Bookshop Memories

What did George Orwell, the spartan, no-nonsense socialist, make of the world's most famous (and most egomaniacal) surrealist? Can we really separate the art from the artist? Does morality have anything to do with art? What does this eighty-year-old essay tell us about the modern culture of celebrity and social media? Listen to find out!

Join us as we dust the dead bluebottle flies off the merchandise and throw open the doors of Booklover's Corner, the shop where George Orwell worked part-time for about two years. We chat about weird customers, money and books and literary pretentions. We apologise for the quality of the sound; blame the G&T.

Join us as we discuss the 1943 essay in which Orwell brings together politics, pleasure, utopias and talking horses. You heard. 

Join us as we discuss the essay that cemented George Orwell's reputation as the godfather of cultural studies. Were these simple tales of japes and horseplay at boarding schools a form of innocent nostalgic escapism, or something more sinister? Listen and judge for yourself.

Join us as we discuss one of George Orwell's earliest and most famous essays. Is it really about capital punishment? Which view of colonialism is correct, the socialist or the nationalist? Did any of this really happen? Does that even matter? Listen to find out.

Join us as we discuss the morality of bombing civilians during wartime. Was Orwell right in his opinion, or was he just making excuses in order to justify the dirty work that the Allies needed to do to defeat fascism? We also talk about Orwell's view of advertising and the way it affects society. Are we all becoming walking adverts? 

George Orwell was a doom-saying socialist who loved toyshops and Christmas. Join us as we get merry and discuss the essays "Bare Christmas for the Children" and "As I Please 66", otherwise known as "Christmas is a Debauch". Just how easy was it for Edwardian children to buy deadly weapons and explosives? 

George Orwell was a socialist atheist who saw a ghost and took part in a black magic ritual at Eton. Listen to find out more! Orwellian wishes our listener(s) a merry All-Saints Eve.

Join us as we discuss the 1946 essay "Pleasure Spots". Orwell is often regarded as rather dour and Spartan, but one of his main concerns was how the masses could enjoy themselves. What is an Orwellian Pleasure? How is it different from a "synthetic pleasure"? What bearing does this essay have on our currently all-too limited lives? Listen to find out!

Join us as we discuss Orwell's most clickbaitily (?) titled essay. We touch on Orwell's ideas of pleasure and luxury and the best ways of enjoying yourself in troubled times. This essay was originally read out on the BBC Indian Service - was it just propaganda, or is there more to it? Have a listen and decide for yourself!