Orwell's Ghosts

Seventy-five years after the publication of his classic dystopian novel 1984, George Orwell is experiencing a renaissance. Conservatives accuse governments and mainstream media of Orwellian censorship, while progressives denounce the narrative manipulations of Orwellian leaders including Trump, Johnson, Bolsonaro and Putin, especially around the Ukraine War. But what does it really mean to call something Orwellian? What would the man himself say about these crises, and what can we learn from his ideas?Orwells Ghostsintroduces readers to Orwell in all his complexity, exploring his commitment to political liberty and economic justice alongside his problematic attitudes towards women. This free thinkers witty and perceptive commentaries remain invaluable, from remarks on political truth and disinformation and observations on class, race and empire, to insights on the appeal and threat of authoritarianism, and the promise of socialism. Even Orwells misogyny offers troubling lessons about the lefts flawed relationship with gender equality. All of his books offer a remarkably resonant bridge between the first half of the twentieth century and the present day.Revisiting Orwells own age of rapid change and urgent crossroads, this book sheds unique light on both our recent past and the upheavals of todays world.