sublime essayist and author of the masterful political novels 1984 and Animal Farm, George Orwell is at least as relevant in the age of Trump and Brexit as he was in his own short lifetime (1903-1950). Now, Sutherland House brings back to print Orwell’s definitive biography by political scholar Sir Bernard Crick.

Originally published in 1982, Crick’s Orwell was the first biography of its subject written with the cooperation of his widow. It was immediately lauded for its wealth of detail and shrewd analysis of Orwell’s life, literature, and politics. “Not only was it a pioneering biography,” said the editor of The Cambridge Companion to George Orwell, “but it remains the best one there is.”

Professor Crick’s highly readable and clear-eyed assessment of Orwell’s thought and personal development is as necessary to an understanding to the author and his work as that author and his work are to an understanding of contemporary life.

Excellent biography – well-researched, engagingly written, plenty of quotes from Orwell and his writings as well as from his associates, relevant and insightful comments – just what a good biography should be. This is a reissue and there have been other biographies since, but this struck me as a very solid and worthwhile one which hasn’t dated.

Just finished my copy of "George Orwell - A Life" and thoroughly enjoyed. Knowing a little of the history and background of Eric Blair, this comprehensive biography painted a much fuller picture of his life, and his work.

Following Blair/Orwell right through to the end, and his untimely death at 46, you don;t need to be a fan of Orwell's work to be a fan of this very well researched, and written book.

Highly recommended.

As much as I tried, and I did try really hard, I wasn't able to finish this book. This might not have so much to do with the book itself, but rather with what the age we live in has done to our "reading taste buds" and to our attention span. It is worth noting that this is a reissue of a the book originally published in 1980. Had I attempted to read it back then, I would have, no doubt, finished it, and probably rated it a bit higher.

I have always loved George Orwell, especially since I visited a college in my sophomore year of high school and they did a mock lecture on his life. This book provided an in depth exploration of who he really was and his writings. Highly recommend it.

Did not get the chance to finish this book due to other commitments but I found this book very hard to turn away from. The author made sure to grab the readers attention right from the introduction. When I began to reading this book I knew very little about the man apart from the the classic books he wrote that I recommend to students on a regular bases. It amazed me that we started writing so late in life, which gives me hope for myself and wonder home many more titles he would have turned out if he started earlier. I love reading about his younger life that was really fascinating.

This is a very dense, TMI biography of Orwell. It is very dry and does not bring the main subject alive. There are better choices such as a bio by Thomas Ricks and even a novel about Orwell titled "Last Man in Europe"

The name "Orwell" is more closely associated with dystopia visions of the future than with a man who lived and breathed. Ever since the publication of 1984, we've used the term "Orwellian" to describe suffocating oppression in totalitarian regimes. Yet, George Orwell's life and political philosophy was more than a condemnation of totalitarianism, as notable as that condemnation was. Bernard Crick's biography of Orwell - the first of its kind when it was published in 1980 - attempts to understand the man and his works. 

Prof. Bernard Crick was a scholar and political theorist, and this book reads as such. This book is not a "popular" biography of Orwell. Crick is less interested in telling a "story" about Orwell than he is in uncovering the truth about Orwell's life. He relies heavily on Orwell's letters to his contemporaries and his political essays to try to piece together what Orwell believed and when. All this can make the book a bit intimidating to readers less familiar with the world of mid-20th century British intellectuals. 

That said, Crick's approach allows him to convincingly dispel common myths about Orwell. For example, many scholars and teachers - including mine my 7th grade English teacher - claim Animal Farm represents Orwell's disillusionment with socialism. However, Crick shows that Orwell never gave up his leftist ideals. Rather, Animal Farm reflected his frustration with the communists' betrayal of the revolution. Crick points to a specific incident that Orwell witnessed during the Spanish Civil War in which Communist fighters attacked other leftists who had wanted to prioritize economic reform ahead of the war effort. 

Orwell's 1984 was published more than 70 years ago, in June 1949. That one book has tended to overshadow the rest of Orwell's intellectual legacy. Bernard Crick's biography is a good place to start for readers interested in better understanding the depth and breadth of Orwell's life and literary works.

I found this book to be a informative book on Orwell, his life and his idealistic views. The book was a bit dry for me in parts and read more like a textbook than a biography. It’s still worth the read if you are interested in Orwell’s life. Thanks Netgalley for letting me read this.

This is an excellent book that was everything I expected it to be. The author's research on George Orwell's life is extremely thorough and it gives a great insight into his life. It shows us Orwell's development as a writer and the complexities of his sometimes misunderstood political philosophy. This book is a must-read for anyone who wants to gain a greater understanding of Orwell's masterpieces and I would recommend it to anybody studying "Animal Farm" or "Nineteen Eighty Four" at school or University.

An comprehensive and scholarly tome on George Orwell's life, spanning expansively across his life right from his childhood days to his demise, George Orwell: A Life is a definitive read on one of the most important literary / political voices of our times. The book traces Orwell's life delving into themes including his shifting political inclinations, his sparkling and original essays filled with ideas, his initial books that only managed lukewarm reception, his struggles to get Animal Farm and 1984 published and his personal life. Critically assessed and compassionately told, there isn't a shred of Orwell's life left unsaid in Sir Bernard Crick's most readable biography of Orwell. Must read for Orwell fans.

Interesting overall, but would be a better fit as a textbook than a read. Also, had the online version, so was hard to use the index. Would recommend, but was a little overwhelming for just a read to learn more about the author.

Sir Bernard Crick's biography of George Orwell is a masterpiece. Crick's scholarship and writing are excellent. If you desire great detail you will get here. Indeed, Crick often gives to much detail. This book was originally published in 1982 and is being re-released this year because it is so thorough.
Learn how George Orwell made political writing an art form. Also, see why Orwell, a devout democratic socialist, was so completely appalled by totalitarianism and why he was avidly anti-communist.
This book is a very long read but also a very good read.