logo
episode-header-image
Jul 2022
1h 11m

208. George Orwell

Goalhanger
About this episode

George Orwell is one of the most celebrated novelists, essayists, and journalists in modern British history. 


Tom and Dominic are joined by Robert Colls, Professor Emeritus of History at De Montfort University, to discuss the life and legacy of the man who wrote Nineteen Eighty-Four, Animal Farm, and Homage to Catalonia.


Join the waiting list for live show tickets: bit.ly/3ynxD56


Become a member of The Rest Is History Club for ad-free listening to the full archive, weekly bonus episodes, live streamed shows and access to an exclusive chatroom community.


*The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*:


Tom and Dominic are back on tour this autumn! See them live in London, New Zealand, and Australia!


Buy your tickets here: restishistorypod.com


Twitter: 


@TheRestHistory


@holland_tom


@dcsandbrook

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Up next
Yesterday
The Trojan War, with Mary Beard
Did the Trojan War - the ten year, cosmic clash between the Greeks and the Trojans, featuring the Olympian gods, kings and heroes - actually happen? Is there any evidence for the existence of the Trojan Horse? And, why is it the war the foundational myth of both ancient Greece an ... Show More
10m 7s
Oct 8
607. Nelson’s Lover: The Scandalous Lady Hamilton
Who was Emma Hamilton, Horatio Nelson’s strikingly beautiful, and famously fashionable mistress? How did she raise herself up from dire poverty, to become a model, actress, dancer, and even an international celebrity? And, why was theirs one of the most famous love affairs of all ... Show More
1h 13m
Oct 5
606. Enoch Powell: Rivers of Blood
Who was Enoch Powell, the deeply controversial British conservative politician? Why is he the father of Brexit, and possibly even Reform? And, how did he come to make his inflammatory ‘Rivers of Blood speech’, in 1968? Join Dominic and Tom as they discuss Enoch Powell - one of th ... Show More
1h 16m
Recommended Episodes
Mar 2024
The Jacobite Succession - Who should really be King of the UK?
Join me on my historic tour of Scotland, May 15th-21st. MARCH 25th is the LAST DAY TO BOOK: https://trovatrip.com/trip/europe/united-kingdom/united-kingdom-with-lindsay-holiday-may-2024Fans of the hit show Outlander or of Scottish history in general have likely heard of Bonnie Pr ... Show More
33m 25s
Feb 2024
Origins of the Civil War
The war between the Union and the Confederacy is a major turning point in the history of the United States. But why did it happen? From slavery and states' rights, to economic, legislative, moral, and political issues, in this episode, Don and Professor Adam Smith explore how the ... Show More
34m 54s
Oct 2022
Nineteen Eighty-Four
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss George Orwell's (1903-1950) final novel, published in 1949, set in a dystopian London which is now found in Airstrip One, part of the totalitarian superstate of Oceania which is always at war and where the protagonist, Winston Smith, works at the M ... Show More
52m 33s
Oct 2022
Nineteen Eighty-Four
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss George Orwell's (1903-1950) final novel, published in 1949, set in a dystopian London which is now found in Airstrip One, part of the totalitarian superstate of Oceania which is always at war and where the protagonist, Winston Smith, works at the M ... Show More
52m 33s
Feb 2024
Love: a weird & wonderful history
From prehistoric carvings and medieval spell books to grand romantic gestures and tokens of affection, throughout history there has been no shortage of ways to say those three little words. Speaking to Charlotte Hodgman, Edward Brooke-Hitching shares some incredible, and curious, ... Show More
26m 17s
Apr 2022
Before Rome: The Truth About Late Iron Age Britain
Roman connections with Britain stretch back to (at least) the mid 1st century BC. But what has archaeology revealed about the Late Iron Age British societies they interacted with? Do we have any concrete evidence for the druids? Was human sacrifice a thing? Sit back and enjoy in ... Show More
43m 28s
Jul 2023
Robert E Lee: Life & Legacy
He is undoubtedly the most famous member of the Confederate forces. But it wasn't always set to be that way. In this episode, Don speaks to Jonathan Horn to find out about the life of Robert E Lee, why he made the decision to join the Confederate side, and how he was connected to ... Show More
35m 46s
Oct 2022
The Rise and Fall of Roman London
In 43 AD, the Romans set up temporary forts along the banks of a river to wait for their Emperor, Claudius, to march onto the enemy capital of Camulodunum (Colchester), and eventually conquer Britain. The river was the River Thames. At the time, it was an area of marshy low-lying ... Show More
1h 1m
Jan 2020
S2E13 For King and Country
Three soldiers of the Black Watch are put to death at the Tower of London. Their sentence: mutiny. Their silence, historic. Why did they choose not to defend themselves? Is the truth wound up with the mysterious stranger who visited them on the eve of their court martial, and how ... Show More
17m 46s
May 2021
#158: George Orwell
  For many, he is the greatest writer in the history of the English language. Outside the UK, he is known as the author of two of the most important political fiction books in history: Animal Farm & 1984.Learn about the amazing life of this fantastic man and the events that shape ... Show More
26m 2s