slavery is freedom

While killing time before I leave to go to Shannon's Going-Away Party

[sadness, sadness, sadness], I checked my e-mail and got an awesome link from my mom [THANKS MOM]. Here it is:

The Orwell Diaries

That's right, ladies and gents. For a limited time, George Orwell's diaries will be posted, blog style, on that website.

Of course, thus far his diaries consist of horticultural and geological observations. But hopefully we'll get something interesting going soon. Although frankly, Orwell can write about most anything and I'll read it. Case in point: His essay "In Defence of English Cooking," which is a necessary work of literature. I am still not convinced that bangers and mash with mushy peas is the ideal supper.

In any case, I am a huge George Orwell fan. I was watching The History Boys today (which I didn't really like) and in one scene (where Hector is crying) there is a portrait of George Orwell on the wall behind him. I thought to myself, 'I should put up a portrait of Orwell in my house. Or at least near my desk, so I can always be sure to write well.' If you've never read any of Orwell's essays, do. 'Why I Write' and 'Politics and the English Language' are two of my favorite essays, and 'Such, Such Were the Joys' and 'Shooting an Elephant' are literary classics.

I don't think he ever really shot the elephant, though. He is a lucid nonfiction writer, and a brilliantly creative fiction writer, and acutely aware of sociological and political situations. He is adept at communicating such situations, and I think that in 'Shooting an Elephant' he adapts his skills as a fiction writer to a nonfiction genre in order to highlight the real difficulties and discomforts of being the face of an empire to a reluctant but dependent subject.

Um, so yeah. Oh, and do yourselves a favor and read some of his other novels - like The Road to Wigan Pier and Down and Out in Paris and London - in addition to the classic 1984 and Animal Farm. I've also heard good things about Keep the Aspidistra Flying but I have not read it.

The History Boys was kind of a disappointment. I'd seen the end already but it hadn't made any sense because I had no idea what was going on before. It's like Dead Poets Society but without a truly charismatic teacher-figure (except maybe de la Tour's character, but she was more minor). Robin William's character in DPS was flawed, yes, but not in the kinds of ways all of the male role models in this film were. Think of it as DPS with less story line and more pederasty.

So don't see The History Boys and read Orwell instead!