Scenes from an Afterlife: The Legacy of George Orwell

by John Rodden

Rodden, one of the world's leading Orwell scholars, sorts through the uses to which Orwell has been put in the last few decades, suggesting where, when, and why Orwell's friends and followers have sinned in conscripting him for this or that cause.

350 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2003

Reviews

[Brad B · Rating 3 out of 5]

My 3-star rating of Scenes From an Afterlife is probably a little unfair. The book is aimed more at academics - the author not only assumes (reasonably) that the reader is familiar with Orwell's work, but also name-drops many other writers, philosophers, politicians, etc. This made it difficult to appreciate the book's full context. However, the book is well-researched and contains some passages that were very interesting, even to a layperson like myself.

[andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Had a little trouble with some of the world history but very detailed and interesting...eerie how some of 1984 and Animal Farm still resonate today.

[Aimee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rodden's account of Orwell's importance in Anglo-American culture is thorough and well-organized. I especially enjoyed his treatment of Orwell's place in East German academic culture before and after the fall of the Berlin Wall.