logo
episode-header-image
Nov 2023
53m 39s

What was Orwell for?

THE LONDON REVIEW OF BOOKS
About this episode
George Orwell wasn’t afraid to speak against totalitarianism – but what was he for? Colin Burrow joins Tom to unpick the cultural conservatism and crackling violence underpinning Orwell’s writing, to reassess his vision of socialism and to figure out why teenagers love him so much. LRB Audio Discover the LRB's subscription podcast, Close Readings, and audiob ... Show More
Up next
Today
The long history of Black voter suppression in the US
In April this year, the US Supreme Court struck down Louisiana's voting map on the grounds that state lawmakers had violated the constitution by creating a second district with a majority of Black voters. This was followed by a similar decision by the court in June, giving Alabam ... Show More
1h 1m
Jul 29
On Politics: Burnham’s First Week
Andy Burnham’s early promises to end rough sleeping and sort out social care won’t surprise anyone who’s followed his political career, but his apparent interest in the structures of Whitehall was less expected. To discuss what we know so far about the direction of Britain’s new ... Show More
1h 6m
Jul 26
Nolan v. Homer
It could be argued that Christopher Nolan has been remaking the Odyssey for his whole career, and his latest film revisits many of the themes of his earlier movies, as once again a male protagonist embarks on a desperate quest to recover a female love object. But, as Emily Wilson ... Show More
52m 2s
Recommended Episodes
Aug 2024
Why Orwell matters
In an Orwellian twist, the word “Orwellian” has been misused so much over the decades that it’s essentially lost its meaning. But George Orwell, author of the classics Animal Farm and 1984, was very clear in his beliefs. While he was progressive and prescient in many ways, he was ... Show More
52m 24s
Aug 2023
History of Ideas: George Orwell
This week David discusses George Orwell’s ‘The Lion and the Unicorn’ (1941), his great wartime essay about what it does – and doesn’t – mean to be English. How did the English manage to resist fascism? How are the English going to defeat fascism? These were two different question ... Show More
54m 46s
Nov 2025
Truth in an age of doublethink
We use “Orwellian” to describe everything from campus dust-ups to authoritarian crackdowns. But what did George Orwell actually stand for, what did he get wrong, and what can we learn from him about our age of surveillance capitalism and distraction? Sean’s guest is Laura Beers, ... Show More
52m 16s
Nov 2025
George Orwell: Don't Say I Didn't Warn You
In "1984," Orwell described a thought-police totalitarian state. How prescient was he?Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/thethinkingatheist--3270347/support. 
45m 41s
Sep 2025
George Orwell
Best known for his books Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty-Four, George Orwell earned a reputation as chronicler and prophet of modern society. Plagued by illness, he exposed poverty and injustice, satirised the powerful, and took up arms against fascism. Today, his name has become ... Show More
56m 3s
Aug 2024
George Orwell: life of the week
From doublethink and thoughtcrime to coming face-to-face with our worst nightmares inside Room 101, few writers have had as much impact on the popular imagination as George Orwell. But what compelled the author of 'Animal Farm' and 'Nineteen Eighty-Four' to conjure up such dark, ... Show More
41m 38s
Sep 2012
George Orwell
<p>Whilst at school, a young Alan Johnson was given some money by a teacher and told to go and buy four copies of any book for the school library.</p><p>He headed down the Kings Road in Chelsea, stopping only for a sly cigarette along the way. </p><p>Having already read 'Animal F ... Show More
28 m
Jul 2022
208. George Orwell
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- ... Show More
1h 9m
Jul 2020
1984 Explained | George Orwell
<p>George Orwell depicts what a world could possibly look like under an authoritarian regime in his dystopian novel 1984, coining neologisms such as Big Brother, Thoughtcrime and Doublethink. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>Published in 1949, it remains highly influential in popular cu ... Show More
11m 12s
May 2024
George Orwell Part 1 – From Eton to Barcelona
Back for season five, Origin Story continues to explore the misunderstood ideas and people that shape our politics today. With Ian Dunt and Dorian Lynskey. In this opening two-parter Dorian bows to the inevitable and tells the story of the subject of his book, The Ministry of Tru ... Show More
1h 4m
Listen to millions of songs and podcasts on Anghami