For those who read George Orwell's 1984 or the Animal Farm you might enjoy this discussion about his writing and how popular (and predictive) is has been.
Listen to it or read the synopsis at the link.
Link
George Orwell's dystopian classic 1984 was published 70 years ago, on June 8, 1949. The novel was an immediate success, selling more than a quarter of a million copies in the first six months and spending 20 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. A grim depiction of an authoritarian future, it was compared to an earthquake, a bundle of dynamite and the label on a bottle of poison.
1984 is the story of two lovers, Winston and Julia, set in a brutal state of fear, perpetual war, mass surveillance and distorted reality. It has inspired many adaptations, including a 1949 NBC radio drama, a 1954 BBC teleplay and a popular 1984 movie, starring John Hurt and Richard Burton.
In 2017, the expression "alternative facts" — used by the office of U.S. President Donald Trump — prompted renewed interest in 1984. At the same time, English writer and critic Dorian Lynskey was working on a new book about the novel.
In The Ministry of Truth: A Biography of George Orwell's 1984, Lynskey traces the events in Orwell's life that shaped the writing of 1984. He also explores the novel's immense cultural influence — on politics, language, music and advertising — and how its relevance has shifted over the decades.
