This biography of George Orwell reveals a portrait of the writer who, for all his outward unworldiness, effectively staged-managed his own life, combined chilling detachment with warmth and gentleness, disillusionment with hope, and who produced two of the greatest masterpieces of the 20th century.

In 2012 John Sutherland permanently lost his sense of smell. At about the same time he embarked on a re-reading of George Orwell's works, and his lack of olfactory sense cast an entirely new light on the re-evaluation. What he now noticed was just how acutely attuned to scent Orwell was: rich descriptions of odours, fetors and reeks occur throughout his works. Orwell's Nose is an original and imaginative account of the life and work of George Orwell,...