This is a CBS I in the World. I'm John Bachelor with Professor Peter Stansky of

Stanford University. His new book is The Socialist Patriot. These are

revelations about George Orwell, aka Eric Blair.

The name George Orwell is a pseudonym chosen at the occasion of its first novel memoir

down and out in London and Paris, between Leaving Eaton in December of 21 and the publication

in 1933 of Down and Out in London and Paris.

George Orwell spends five years in Burma as a representative, an official, an authority, an enforcer of the Empire.

And in that time he shaped opinions of the empire and in that time he shaped opinions of the empire he was serving and

professor to call George Orwell an anti-imperialist is that is that sufficient is that

correct about what was developing in Burma?

Yes, yes, I think it is. I think what's exaggerated or some people right that

that Orwell returned from Burma

convinced anti-imperialist.

I think he had doubts. All those transitions are more gradual I think than people frequently

you say. He became increasingly anti-imperialist. He came back having doubts about

the empire, but I think much to his father's disapproval, his decision to resign from the police force was partially

driven by his doubts about imperialism, but I think more important was he decided I want to be a writer. I don't want to do this. I want to have a different career.

And I think that was the major reason that he resigned from the service.

It's forfeiting, you know, future pension and an assured income with a very uncertain income. You know he never really made

money, made much money, he made some, but he made comparatively little money from being a writer until the publication of animal

form.

The publication of animal farm in 1994 made him very well off.

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