See buying choices for this item to see if it's one of the millions that are eligible for Amazon Prime.

Have one to sell? Sell yours here
 
   
Orwell's Victory
 
See larger image 
Share your own customer images
Publisher: learn how customers can search inside this book.

Orwell's Victory (Paperback)

by Christopher Hitchens (Author)
3.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)

Available from these sellers.


3 used from £9.99
Other Editions: RRP: Our Price: Other Offers:
Paperback (New edition) 5 used & new from £13.44

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

Orwell in Spain (Penguin Modern Classics)

Orwell in Spain (Penguin Modern Classics)

by George Orwell
5.0 out of 5 stars (2)  £7.79
The Complete Novels of George Orwell (Penguin Modern Classics)

The Complete Novels of George Orwell (Penguin Modern Classics)

by George Orwell
4.8 out of 5 stars (10)  £15.00
Orwell and Politics (Penguin Modern Classics)

Orwell and Politics (Penguin Modern Classics)

by George Orwell
5.0 out of 5 stars (1)  £8.72
Bad Science

Bad Science

by Ben Goldacre
4.6 out of 5 stars (146)  £3.60
Love, Poverty and War: Journeys and Essays

Love, Poverty and War: Journeys and Essays

by Christopher Hitchens
5.0 out of 5 stars (3)  £6.99
› Explore similar items

Product details

  • Paperback: 160 pages
  • Publisher: Allen Lane (6 Jun 2002)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 071399584X
  • ISBN-13: 978-0713995848
  • Product Dimensions: 21 x 13.4 x 1.2 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 807,506 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    •  Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

  • See Complete Table of Contents

Product Description

Amazon.co.uk Review
There can be few literary reputations that have become quite so battered in recent years as that of George Orwell, the subject of Christopher Hitchens' short and spiky Orwell's Victory. Feminists, socialists, conservatives, post-modernists and critics of empire have all lined up to take pot-shots at Orwell's "common-sense" style, his sometimes maverick politics, and above all his patrician world-view. Hitchens, a prolific writer and provocative political journalist himself, best known for his downsizing of the reputation of Mother Teresa, Henry Kissinger and Bill Clinton--successfully salvages Orwell from the backlash of posterity.

In a chatty and occasionally tangential account, he recreates the contexts and situations that influenced Orwell's most well-known work: privileged Eton, imperial Burma, the kitchens of Paris and the terraced streets of Lancashire, war-torn Spain, and London in the blitz. Throughout he judges Orwell in the light of the difficult contemporary questions he addressed--what Orwell called the "power of facing" unpleasant facts--rather than the ideological fashions of future generations. Some of Orwell's critics, notably Raymond Williams and Claude Simon, leave this book with the integrity of their own work in tatters. Hitchens is particularly good on Orwell's journalism, and deft at unpicking the deeper meanings of Animal Farm and 1984 . He doesn't really delve into Orwell's personal life, wherein lies the source of some of the posthumous contempt. But overall two reputations emerge intact from this little book: those of Orwell the voice of courageous sanity, and Hitchens, the arch-controversialist. --Miles Taylor

Product Description
In the contemporary reapprasial of the 20th century's written legacy, which writers stagger on, which implode, which thrive? Christopher Hitchen's contention in this work is that above all it is Orwell among British writers who remains impressive, uncompromised and right. Whether thinking about empires or dictators, race or class, nationalism or popular culture, Orwell's moral outlook remains indispensable in a world which has undergone vast changes in the 50 years since his death. His ability to see through lies nad spin, and to say exactly what he thought (whoever it offended), make him matter now more than ever. This book presents an encounter between the greatest radical conscience of the 1940s and an incisive writer of our own age.

See all Product Description

Suggested Tags from Similar Products

 (What's this?)
Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product)
Check a corresponding box or enter your own tags in the field below
(4)
(2)
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)

Your tags: Add your first tag
 
See most popular tags

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

Love, Poverty and War: Journeys and Essays
30% buy
Love, Poverty and War: Journeys and Essays 5.0 out of 5 stars (3)
£6.99
Orwell's Victory
22% buy the item featured on this page:
Orwell's Victory 3.3 out of 5 stars (7)
The Thick Of It : Complete BBC Series 1 [2005] [DVD]
19% buy
The Thick Of It : Complete BBC Series 1 [2005] [DVD] 4.6 out of 5 stars (29)
£7.68
Essays (Penguin Modern Classics)
16% buy
Essays (Penguin Modern Classics) 4.9 out of 5 stars (8)
£8.18
Explore similar items
 

Customer Reviews

7 Reviews
5 star:
 (1)
4 star:
 (3)
3 star:
 (1)
2 star:
 (1)
1 star:
 (1)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
3.3 out of 5 stars (7 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars An entertaining intellectual, 28 Aug 2006
By Henry Ireton (Cambridge) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Orwell's Victory (Paperback)
I think some of these reviewers condemn Hitchens for being what he is not. This is not a scholarly, learned account of George Orwell's life and works, nor is it uninfluenced by today's preoccupations. Hitchens is primarily an essayist and his work reads best when you realise that that is where his real skill lies. Having said this if you read this book as a series of interesting essays about aspects of Orwell in the light of current events they make more sense. Hitchens doesn't say much that is new, but what he writes is written intelligently, provocatively and engagingly. He has more style than many academics writing about a similar subject. Put simply this book is not to be ennumerated amongst the intellectual herculeian labours like some academic tomes but to be read as an enjoyable intellectual exercise, you won't be stunned but you will enjoy.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
23 of 27 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars An interesting introduction to the work of George Orwell, 18 Jun 2002
By A Customer
Christopher Hitchen's new book 'Orwell's Victory' offers an interesting introduction to the work, and arguments which surround the work of Eric Blair (better known to the world as George Orwell). He analysis the influence which Orwell has had on politics and literature, and the way in which Orwell has been understood (or in most cases mis-understood) by 50 years of intellectuals both in the UK and accross the Pond.

Hitchens draws his arguments from his own brand of left-wing thought, and uses his arguments to attack both the literati/ intelligensia who have come to dominate British and American fiction, but also those who have tried to appropriate or reject Orwell's arguments for their own ends. This book is very much of a defense of Hitchens view of Orwell and his work, and is a very personal view of where he sees Orwell coming from. This of course makes the book fairly ideosyncratic (something which Hitchens writing often is).

This is probably not the best book to have been written on Orwell, and some of its arguments relate very much to the political and social situation we find ourselves in, in 2002, though this is not necessarily a bad thing. This book can perhaps be best read as an introduction or alongside Bernard Crick's seminal biography of George Orwell/ Eric Blair, which is also published by Penguin books (for just £2 more). Indeed both Crick and Hitchens share some material and arguments, though this perhaps again is the recognition of a good argument than as a problem per se. And whereas Crick sets out to chart Orwell's/ Blair's life, Hitchens is reviewing and defending the work of Orwell the writer and social commentator.

In the end then this a book well worth reading, especially for those, like myself, who enjoy the writing's of both Orwell and Hitchens. It is however a book best read amongst other books by and about Orwell.

Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars Hitchens and books, 6 Aug 2006
By S. V. Pignal "S Pignal" (London UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
What is it with Christopher Hitchens and the writing of books?
Clearly this guy knows how to write - his journalism for Vanity Fair is amongst the best stuff in print. He just can't write books. I've never read a book by Hitchens I've enjoyed or a press article that I haven't. It's infuriating. I suspect it has something to do with his style: great for 2000 words, but anything over and above that the reader is Hitchened-out.

Orwell's Victory is not uninteresting, but the tome lacks an overall rationale. Think of it as a compilation of a dozen-or-so erudite essays, many of which would serve nicely as an introduction to an anniversary re-edition of 1984 or Burmese Days.

Still, it does what it says on the tin, so gets 3 stars.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)


Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Great book but.......
Great book, but be warned; it is the same publication as 'Why Orwell Matters" Pub Basic Books. Without checking, I bought both. Never mind... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Mr. P. A. Mountford

4.0 out of 5 stars Engaging and relevant to today's intellectual world
An interesting exploration of Orwell's literary and political persona and how he has been both claimed and vilified by both the political left and political right. Read more
Published 21 months ago by John Hopper

1.0 out of 5 stars Not worth the effort
Dull book by possibly the most conceited author living, who seems to spend all his time vindicating everything he has ever said or written in his life. Read more
Published on 9 Jun 2003

2.0 out of 5 stars gossip with nothing to add
This is just gossip and discussion on what other famous people have said about Mr Blair since his death from there perspective party lines. Read more
Published on 2 Aug 2002 by S J. West

Only search this product's reviews


Customer Discussions

 Beta (What's this?)
This product's forum (0 discussions)
  Discussion Replies Latest Post
  No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
  [Cancel]

   

Listmania!

Create a Listmania! list

Look for similar items by category

Feedback

Fun for Everyone

Christmas Gifts
Achieve over 15,000 RPM with our great range of Powerballs.

›Shop the Powerball store

  

More From Christopher Hitchens

God is Not...

God is Not Great: How Religion...

'Thank God for Christopher Hitchens. For he has written the finest of... Read more
£8.99 £4.49

 

We've Got Converse

Converse
Stock up on your favourite styles with great deals on Converse shoes.

›Shop Converse

  

Treat Someone

Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificates--available in any amount from £5 to £500 With an Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificate, you can get them what they want (even if you don't know what that is).

›Learn more about Gift Certificates

  
Ad

Where's My Stuff?

Delivery and Returns

Need Help?

Your Recent History

  (What's this?)
You have no recently viewed items or searches.

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.

Look to the right column to find helpful suggestions for your shopping session.
Continue Shopping: Top Sellers

amazon.co.uk Amazon Home
International Sites:  United States  |  Germany  |  France  |  Japan  |  Canada  |  China
Business Programs: Sell on Amazon  |  Fulfilment by Amazon  |  Join Associates  |  Join Advantage
Customer Service  |  Help  |  View Basket  |  Your Account
About Amazon.co.uk  |  Careers at Amazon
Conditions of Use & Sale |  Privacy Notice  © 1996-2009, Amazon.com, Inc. and its affiliates