Two Wasted Years: 1943

(Paperback)

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Volume 15 of The Complete Works of George Orwell Volume 15 of The Complete Works of George Orwell Writing to Philip Rahv on 9 December 1943, Orwell described his time at the BBC as 'two wasted years', yet this volume continues to show how much he achieved. Among the educational series in this period were those devoted to new developments in science, modern English verse, great dramatists, and psychology; there were series, such as 'Books That Changed the World' which included broadcast talks on great books from East and West. Among those who broadcast for Orwell were John Lehmann, V.S. Pritchett and Stephen Spender. Oliver Bell, Director of the British Film Institute, took over film reviewing, and the series of shortened versions of Indian plays continued. Orwell adapted four 'featurised stories', and broadcast talks on Macbeth and Lady Windermere's Fan. He continued to broadcast to Malaya and wrote and read news commentaries for Indonesia. He wrote over a dozen reviews, several essays, and a long study, 'The Detective Story' printed here for the first time in its original French version and in an English translation. The volume concludes with two appendices- the devastating report by the Intelligence Officer, Laurence Brander on the ineffectiveness of the BBC's broadcasting service to India; and, Orwell's preparatory notes for 'The Quick & the Dead' and 'The Last Man in Europe'.

Reviews

A scholarly edition of world class * New Statesman *
The edition is a national treasure -- Michael Shelden * Daily Telegraph *

Author Bio

Eric Arthur Blair - better known as George Orwell - was born on 25 June 1903 in Bengal. He was educated at Eton and then served with the Indian Imperial Police in Burma. He lived in Paris for two years, and then returned to England where he worked as a private tutor, schoolteacher and bookshop assistant. He fought on the Republican side in the Spanish Civil War and was wounded in the throat. During the Second World War he served as Talks Producer for the Indian Service of the BBC and then joined Tribune as its literary editor. He died in London in January 1950.