Down and Out in Paris and London

by George Orwell Narrated by Frederick Davidson

Overview

Orwell's own experiences inspire this semi-autobiographical novel about a penniless man living in Paris in the early 1930s. The narrator's poverty brings him into contact with strange incidents and characters, which he manages to chronicle with great sensitivity and graphic power. The latter half of the book takes the English narrator to his home city, London, where the world of poverty is different in externals only.

A socialist who believed that the lower classes were the wellspring of world reform, Orwell actually went to live among them in England and on the continent. His novel draws on his experiences of this world, from the bottom of the echelon in the kitchens of posh French restaurants to the free lodging houses, tramps, and street people of London. In the tales of both cities, we learn some sobering Orwellian truths about poverty and society.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

"It is curious how people take it for granted that they have a right to preach at you and pray over you as soon as your income falls below a certain level."

"If you set yourself to it, you can live the same life, rich or poor. You can keep on with your books and your ideas. You just got to say to yourself, "I'm a free man in here" - he tapped his forehead - "and you're all right."

"The stars are a free show; it don't cost anything to use your eyes."

― George Orwell, Down and Out in Paris and London

JULY 2008 - AudioFile

This production is an intriguing experience in poetry and music that creates an unusual and agreeable collage of word songs. Carrington MacDuffie unselfconsciously performs her own works on observing consciousness. Her silky voice weaves in and out of the acoustic, electronic, and nature sounds provided by Near the Border. The listening experience is peaceful, meditative, and engaging. The high quality of audio mixing highlights the many layers of sound, which range from clicks to bells to tones from the magnetosphere. The 14 poems and their musical illustrations are over all too quickly, but the hour-long experience is only as far away as the repeat button. R.F. 2009 Audies Finalist © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine

Product Details

BN ID:	2940169804928
Publisher:	Blackstone Audio, Inc.
Publication date:	04/14/2009
Edition description:	Unabridged

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