Coming up the Air

Set against the backdrop of impending war, the story follows George Bowling, a middle-aged insurance salesman feeling trapped by family life in suburban London. Yearning for freedom, he uses his winnings to escape to his childhood village, only to find it irrevocably changed. The nostalgic journey becomes a stark reminder of lost innocence, culminating in an accidental bombing that underscores the looming threat of World War II. Orwell poignantly explores themes of memory, change, and the desire for liberation in a rapidly transforming world.