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  The Spike - From their pens to...

  George Orwell

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  Eric Arthur Blair was born on 25th June 1903 in Motihari, Bihar, in what was then British India. When Eric was one his mother took him to England and they settled at Henley-on-Thames in Oxfordshire.  
  His education was at the nearby convent school before moving on to St Cyprian's School at Eastbourne and finally Eton where his academic studies were sidelined in favour of work on college publications. 
  University could not be achieved without a scholarship, which depended on good grades, and so it was decided that Eric should join the Imperial Police. Now 19 he chose a posting in Burma, then a province of British India. He was appointed an Assistant District Superintendent in November 1922. In Burma, he was an outsider. However, he acquired a moustache and some local tattoos—small badly drawn blue circles on his knuckles. 
  In 1927 he contracted dengue fever and returned to England to convalesce. At home he reappraised his life and resigned his job to become a writer. His police experiences were later used for ‘Burmese Days’.  
  By 1932 he had a literary agent who secured him an offer to publish a non-fiction work ‘Down and Out in London and Paris’ for a £40 advance, through the radical and socialist Victor Gollancz publishing house.  It was published in January 1933 as ‘by George Orwell’, it was modestly successful. 
  ‘Burmese Days’ (1934) and ‘A Clergyman's Daughter’ (1935) were published whilst Orwell kept on with writing ‘Keep the Aspidistra Flying’.  In January 1936, he set out by public transport to research life for the ordinary man and woman in Wigan. From these experiences emerged ‘The Road to Wigan Pier’. He also caught the eye of Special Branch who kept him under surveillance until the year before the release of ‘Nineteen Eighty-Four’. 
  Later in December 1936 Orwell set out to fight in the Spanish Civil War. Initially stationed at Alcubierre 1,500 feet above sea level, in the depth of winter on the Aragon Front. Military action was scant as was the lack of munitions, food and firewood. In April, Orwell returned to Barcelona and was caught up in the Barcelona May Days and its factional in-fighting. Returning to the Aragon Front he was almost immediately hit by a sniper's bullet through the throat. The bullet barely missed the artery but he survived.  His experiences were expressed in ‘Homage to Catalonia’ (1938) but, out of fashion with its times, it was a commercial failure.  
  When World War Two started Orwell was declared ‘unfit for any kind of military service’ but finally obtained ‘war work’ with the BBC's Eastern Service.  In September 1943, after two years Orwell left the BBC to concentrate on a new idea: ‘Animal Farm’.  
  By April 1944 ‘Animal Farm’ was ready for publication. It was a huge and resounding success.   
  Orwell left London for the island of Jura in April 1947 to work on ‘Nineteen Eighty-Four’. Once more health became an issue and in December a chest specialist was summoned from Glasgow who diagnosed tuberculosis.  By the end of July Orwell was able to return to Jura to finish ‘Nineteen Eighty-Four’. It was published the following June to immediate critical and popular acclaim. 
  By Christmas Orwell's health had again begun to decline. Early on the morning of 21st January, an artery burst in Orwell's lungs. It was fatal. He was dead at 46.

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  The Adventures of Roderick...

  T. Smollett

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  An orphaned outcast, an unforgiving world, and a rogue's perilous quest for fortune and revenge. 
  Born to a wealthy family but immediately disinherited by a cruel, tyrannical grandfather, young Roderick Random is thrust into a world that wants nothing to do with him. Left penniless and vulnerable, he relies on his sharp wit, a fiery temper, and the occasional help of eccentric allies—like his fiercely loyal, cutlass-wielding sailor uncle, Tom Bowling. From surviving abusive schoolmasters and treacherous relatives to facing down murderous highwaymen on the muddy roads to London, Roderick's life is a constant, gripping battle for survival. 
  As he travels through the treacherous underbelly of 18th-century Britain, Roderick encounters a colorful cast of grifters, hypocrites, and swindlers. He must adapt quickly, learning the arts of medicine, deception, and resilience. But with no fortune to his name and danger lurking at every tavern and crossroads, will his relentless drive be enough to conquer a society designed to crush him? 
  Why you will love this: If you enjoy the episodic thrills of a classic Picaresque Novel, this foundational masterpiece is essential listening. Brimming with sharp social satire, dark humor, and unpredictable roguish adventures, the story offers an unflinching look at human nature, greed, and survival, firmly cementing its place as a cornerstone of British classic fiction. 
  About the Author: T. Smollett (Tobias Smollett) was an 18th-century Scottish author and surgeon whose experiences in the Royal Navy heavily influenced his gritty, realistic writing. He is celebrated for pioneering the English literary style of rogue adventure, inspiring future literary giants like Charles Dickens with his biting wit and unforgettable caricatures.

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  Mr Reginald Peacock's Day

  Katherine Mansfield

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  "Mr Reginald Peacock's Day" is a 1920 short story by Katherine Mansfield. It was first published in the New Age on 14 June 1917, and later reprinted in Bliss and Other Stories.
  Reginald is woken up by his wife for breakfast. He is irritated by his wife who is very polite with him. He has a bath, sings for a bit and fathoms he could be an opera singer.

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  In the Blue Pike

  Georg Ebers

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  Germany, 1500: a roadside inn called the Blue Pike, a company of travellers snowed in together — a knight, a monk, a player, a Jewish physician — and one night of talk in which the coming century is argued out. Ebers found the medical papyrus that bears his name and dug in Egypt for years; here he leaves Egypt for the eve of the Reformation, and the inn is a cross-section of a world about to break.

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  Notes From Underground

  Fyodor Dostoevsky

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  Dive into the mind of the Underground Man, a disillusioned and isolated figure who grapples with the complexities of existence in Fyodor Dostoyevsky's groundbreaking novel, Notes from Underground. First published in 1864, this novella is considered one of the earliest and most influential works of existentialist literature.In this haunting narrative, the Underground Man recounts his thoughts and experiences, revealing a soul in turmoil and a mind at odds with society. Through his confessions, Dostoyevsky explores themes of free will, alienation, and the darker aspects of human nature. The protagonist's internal battles and his critical perspective on the rationalist ideas of his time provide a profound commentary on the human condition.Notes from Underground is a timeless classic that delves into the depths of the human psyche, challenging readers to confront their own beliefs and assumptions. It remains a must-read for those seeking to understand the roots of existentialist thought and the enduring complexities of the human soul.

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  Against the Grain or Against Nature

  Joris-Karl Huysmans

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  "Against Nature" or "Against the Grain"—is an 1884 novel by the French writer Joris-Karl Huysmans. Let's explore this intriguing work:    Plot Summary:  The narrative revolves around a single character: Jean des Esseintes. He is an eccentric, reclusive, and ailing aesthete.  As the last scion of an aristocratic family, Des Esseintes despises nineteenth-century bourgeois society. His goal is to retreat into an ideal artistic world of his own creation.  The novel primarily consists of a catalogue of Des Esseintes's neurotic aesthetic tastes, musings on literature, painting, religion, and hyperaesthetic sensory experiences.  "À rebours" delves into themes associated with the Symbolist aesthetic, breaking away from Naturalism and becoming the epitome of "Decadent" literature. It profoundly influenced works like Oscar Wilde's ""The Picture of Dorian Gray""1.  Background:  Huysmans, the author, underwent a significant shift in his writing style. His early works were Naturalist, depicting the drudgery of working-class life in Paris.  However, he found this approach limiting and decided to apply the minutely documented realistic detail to a portrait of an exceptional individual: Jean des Esseintes.  The character of Des Esseintes is partly based on Huysmans himself, sharing similar tastes but taken to greater extremes. Huysmans transformed this "wild and gloomy fantasy" into the novel ""À rebours""12.  "Against Nature" invites readers into a world of decadence, introspection, and aesthetic obsession."

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