On Nineteen EightyFour, D. J. Taylor
On Nineteen EightyFour, D. J. Taylor
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On Nineteen Eighty-Four
A Biography

Author: D. J. Taylor

Narrator: Charles Armstrong

Unabridged: 5 hr 4 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 10/15/2019

Synopsis

Since its publication nearly seventy years ago, George Orwells 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 Orwells life to chart his earlier writings and key moments in his youth, such as his years at a boarding school thats strict and charismatic headmaster shaped the idea of Big Brother. Taylor tells the story of the writing of the book, taking listeners 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 wara term Orwell coinedTaylor elucidates the environmental influences on the book. Then he examines 1984s post-publication life, including its role as a tool to understand our language, politics, and government.

About D. J. Taylor

D. J. Taylor is a renowned critic, novelist, and biographer. After attending school in Norwich, he went on to study modern history at St. John's College in Oxford. A contributor to The Daily Telegraph, The Guardian, The Independent, and other publications, he received the 2003 Whitbread Biography Award for his biography on George Orwell. He currently resides with his wife and three sons in Norwich.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Meike on July 12, 2019

It feels like "1984" is becoming more relevant by the day, so there is no denying that a comprehensive study of Orwell's dystopian classic in relation to our current state of affairs is a worthwhile endeavor - this book sets out to do just that, but does not quite reach its goal. Author D.J. Taylor......more

Goodreads review by George on January 30, 2022

One has to be very interested in Orwell and the novel 1984 to get through this minutely-detailed short book. It was a bit too much for this casual reader. However, I never knew that the novel 1984 was promoted by the right wing (and criticized by communists) because it was first seen as a critique of......more

Goodreads review by Cammie on February 12, 2020

Since I teach and LOVE Orwell's 1984, this book immediately caught my attention. For all intents and purposes, this is a biography of a book as well as a biography of George Orwell somewhat. To know Orwell's mind and state of health before and during the writing of his final novel is absolutely amaz......more

Goodreads review by Jay on May 16, 2020

The story of a book like 1984 begins with the story of its author. “On 1984” describes the life of Orwell, from birth to death, including many of the events that shaped his thoughts and writing. Orwell’s biography fills at least a half of this book. The remainder covers some analysis of the book and......more

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