The Last Man in Europe

September 1, 2017

This first novel brings to life the final years of Eric Blair--better known by his pen name George Orwell--and the environment and global conditions that sparked the creation of his classic novel 1984. The story line centers on the author's world and his prescience in recognizing the dangers of the political and intellectual leanings of his time, revelations that he spins into his cautionary tale. The book opens with Orwell as a struggling writer without a set belief system and follows him through his experience in the Spanish Civil War and into notoriety via the allegorical work Animal Farm. But the real focus is his final novel. Sick from pulmonary tuberculosis and undergoing harrowing procedures, Orwell races to finish his story while it is still relevant. One of the strengths of this book is nonfiction author Glover's (Orwell's Australia) ability to transport readers to 1940s Europe, proving the author has a great eye for detail. VERDICT This engrossing, timely, and finely detailed first novel about the creation of a 20th-century literary masterpiece is a must-read for lovers of history, literature, or politics.--Laurel Tacoma, Fairfax Cty. P.L., VA

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