Nineteen Eighty-Four (1984) by George Orwell

Nineteen Eighty-Four is George Orwell's haunting prophesy of the future, a vision of totalitarian government that has held multiple generations of readers spellbound with its terrifying possibilities.

Though it was written over 60 years ago, this powerful and unforgettable story has lost none of its potency. The themes Orwell explores are critical to understanding the demands of absolute power: the obliteration of truth, the death of individuality and liberty, and the creation of a world where the ruling power controls everything, from information to thought and memory.

Bleak, chilling and far too close to reality, Nineteen Eighty-Four is one of the most important novels ever written.

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"Nineteen Eighty-Four (1984)" Show Notes

0:00 - Intro to "Nineteen Eighty-Four"

Eric Blair (aka George Orwell) wan English writer who lived through World War II and saw first hand the Totalitarian atrocities carried out by Stalin and Hitler. He wrote 1984 in an attempt "to push the world in a certain direction, to alter other peoples' idea of the kind of society that they should strive after."Intended audience: Anyone who watches the "news"; anyone who believes we need to learn from history; anyone who likes scary stories.People who won't like it: Anyone who has 100% faith in their government; Antifa members

7:00 - How easy is the book to read?

Challenging to read. Writing is straightforward and clear but Orwell creates new words (ie “Newspeak,” “Doublethink,” “Thoughtcrime,” etc) and references plenty of political theory (ie Oligarchical Collectivism, Command Economy, Perpetual War) that will take time to learn but ultimately will reward the readerPrint: 326 pages (8~10 hours)Audio: 11.5 hours

8:00 - Reviews and Significance of Nineteen Eighty-Four

THE classic Dystopian NovelStars really don’t matter (it’s been taught in high-schools and colleges nationwide for decades) but if you’re curious, Amazon’s current rank for the most popular version has 10,328 4.5 star ratingsCurrently: #16 Amazon - Political Fiction (as of 1/31/20)#10 Amazon - Censorship and Politics#117 Audible - Overall Audible books #6 Audible - Classic Literature#8 Audible - Science Fiction

10:00 - Bio of George Orwell

George Orwell - pseudonym for Eric Arthur BlairBorn 1903 in Bengal, India, to British parents, raised in EnglandReturned to India in 1922 to serve as an officer with the Indian Imperial Police in Burma. At one point he was responsible for the security of 200,000 people.Spoke fluent BurmeseIn 1927 moved to London (then two years in Paris) and began earning his living penning novels and essaysSoldier in Spanish Civil War (1936-39) for the Republican Faction 1941 - Hired by the BBC (British Broadcasting Company) for “war work” to create Cultural Broadcasts for India to counter the Nazi propaganda that was being used to undermine the British Imperial presence in IndiaTraveled extensively throughout India, England and Europe, meeting people in every political and economic status and learning the truth about how government actually worksBesides his classic “Animal Farm,” his works include a novel based on his experiences as a colonial policeman, “Burmese Days,” two firsthand studies of poverty, “Down and Out in Paris and London” and “The Road to Wigan Pier,” an account of his experiences in the Spanish Civil War, “Homage to Catalonia” and his last novel - the one that has shaped the world - “1984.”Died 1950 from Tuberculosis

13:30 - Major Themes of the Book

WAR IS PEACE / IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH / FREEDOM IS SLAVERYMinistry of Peace (Minipax) -- The war ministry of Oceania's government, in charge of the armed forces. The nation is in an ongoing genocidal war with either Eurasia or Eastasia. The key to controlling the populace is using the right amount of force not to win th