Down and Out in Paris and London
September 11, 2007
"Down and Out in Paris and London," by George Orwell
Penguin Modern Classics 1969 paperback edition
One of Orwell's lesser-knowns, this is also in general one of his weaker efforts. Telling the story of what it is like to live in poverty in the title cities, the book is part autobiography, part journalistic expose. The autobiography is the Paris portion of the book, detailing Orwell's time working in restaurants for what amount to slave wages. It's the strongest section of the book. The London half deals with transiant labor moving across England as well as the more stable homeless population of the city. It's solid journalism, but lacks the energy of the first half. Still an interesting piece of literature from a great writer, and the work that made his name.
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