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The John Batchelor Show

1/4: The Socialist Patriot: George Orwell and War by Peter Stansky (Author)

The John Batchelor Show

John Batchelor

Books, News, Society & Culture, Arts

4.52.8K Ratings

🗓️ 24 November 2023

⏱️ 11 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary


1/4: The Socialist Patriot: George Orwell and War by Peter Stansky (Author)

https://www.amazon.com/Socialist-Patriot-George-Orwell-War/dp/150363549X

An incisive demonstration of how Orwell's body of work was defined by the four major conflicts that punctuated his life: World War I, the Spanish Civil War, World War II, and the Cold War. Few English writers wielded a pen so sharply as George Orwell, the quintessential political writer of the twentieth century. His literary output at once responded to and sought to influence the tumultuous times in which he lived—decades during which Europe and eventually the entire world would be torn apart by war, while ideologies like fascism, socialism, and communism changed the stakes of global politics.

1936 Spain

Transcript

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0:00.0

Oh great! The Guardian is now delivering newspapers all over the UK to places like Manchester, Edinburgh and many more.

0:06.7

But what about us dogs? More visits from that pesky postman?

0:10.0

And look at my parents, totally preoccupied.

0:12.3

Up to 25% off offer home delivery subscription for them,

0:15.3

but no belly rubs for me.

0:16.8

Check whether your area is eligible today and subscribe when you visit the Guardian.

0:20.8

Com slash autumn delivery.

0:22.0

offer ends December 3rd, 2023. Open to UK and N.I. Guardian. This is CBS I on the world with John Bachelor.

0:40.0

Here's John Bachelor. George Orwell is 1984 immediately in the minds of American readers.

0:49.0

However, George Orwell has a backstory and I welcome Professor Peter Stansky, the Francis and

0:55.2

Charles Field Professor of History, Emeritus at Stanford University, whose new book is

1:01.4

about George Orwell, aka Eric Blair, the Socialist Patriot.

1:07.5

George Orwell and war.

1:09.1

This takes us from George Orwell's early days experiencing the first war as a schoolboy all the way to his early days

1:18.0

in the Cold War before his untimely death.

1:21.0

Professor, congratulations and a very good evening to you.

1:24.6

He's born 1903 in India.

1:27.7

Why was his family in India and then we'll speak of his magical mother?

1:32.2

Good evening to you.

1:33.0

Thank you very much for having me. I'm delighted to be with you and talk about

1:38.0

George Orwell and my recent book about him. His father, who was I believe the tenth child of a vicar, was a civil

1:51.3

servant in India and actually was in the opium.

...

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