More about the book
Insurance salesman George "Fatty" Bowling lives with his humorless wife and two irritating children in a dull house in a London suburb. The year is 1938, and doomsayers predict that England will be at war again by 1941. When George wins a bet on an unlikely horse, he finds himself with some extra cash and contemplates how to spend it. His options seem limited to a weekend with a woman or small indulgences like cigars and whiskey. However, a chance encounter with a poster in Charing Cross sparks a journey into his memories, particularly of his boyhood in Lower Binfield, a country village where he grew up. His recollections vividly paint a world that is nearly lost, untouched by the fear and devastation of impending war. He reflects on the serene feelings of 1913, a time of stillness and innocence that will never return. Unfortunately, even Lower Binfield is not immune to the looming darkness of war. Readers familiar with Orwell's work will recognize his emphasis on the significance of the individual, memory, history, and language. In George, they will find one of Orwell's most engaging characters—a warm, witty Everyman in a rapidly changing world that is forgetting how to think and remember.
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Book purchase
Un peu d'air frais, George Orwell
- Language
- Released
- 1999
- Binding
- (Paperback)
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- Title
- Un peu d'air frais
- Language
- French
- Authors
- George Orwell
- Publisher
- 10/18
- Released
- 1999
- Format
- Paperback
- Pages
- 320
- ISBN10
- 2264030372
- ISBN13
- 9782264030375
- Series
- Tags
- Fiction, Historical Fiction, Humor, Classics, 20th century, British Literature, England, English Literature, Childhood, Interwar Period, Marital Crisis, Bombing
- First published
- 1939
- Original title
- Coming Up For Air
- Rating
- 3.8 out of 5
- Description
- Insurance salesman George "Fatty" Bowling lives with his humorless wife and two irritating children in a dull house in a London suburb. The year is 1938, and doomsayers predict that England will be at war again by 1941. When George wins a bet on an unlikely horse, he finds himself with some extra cash and contemplates how to spend it. His options seem limited to a weekend with a woman or small indulgences like cigars and whiskey. However, a chance encounter with a poster in Charing Cross sparks a journey into his memories, particularly of his boyhood in Lower Binfield, a country village where he grew up. His recollections vividly paint a world that is nearly lost, untouched by the fear and devastation of impending war. He reflects on the serene feelings of 1913, a time of stillness and innocence that will never return. Unfortunately, even Lower Binfield is not immune to the looming darkness of war. Readers familiar with Orwell's work will recognize his emphasis on the significance of the individual, memory, history, and language. In George, they will find one of Orwell's most engaging characters—a warm, witty Everyman in a rapidly changing world that is forgetting how to think and remember.