Tag Archives: George Orwell

Down and Out in Paris

Posted on February 3, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

In 1928, a former Colonial police officer and aspiring author named Eric Arthur Blair moved from his London home to Paris in order to buckle down and launch his writing career. The move didn’t work out so well, but it … Continue reading →

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Readers Pick Best Book Of The Past 125 Years

Posted on January 20, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

The New York Times Book Review has celebrated 125th anniversary by asking readers to nominate the best book of the past 125 years. The reader submissions were wittled down to a list of 25, which were voted on by more … Continue reading →

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“It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen”

Posted on December 12, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

I was recently surprised and intrigued to read that the estate of George Orwell has approved a feminist retelling of Nineteen Eighty-Four, which reimagines the story from the perspective of Winston Smith’s lover Julia. In the iconic dystopian novel, Smith … Continue reading →

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When They Haven’t Really Read The Book

Posted on May 24, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

Cartoonist Ward Sutton creates classic books illustrated by artists who have clearly not read the books.

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Lessons from the 20th Century

Posted on January 11, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

Following the horrific events of last week, I am not alone in reflecting back on the cautionary warnings of Yale historian Timothy Snyder. His short, but powerful book On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century published just days after the … Continue reading →

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Where We Are Now

Posted on June 26, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

 

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All animals are equal…

Posted on May 29, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

I recently ran across the wonderful 50th anniversary edition of the first U.S. publication of George Orwell’s Animal House. Issued in 1995, Animal House: A Fairy Story features 100 mindblowing illustrations by the inimitable Ralph Steadman. Along with the addition of the brilliant illustrations, … Continue reading →

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Literary Infographics

Posted on March 30, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

Back in the olden days when I was a student some of my peers would avoid assignments by reading Cliff Notes rather than full books. If you’re not familiar, Cliff Notes were commercially produced summaries of full length books that … Continue reading →

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Britain In Pictures

Posted on January 13, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

The books  in the 1940s Britain in Pictures series were designed to boost morale during World War II, but perhaps also record the British way of life in case the Germans completed their European campaign by successfully crossing the English Channel. The … Continue reading →

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Isn’t all of Britain fictional

Posted on January 10, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

Fake Britain is a marvelous map to more than 400 fictional locations in England, Scotland and Wales featuring made-up towns, villages, castles, islands, and more. Created by Matt Brown and Rhys B. Davis, the map draws from films, television and books. … Continue reading →

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