Publisher's Synopsis
This is a fascinating study - part biography, part cultural history - about George Orwell and his literary reputation. No one gained such sudden fame as Orwell did in the United States after publication of his two most important works, "Animal Farm" and "1984". In addition, no contemporary literary figure has continued to have such a strong reputation for such a long time.;Rodden's book is partly about the nature of literary reputations: how they are established and maintained. But more important is the question of Orwell's career and influence: how he has been perceived and adopted by political factions from left to right; the development of his literary career, and the immense influence he has had in the United States.
