70 years ago today, Blair.....

had his novel, Animal Farm, officially published.
Lest we forget .......... over to you Tringy.

If I may butt in?

Imho...   Eric Blair is probably Britain's - if not the English speaking worlds - most important modern non fiction writer..

Which is why his works work well on a global as well as 'village' scale.


Awe... well!

Speaking of "village"...

On Saturday I met several esteemed ATD posters for the first time. Unbeknownst to me I'd met one of them long ago when he was kid and we share several mutial friends and acquaintances. There really is something of the "village" about Plymouth - and I mean that in a good way.

Very sadly one of our MF&As is no longer with us and our meeting was, on reflection, unexpectedly emotional (for me at least).

It really is a funny old, villagey old world.

"No one believes more firmly than Comrade Napoleon that all animals are equal. He would be only too happy to let you make your decisions for yourselves. But sometimes you might make the wrong decisions, comrades, and then where should we be?" :pig

Geddon...........

http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2013/jul/11/animal-farm-what-orwell-really-meant/

Coming up for air was a good read too

Sir Francis Drake wrote:

http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2013/jul/11/animal-farm-what-orwell-really-meant/

I am going to call out this rubbish article.

There's not even a single mention of PASOTI on there FCAL

I 'did' Animal Farm for my English Literature 'O' level. Did McBeth as well and watched McBeth at the Old Vic. 44 years ago!!!

I read The Road to Wigan Pier the other day. Really powerful stuff.

When i was at school our class was shown the film/animation version

My favourite was Keep the Aspidistra Flying. Great book. Always reminds me of boring Plumpton.
Poor old Gordon Comstock had a tough old time, bless.
I have his "romantic ideals" as detractors would call them, and by and large it has been eminently possible to avoid the "money god", despite what the 'fikkos say, but you do have to mean it, and be prepared to not covet the latest IPhone/Ipad/merc/trinket/Lord Louis 2 for £15 Monday special eat all you can. Not particularly difficult in all honesty once you have tuned in your taste buds. Most beauty is free at the point of delivery. No direct debit required. The older I get, the more it seems the case. Glad I cottoned on early.

Cornish Chris wrote:

I read The Road to Wigan Pier the other day. Really powerful stuff.

Didn't know there was a pier in Wigan?

tigertony wrote:

Cornish Chris wrote:

I read The Road to Wigan Pier the other day. Really powerful stuff.

Didn't know there was a pier in Wigan?

about 15 feet long on the canal.

There are 2 big steam engines there too. I went there when I was a child and saw them working. My father thought it was funny that I share a name with one of them. I was never sure.

Sir Francis Drake wrote:

Speaking of "village"...

On Saturday I met several esteemed ATD posters for the first time. Unbeknownst to me I'd met one of them long ago when he was kid and we share several mutial friends and acquaintances. There really is something of the "village" about Plymouth - and I mean that in a good way.

Very sadly one of our MF&As is no longer with us and our meeting was, on reflection, unexpectedly emotional (for me at least).

It really is a funny old, villagey old world.

It was for me too. I had always intended to speak about our mutual friend in person, rather then mention it online, as it seemed the proper thing to do. To be able to do it on his old stomping ground was especially poignant for me. Its a shame I missed you later so next time we shall have to raise a glass or two to him

Great programme on Radio 4 tonight now about the current writing of fiction, strategy of narrative and the Western novel. One new form of hidden meaning in France is now described as Auto fiction.
Fascinating how modern writers the world over are having to migrate away from certain countries, as their hidden meaning code has sort of been "hacked" and they have been rendered more vulnerable than ever.
The age old fight between subversive literature ( the truth. ATD ) and documented rigged and manipulated historical fact ( lies.......Pasoti ). Basically, some countries no longer tolerate "fiction"   .Geddon.