Orwell: A Trilogy of Poverty

Three Orwell novels published between 1933 and 1937. If there is something that links the three is poverty, economic trouble. All of them are populated by characters whose days are determined by the struggle for life, for material survival. Even if, in some cases, the horizon of life may be a higher or, say, more spiritual one.

Keep the aspidistra flying, 1936. Gordon Comstock is a somewhat pathetic character. He is convinced of his literary talent, or tries to. He has just published a little volume of poems (which is collecting dust in one or two book shops) and desperately works on a second book. Which should consacrate him, or so he hopes. Gordon hates the empire of money and bussiness, and material work. He refuses to go through the usual alienating working week, even if he doesn´t completely lack the necessary skills to do something there, even some social climbing.

 He has a problem, though. Deep down, he is not that far from vulgarity as he thinks. For one thing, he is horrified by the possibility of people noticing that he is actually penniless. A sorry lack of moral independence. Which leads him to some ludicrous situations.

Down and out in Paris and London, 1933. Highly autobiographical, the story tells the downs and outs of Orwell himself, or someone resembling him, in both cities. The humble jobs he is obliged to pick up to survive, and the weird fellows that he encounters. Their trickery, their thoughts and conversations. The supposedly upcoming Revolution. A well-drawn portrait of the urban atmosphere in the 1930s in the two main european capitals by someone, Orwell, who tasted it first hand.

The road to Wigan Pier, 1937. Orwell was commissioned by publisher Gollancz to visit the northwest of England, between Liverpool and Manchester and write on life conditions of poor people in the area. He delivered another brilliant chronicle of vivid characters, narrated in the first person and with Orwell´s usually clever reflections.

Three good reads for this time of (neverending) economic crisis.