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Down and Out in Paris and London (Essential Penguin) [Paperback]

George Orwell (Author)
4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (86 customer reviews)
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Book Description

Publication Date: 25 Feb 1999 | ISBN-10: 0140282564 | ISBN-13: 978-0140282566 | Edition: New Ed

Orwell's record of a period in the late Twenties when he lived among the tramps, dregs and plongeurs of London and Paris.

'It is the white-hot reaction of a sensitive observant, compassionate young man to poverty, injustice and the callousness ofthe rich ... It offers insights rather than solutions; but always insights have to precded solutions .... No one has ever claimed Down and Out is its author's best book, yet many of his admirers describe it as their favourite Orwell. Its flaws are numerous, but oddly endearing.'

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Down and Out in Paris and London (Essential Penguin) + The Road to Wigan Pier (Penguin Modern Classics) + Homage to Catalonia (Penguin Modern Classics)
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Product details

  • Paperback: 224 pages
  • Publisher: Penguin; New Ed edition (25 Feb 1999)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0140282564
  • ISBN-13: 978-0140282566
  • Product Dimensions: 1.5 x 11 x 18 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (86 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 155,718 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Product Description

Review

The white-hot reaction of a sensitive, observant, compassionate young man to poverty (Dervla Murphy )

Orwell was the great moral force of his age (Spectator ) --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

About the Author

George Orwell, real name Eric Blair, was born in 1903 in Bengal but educated at Eton. He served with the Indian Impreial Poice, and later came to Europe, doing a series of ill-paid jobs which led to his writing DOWN AND OUT IN PARIS AND LONDON. He fought in the Spanish Civl War the the Republicans, but in later years became disillusioned with the aims of Communism, which lead to the writing of his two magnificent political satires Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty Four. He died in 1950.
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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
20 of 20 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Down and Out - read it 9 Nov 2006
By Mr. A. J. Clabburn
Format:Paperback
If ever there was a book deserving the title 'modern classic', this is it. A thought provoking and subtle collection of anecdotes that will make you laugh and out loud and balk at the extremes of poverty described in equal measure. The fact that Orwell avoides self indulgence and manages to evoke a genuine sense of compassion is truely remarkable and whatever your political orientation, having read this book it is hard to feel anything but respect for the man.

Despite its age, down and out still strikes a resonant chord in the modern world and while much has changed in the intervening years, there are still enough parralels with todays society to make you take stock of the world we live in.

I greatly enjoyed this book and recommend everyone to read it.
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30 of 31 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars A sobering book 30 Jan 2007
By @GeekZilla9000 TOP 100 REVIEWER VINE™ VOICE
Format:Paperback
George Orwell felt awkward for being middle class, once he started to make a bit of money as an author this added to his awkwardness and he spent a lot of time in dank and impoverished surroundings.

This book is largely autobiographic, it tells of his time spent with the homeless. Orwell would pretend to be a tramp, not just pretend - he would live as a tramp from time to time. It was his time as a tramp that feed the ideas in this book.

Orwell writes about the camaraderie in the tramp community with warmth, you can feel his fondness for the people he is writing about.

The tramp experience covers only the second part of the book.

The first part describes the life of Parisian hotel/restaurant kitchen workers. It isn't glamorous. It is a life devoid of love, warmth, and happiness. Boris is the star of the "Paris" part of this book.

This is not only one of Orwell's finest pieces of work, it is a book that changes how you feel about life. When I read this book I was struggling financially - but this book put things in perspective, and I still imagine scenes in this book when times are hard.

The contrast between the "Paris" and "London" aspects of the book couldn't be more different, even though both are concerning that corner of society who seem to have nothing.

Read this book on the bus/train on the commute to work and you'll get lost in the dark visuals it inspires. The book had many place names and people's names removed for fear of being libellous, at first this seems clumsy but you get used to it.
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42 of 44 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Poverty and dirt in the 1920�s 15 Feb 2003
By Alex Magpie
Format:Paperback
One word to describe this book would be "grimy" although that does not convey the wonderful writing style of Orwell- perhaps "almost glamorous grime" would be better. Never have I read such a good book that describes the poverty, dirt and atmosphere of the early twentieth century. The café/hotel culture of Paris and sharing tiny rooms with an assortment of characters in Paris seems to come alive with wit and verve. Similarly the boarding houses and homeless hostels "spikes" in London are gloomier but no less interesting.
Orwell introduces us to many eccentric people without the sexual overstatement that flawed Miller's Tropic Of Cancer- also set in Paris. The detail of the work washing pots and cooking food in the bowels of hotels in France is an eye opener as is the treatment of the homeless in London. Among the day-to-day living Orwell gives us some fascinating facts such as the (lack of) hygiene in the most expensive Parisian restaurants and that there were almost no homeless females in the 1920's.
Orwell's style is always gripping and we can see the beginnings of what he was later to refine further into 1984 and Animal Farm among other works. This is an excellent read that I would recommend to all- it has a wonderful mix of character, style, atmosphere and fact that is irresistible.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars The road before The Wigan Pier 25 Sep 2002
By A Customer
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Orwell was ahead of his time, really, as his incredibly crisp and intelligent writing will show. Following his 'adventures' through abject poverty, he writes philosophically on his situation and with a very constructive and forgiving manner. He treats things more like an experiment than a terrible situation, his tone as if he did it all for a laugh. Mind you, some of the people who he meets are truly fascinating, in particular the through and through communist, who when totally drunk, becomes a straight faced patriot. Bozo, too, was a tragic figure, but a remarkable man with magnificent outlooks. Reading it made me feel like Orwell was still alive, just simple looking back on his days of youth with all the modern world around him. Instead, the rather depressing knowledge that everyone in that book is now dead. Orwell would have a interesting thing to say about that, I'm sure. One final word, the book is brilliant.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars ORWELL'S FIRST MASTERPIECE 26 Oct 1998
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
Most people are only familiar with Orwell through either Animal Farm or 1984, but Orwell has so much more to offer than just these two excellent books. Take Down and Out In Paris and London for example, it can be considered Orwell's first masterpiece as well as just his first book. In Down and Out In Paris and London the reader is given a glimpse at the dirty streets of both Paris and London in the 1930's, but through the unique eyes of Orwell. Not only does the reader see what it is to be "down and out" in these two world cities, but also the reader experiences why people become "down and out" through Orwell's narrative. We as readers learn that most of the people that are out on the street are not there by their own choice, but rather by the most unfortunate of circumstances. If one wants to experience Orwell, but not read the overread Animal Farm or 1984, read Down and Out In Paris and London because it is truly one of the early treats that Orwell produced. However, one must have an elementary background in French since many of the Paris scenes have French dialogue, and it would be most helpful to have this French knowledge to truly understand the book .
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars Vive la difference - even in poverty
This short book provides vivid descriptions of poverty in two of the world's major cities in the period between the World Wars. Read more
Published 17 days ago by Random Reader
5.0 out of 5 stars Absolute Classic
If you haven't read this, then you are missing out. You don't need too much imagination to visualise the squalor that Orwell describes.
Published 26 days ago by L. N. Powles
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful writer with a well deserved reputation
This was so well written and accessible. I gained a real feel for his situation and warmed to him as well. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Helene Kerr
4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting history
This was a book chosen by a book club that I attend.

It was easy to read and interesting to show how life was so bad in the 1920's. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Helen
4.0 out of 5 stars Classic modern lit.
Orwell's narrative about life on the bread line is brilliant. The story is in two halves as there is a big difference between the stories in Paris and that in London. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Enfrance
5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating but extremely troubling.
I had a grandfather who went from riches to Rowton House because of his excesses and total disregard for the requirements of his family, and out again after many years back to the... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Mrs. J.G. Papadopoulos
5.0 out of 5 stars Down and out in Paris and London
Amusing, brilliantly written (of course) and I was able to "be" in most of the places described. It was also easy to read.
Published 2 months ago by Mrs. V. J. A. Cook
5.0 out of 5 stars Compeling
Five stars absolutely worth every one. If you want to read about social issues that are still relevant today read this. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Vincent
4.0 out of 5 stars A realistic portrayal
A realistic portrayal covering his early times in Paris and London pre 'fame'. The words paint pictures that are the sign of great observation and ability to express that on the... Read more
Published 2 months ago by J David Sargeant
5.0 out of 5 stars cant put it down...
Still reading and dont really want to come to the end.Outstanding descriptions,i will never say im starving again for sure. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Angie Mac
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