George Orwell's Nineteen-Eighty-Four is one of the defining works of the twentieth century – and alarmingly has seen sales increase in recent years as its relevance to our politics seems only to increase. Join us for a discussion of the novel and its legacy with Sandra Newman and Dorian Lynskey, two writers who have written very different books inspired by Orwell's work.
The event has been organised in collaboration with the Orwell Foundation.
Sandra Newman's novel Julia (Granta Books, 2023) explores the world of Airstrip One and Big Brother from the point of view of Winston Smith's lover in Nineteen-Eighty-Four, the eponymous Julia. Both a faithful companion novel and an imaginative expansion of the themes and narrative of the original, Julia is a bold feminist retelling which sheds light on Nineteen-Eighty-Four itself.
The Ministry of Truth (Picador, 2019) by Dorian Lynskey is a biography of a masterpiece. Beginning with Orwell's experiences in the Spanish Civil War, Lynskey traces the inspirations for Nineteen-Eighty-Four and the writing of the book on Jura, before examining the long afterlife of the book, and the various ways it has been used and misused by musicians, filmmakers, politicians and writers.
Don't miss out on the chance to hear two writers discuss 75 years of Nineteen-Eighty-Four – and a chance to buy Julia by Sandra Newman ahead of publication.