大象传媒

The vision of the future evoked in George Orwell鈥檚 last novel Nineteen Eighty-Four was so terrifying to its first readers that some claimed to be unable to sleep at night. When the book was adapted by the 大象传媒 for the new medium of television after Orwell鈥檚 death, millions became aware of the novel鈥檚 concepts and language which have since seeped into Western popular culture. Big Brother, Room 101, the thought police, doublethink: few novels of the 20th century have had such a lasting impact.

Over the seventy years since its publication, world events have brought Orwell鈥檚 vision into focus at various points. The Cold War, the collapse of Communism, the rise of surveillance, and the inauguration of President Trump are among those moments in history which have made readers return to the novel time and again.

Joining Bridget Kendall to discuss the origins of Orwell鈥檚 novel and its ongoing relevance are Professor John Rodden, author of George Orwell: Life and Letters, Legend and Legacy; journalist and writer Dorian Lynskey whose biography of Nineteen Eighty-Four, The Ministry of Truth, was published in 2019; and editor of the George Orwell Society Journal Masha Karp, writer of the forthcoming George Orwell and Russia (Bloomsbury Academic).

Photo: A man holding a German translation of George Orwell's 1984. (Adam Berry/Getty Images)