Shooting an Elephant

Born Eric Arthur Blair (1903–1950), George Orwell was an English journalist, writer and critic. Orwell devoted his life to working against extremism, and in his description of how authoritarian regimes pervade our thoughts, he gave us a new vocabulary to understand totalitarianism. He is best remembered today for his innumerable essays, his novels – in particular Animal Farm and 1984 – and his longer non-fiction, especially The Road to Wigan Pier and Down Out in Paris and London.

'A writer who can - and must - be rediscovered with every age.' (Irish Times) 'A remarkable piece.' (Jeremy Paxman)

• Shooting an Elephant, Note on the Text, Notes, A Brief Biographical Sketch of George Orwell