The Ministry of Truth

The cultural influence of 1984 can be observed in some of the most notable creations of the past 70 years, from Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaids Tale to Terry Gilliam’s Brazil, from Alan Moore and David Lloyd’s V for Vendetta to David Bowie’s Diamond Dogs – and from the launch of Apple Mac to the reality TV landmark, Big Brother. George Orwell’s last novel has become one of the iconic narratives of the modern world. Its ideas have become part of language – from ‘Big Brother’ to the ‘Thought Police’, ‘Doublethink’ and ‘Newspeak’ – and seem ever more relevant in the era of ‘fake news’ and ‘alternative facts’.In this remarkable and original book, Dorian Lynskey investigates the influences that came together in the writing of 1984. 2019 marks the 70th anniversary of the publication of what is arguably Orwell’s masterpiece, while the year 1984 itself is now as distant from us as it was from Orwell on publication day. The Ministry of Truth is a fascinating examination of one of the most significant works of modern English literature. It describes how history can inform fiction and how fiction can influence history.

‘Lucid and authoritative.’ -- Guardian
'[A] vibrant, spirited story of a man and his book ... Lynskey does a superb job analyzing the young Orwell’s political beliefs, his hatred of fascism, and his ‘vision of common sense radicalism’ ... [A] fascinating literary history.” -- Kirkus Reviews

Dorian Lynskey has been writing about music, film, books and politics for over 20 years for a huge number of titles, from the Guardian to Rolling Stone. Andrew Wincott is a British actor, perhaps best known as the voice of Adam Macy in BBC Radio 4’s The Archers. He has performed in hundreds of dramas, serials, comedies and readings for BBC Radio including Book at Bedtime and the Afternoon Story and he has twice been a member of the BBC Radio Drama Company. Some of Andrew’s lead roles include Mr Rochester in Jane Eyre and Alec in Tess of the d’Urbervilles.

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