Down and Out in Paris and London

<p>One cannot help but be struck by the degree to which he (George Orwell) became in Henry James's words one of those upon whom nothing was lost. By declining to lie even as far as possible to himself and by his determination to seek elusive but verifiable truth he showed how much can be accomplished by an individual who unites the qualities of intellectual honesty and moral courage. -- Christopher Hitchens</p><p><br></p><p>Orwell's first work -- a sensitive and insightful description of the life of the working poor in Paris and the homeless in London. It is still very relevant today and while aimed at the casual reader it is of interest to the scholar and activist.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>George Orwell </strong>(born Eric Blair 1903 Motihari Bengal died Jan 1950 London)was a leading British writer of the twentieth century. He studied at Wellington College and Eton (1917-1921) where he was a King's Scholar. After Eton he followed family tradition and joined the Indian Imperial Police in Burma until 1927 when disgusted by imperialism he resigned to pursue his boyhood dream of being a writer.</p><p> He published an autobiographical book <em>Down and Out in London and Paris</em> with Victor Gollancz Ltd. under his pen name of George Orwell. This established his literary career. Orwell was a prolific journalist essayist novelist and nonfiction writer. He is remembered for his prescient writing and his unwavering commitment to truth and clarity of expression. His last two novels--<em>Animal Farm</em> and <em>Nineteen Eighty-Four</em>--have placed him at the pinnacle of British literature.</p>