César's review of Why I Write
Why I Write (Penguin Great Ideas) by George Orwell
César's review
rating:
bookshelves:
essays
recommended for:
people interested in politics of writing or orwell
status:
Read in November, 2007
the first thing to know about this collection of essays by george orwell is that it would have been better titled "on writing," because this is NOT about why orwell wrote, as teh title implies. except perhaps for the section of the title essay in which he discusses the four motivations that he believes exist for writing, this book is not about orwell's motivations. the most personalized section of the any of these essays consists of a few pages in which orwell remembers his earliest childhood writings--poems and short stories.
in spite of the misleading title, a few of the essays are definitely worth reading. the final essay, "politics and the english language," is especially interesting as a discussion of the political nature of writing orthodoxy and laziness. "orthodoxy, of whatever colour, seems to demand a lifeless, imitative style," orwell argues. i couldn't agree more. words frame our thoughts so just like it's important to have music or theater t...more
in spite of the misleading title, a few of the essays are definitely worth reading. the final essay, "politics and the english language," is especially interesting as a discussion of the political nature of writing orthodoxy and laziness. "orthodoxy, of whatever colour, seems to demand a lifeless, imitative style," orwell argues. i couldn't agree more. words frame our thoughts so just like it's important to have music or theater t...more
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