Book Review: Down and Out in Paris and London

Down and Out in Paris and London
By George Orwell

This book is George Orwell’s quasi-biographical account of his experiences suffering from extreme poverty in Paris and London after World War I.

Peppered with Orwell’s social insight, the book reads as a series of colorful vignettes of a rarely talked about way of life.

His encounters are truly unique, and paint vivid portraits of down-on-their-luck characters, and their personal attitudes towards their individual impoverished situation. While the book addresses the truly grim subject of poverty (especially given the time period), his personal account of being ‘hard up’ challenges the societal stereotypes and stigmas by showing the human side and personal accounts of tramps, vagabonds and those scraping by for basic necessities.

Alli’s ‘Oh-Snap!’ Rating: 8 of 10