George Orwell Books In Order

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Publication Order of Short Stories/Novellas

Publication Order of Non-Fiction Books

Publication Order of Anthologies

George Orwell is a pen name used by English author Eric Arthur Blair. He was born in 1903 in Bengal and died in 1950. Orwell is known for his fictional novels that have been made into such movies as several versions of 1984 and full length feature Animal Farm in 1954.

He attended Eton, where he received his education. He served in Burma with the Indian Imperial Police and after he was done decided to go back to Europe to write for income, making money putting down essays and novels.

Orwell was a man that focused on politics in his writing and turned his attention to the times that he lived in. He was a man that possessed feelings of great passion and intensity. He was massively opposed to the concept and practice of totalitarianism.

As a result of his political beliefs, Orwell decided that he would join the Spanish Civil War on the side of the Loyalists. It was a move that many others also made for similar reasons to help the Loyalists win.

George Orwell is probably most well known to readers that have heard of him from his novel Animal Farm. If they have not heard of that, it is just as likely that they have heard of 1984, the immense dystopian classic work. This story tells of political prophecies come to pass and a world that is constantly at war with other parts of itself and changing the propaganda to reflect that. With one man pitted up against an evil system, can there be any hope of ever finding individuality or will it be ruthlessly stamped out?

Orwell became a writer in print when his novel Burmese Days was published in 1934. The novel is based on Orwell’s own experiences serving as a policeman in the colonies for the imperial forces. He also would later come out with his own study of poverty in two different novels. He also would pen an account of his time serving in the civil war.

Burmese Days is a novel by George Orwell that is set in Burma in the days when the Empire ruled. This was a time when imperial law was in place and the British were the ones that were ruling over Burma. A story of imperial practice of bigotry and corruption taking place nearly everywhere, this is a unique read that you won’t soon forget.

Things are not bound to go well for the main character in this book. John Flory is a merchant of timber and also happens to be white. He is English, so this would only make sense, and his status as part of the British Empire is only more clear by the fact that he is living at an outpost in Burma like so many others of his country men.

Even though he is from Europe, the truth is that John does not feel like he fits in here. He has no seemingly common currency with the other English people there or other Europeans present in this outpost. Even though John does not have that many friends in this exotic place, he finds that he is finally able to discover some type of kinship and makes a friendship with a local.

Doctor Veraswami practices medicine and is a native of Burma. Even though he is black, he does have a positive view of the empire being placed in his country. Even though Flory likes the doctor a lot, it appears that others have a disapproving eye when it comes to their conversing and friendship. Even though he would like to think that it’s not because of racism, it clearly is.

John cannot help but be repulsed at their attitudes and their obvious racism. It shouldn’t matter much to anyone who he chooses to be friends with, but it appears that the other Englishmen do not have a high opinion of him or this relationship happening. Even though he does not agree with their views and is disgusted by the way that they put them out there, he can only manage a little bit of a rebellion against it before fizzling out.

He does want to keep his friendship with the black doctor going, but knows that the ridicule is not likely to stop. He definitely feels like he is an outsider, but what can he do? He decides to get rid of his sorrows by taking on a mistress from Burma and also deciding to take down a lot of gin all at one time. He doesn’t know how this is going to end but does not have a good feeling about it.

Flory is excited when someone finally comes onto the scene that seems interesting. Elizabeth Lackersteen is beautiful and truly a wonderful young lady. When she arrives, he is interested in her and thinks that maybe this is finally his chance to get out of his well of loneliness. Perhaps she is just the thing that he needs and the merchant decides to court her.

It may yet appear that she does not return his interest. Flory also does not naturally have the ability to date and is a little awkward in his pursuit of her. When a corrupt local magistrate ends up plotting, anything could happen and go wrong.

Meanwhile, his doctor friend is in a spot unless he can gain access as a member to a very exclusive club that only includes white people. This original novel is a commentary on imperialism and racism, check out this book for yourself.

A Clergyman’s Daughter came out for the first time in 1935. The story focuses on Dorothy, a young woman that is trapped in her own life. She is a daughter that does what she can to avoid getting negative attention from her father. She also is a housekeeper that makes little money.

Dorothy tries to distract herself with various activities from thinking about her debts. When she ends up in London with no memory and money in her pocket, what will she do? Read this book by Orwell to soak up the social commentary of this work from start to finish.