As one of the most enduringly popular and controversial novelists of the last century, the 70th anniversary of George Orwell's death in 2020 offers an opportunity to assess his relevance today. This book provides a thorough examination of his most significant works in order to shed light on the man behind the writings.

Looking for wonder and some reprieve from the everyday, Anna Funder slips into the pages of her hero George Orwell. As she watches him create his writing self, she tries to remember her own - when she uncovers his forgotten wife, it's a revelation. Eileen O'Shaughnessy's literary brilliance shaped Orwell's work and her practical nous saved his life. But why - and how - was she written out of the story? Using newly discovered letters from Eileen to...