I listened to the audio and the accents wouldn't have sounded out of place on 'Allo 'Allo which was a bit distracting! I preferred the Paris section; the constant scrambling around for money was agonising and he associated with some great characters but I found the description of hotel life went on a bit. Great swearing in London though! Some of the now non-PC stereotypes made me cringe a bit but overall a really compelling read.

George Orwell is of course an iconic author and very gifted at crafting vivid prose. This novel is no exception, but it did reinforce for me that I prefer Orwell's nonfiction to his fiction. This book is a detailed account of the extreme poverty experienced by a young Englishman living in Paris. He eventually finds work in a hotel restaurant and manages to keep body and soul together long enough to make it back to England, where he is once again destitute. The accurate portrayal of the horrific conditions endured by the lower classes of the early 20th century is effective social commentary, although it does seem like the kind of book that would only speak to people who are already inclined to sympathize with the protagonist. Like all Orwell's books, this one is definitely worth a read, if only to enjoy his excellent writing.

3.5 stars, some parts were slow to read but it was an interesting read. I really liked Orwell's comments at the end about 'tramps' growing their own food at lodgings to encourage them to stay longer and be less malnourished.

Si on supprime l'odieuse scène de viol dans le deuxième chapitre ce livre est fantastique, les descriptions des cuisines, des asiles de la faim, entremêlées de tranches de vie, tout ça avec beaucoup d'humour et de recul. Le récit de sa misère n'est ni dans le pathos ni dans le fantasme.

A lost world

An important book documenting a world that I'd like to think we won't be going back to. Politicians may have other ideas. More humorous than you might expect, as men at the end of their tether have nothing further to lose and will do anything to survive. The second half of the book becomes more of an anthropological study, as Orwell tried to deconstruct what underpins the tramp's way of life and what society should do with him.