Why Orwell Matters Why Orwell Matters Why Orwell Matters, released in the UK as Orwell's Victory, is a book-length biographical essay by Christopher Hitchens. In it, the author relates George Orwell's thoughts on and actions in relation to: At the end of the book, Hitchens critiques Orwell's novels and legacy. An essay sequel to the book, "Why Orwell Still Matters," appears in John Rodden's 2007 compilation "The Cambridge Companion to George Orwell" (). "Publishers Weekly" wrote, "Hitchens brilliantly marshals his deep knowledge of Orwell's work. Fans of Orwell will enjoy Hitchens's learned and convincing defense, while those unfamiliar with Orwell may perhaps be
George Orwell bibliography before he could support himself as an author. These pieces include first-hand journalism (e.g. 1931's "The Spike"), articles (e.g. 1931's "Hop-Picking"), and even a one-act play—"Free Will". (He would also adapt four plays as radio dramas.) His production of fiction was not as prolific—while living in Paris he wrote a few unpublished stories and two novels, but burned the manuscripts (Orwell routinely destroyed his manuscripts and with the exception of a partial copy of "Nineteen Eighty-Four", all are lost. Davison would publish this as "Nineteen Eighty-Four: The Facsimile of the Extant Manuscript" by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in May 1984, .)