A Dual Biography that works

I read Churchill and Orwell because I am a fan of the author, Thomas E. Ricks.  Ricks is best known as a military historian who wrote Fiasco and The Generals, both of which I highly recommend.  This book is a bit of a departure for Ricks but the topic seemed interesting.  Churchill and Orwell is a dual biography of two British men who had similarly parallel lives during WWII-era Great Britain.  I was surprised to find how much the two men had in common, especially considering how different they were.

 

Churchill and Orwell is not a comprehensive dual biography.  The book covers the parts of the two lives that are similar/parallel.  The two men do not intersect though they are aware of one another; Churchill was purportedly a fan of Orwell and Orwell named his protagonist Winston in his novel 1984.  Both men sought adventure with a sense of purpose.  Both men survived near death experiences.  Both abhorred authoritarians.  And both were accomplished writers.  As a review I read mentioned, Churchill was more prolific in every way than Orwell.  He was born earlier and lived longer.  He published far more work.  He was known for his excessive appetites.  He was world famous.  Orwell was known but did not gain near the acclaim of Churchill while he was alive.

 

If you have an interest in history, especially of people who stood up to authoritarianism, this is a great read.  It’s very approachable book that was a fast, entertaining, and educational read.