
Published during the cold war-a term Orwell coined-Taylor elucidates
the environmental influences on the book. Then he examines 1984's post-publication life, including its role as a tool to understand our language, politics, and government.



In a current climate where truth, surveillance, censorship, and critical
thinking are contentious, Orwell's work is necessary. Written with
resonant and reflective analysis, On 1984 is both brilliant and remarkably timely