JeremyNortham.net

A new unabridged CSA audiobook of George Orwell’s Down and Out in Paris and London is due for release on January 18th.

George Orwell was arguably one of the first ‘gonzo’ journalists. In this unabridged, enlightening and often shocking expose of life on the streets of two of Europe’s most romanticised and celebrated cities, Orwell describes in detail the day-to-day life of a ‘down-and-out’, which involves hunger, filth, derision and often prejudice and violence. Alcohol is also a staple distraction on both sides of the channel for the destitute, and Orwell’s comments on issues such as the emasculation of a man when he becomes a tramp (women see him as ‘less than’ a man and will not interact with him) are truly fascinating.

Complete and Unabridged. 6 CDs. Running time: 7 hrs. ISBN 978-1906147563.

Listen to Jeremy read an extract:

What the reviews say:

Sue Arnold writing in The Guardian, February 13, 2010: If “peerless prose” could apply to one writer alone, I’d accord it to Orwell for this account of life on the breadline – literally – on both sides of the Channel in the 1920s. It takes a wise, albeit worthy reader to appreciate that this sort of writing – stark, shocking and often hilarious (washing-up in Paris and being a tramp in London have their funny ­moments), needs no embellishment.

To read the original article, click here: Audiobook Review Roundup