Orwell's Roses by Rebecca Solnit
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I had not read any of Solnit's work before this but I may in the future. This book was essentially a series of interconnected essays that used the life and work of George Orwell as a lens through which to consider gardening, politics, beauty, the global flower industry, Nazis, junk-shops, the environment, and writing, among other things. Solnit refers to many specific pieces of Orwell's work in addition to numerous books, essays, and articles by other writers. Her discussion of Jamaica Kincaide's work reminded me that I have one of her books on my shelf waiting to be read.
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I had not read any of Solnit's work before this but I may in the future. This book was essentially a series of interconnected essays that used the life and work of George Orwell as a lens through which to consider gardening, politics, beauty, the global flower industry, Nazis, junk-shops, the environment, and writing, among other things. Solnit refers to many specific pieces of Orwell's work in addition to numerous books, essays, and articles by other writers. Her discussion of Jamaica Kincaide's work reminded me that I have one of her books on my shelf waiting to be read.
"I am not able, and do not want, completely to abandon the world view that I acquired in childhood. So long as I remain alive and well I shall continue to feel strongly about prose style, to love the surface of the earth, and to take pleasure in solid objects and scraps of useless information." -- G. O. in "Why I Write"
This is my first book for Brona's Reading Orwell 2024 project. I think my next one will be a re-read of 1984. Solnit talks about her new perspective on the novel which came out of considering Orwell's love of nature and the joy he took from quotidian objects. (I love that word!)
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