PK: it's OK, I've never read 1984 either ...

Although I've seen both films and read most of his other stuff. He really is a great writer - easy to read, but very precise in getting his message over.

Regarding his shopping of others to MI5: if I recall correctly this was after his experiences in the Spanish Civil War fighting with the Trotskyite POUM (see his account in "Homage to Catalonia") where the revolution was betrayed by the Stalinists who were more concerned with f**king over the Trots and Anarchists than Franco's Fascists. Incidentally, Ken Loach's film "Land and Freedom" owes much to "Homage".

I can endorse Otto's recommendation of Kafka & Huxley. Although, The Trial, I never read the last 20 or so pages after I lost it when out on the piss many years ago ...

Posted By: BerlinCanary, Feb 17, 04:18:04