--- product_id: 5581470 title: "Why Orwell Matters" price: "197 kr" currency: DKK in_stock: true reviews_count: 10 url: https://www.desertcart.dk/products/5581470-why-orwell-matters store_origin: DK region: Denmark --- # Why Orwell Matters **Price:** 197 kr **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Why Orwell Matters - **How much does it cost?** 197 kr with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.dk](https://www.desertcart.dk/products/5581470-why-orwell-matters) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description desertcart.com: Why Orwell Matters: 9780465030507: Hitchens, Christopher: Books Review: witty, historical, intriguing - I bought the ebook/Kindle edition and love it. Bravo to desertcart for carrying what the iBook store doesn't!! There are two people who figure prominently in this book. George Orwell (the subject) and Christopher Hitchens (the author) But first: Why read this book? This book attempts to answer the question, why should George Orwell -- his life and writings -- matter to us anymore? This book succeeds amazingly in making Orwell seem relevant Not just relevant, Orwell is totally fascinating and intriguing. Who is "us"? Probably, primarily, the English speaking parts of the world, But it is by no means limited to this. It is made imminently clear to us that Orwell matters to the U.S.S.R, to modern Russia, to Eastern and Western Europe, to Inida and the sub-continent, to Africa, to Spain, to intellectuals, to non-intellectuals, to anti-intellectuals. George Orwell: most of us know him merely as the author of 1984 and Animal Farm (this would include me). He is ever so much more. And he is considered in such high regard in so many other cultures (aside from the U.K. and the U.S.A) for so many compelling reasons. Reading this makes me want to reread the books mentioned above... and i will. Christopher Hitchens: is an amazing writing. Lest I be guilty of too much subjectivity, I'll provide some specifics so you can decide for yourself. The author is not necessarily easy to read. His vocabulary is inexhaustible, and he brings it all to bear on his subject. He contends -- like a bullfighter -- with the other authors who have written about George Orwell. He also reveals Orwell in his historical and cultural context so that we can better understand him. Consequently, this is a tour de force of England and Europe during the first half of the 20th century. Explored are topics that include the two world wars, colonialism, imperialism, capitalism, socialism, marxism, absolutism, tyranny, bigotry, slavery, ideology, feminism, and religion. I highly recommend this book and the digital format that I bought. I hope this helped. Review: Must read for the curious - Great classic book. Extremely well-written. Buy it and read it. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #135,019 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #82 in British & Irish Literary Criticism (Books) #278 in Essays (Books) #353 in Author Biographies | | Customer Reviews | 4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars (889) | | Dimensions | 5.3 x 0.8 x 8.05 inches | | Edition | Reprint | | ISBN-10 | 0465030505 | | ISBN-13 | 978-0465030507 | | Item Weight | 2.31 pounds | | Language | English | | Print length | 224 pages | | Publication date | September 11, 2003 | | Publisher | Basic Books | | Reading age | 18 years and up | ## Images ![Why Orwell Matters - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81cUT9bUOKL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ witty, historical, intriguing *by D***8 on August 8, 2012* I bought the ebook/Kindle edition and love it. Bravo to Amazon for carrying what the iBook store doesn't!! There are two people who figure prominently in this book. George Orwell (the subject) and Christopher Hitchens (the author) But first: Why read this book? This book attempts to answer the question, why should George Orwell -- his life and writings -- matter to us anymore? This book succeeds amazingly in making Orwell seem relevant Not just relevant, Orwell is totally fascinating and intriguing. Who is "us"? Probably, primarily, the English speaking parts of the world, But it is by no means limited to this. It is made imminently clear to us that Orwell matters to the U.S.S.R, to modern Russia, to Eastern and Western Europe, to Inida and the sub-continent, to Africa, to Spain, to intellectuals, to non-intellectuals, to anti-intellectuals. George Orwell: most of us know him merely as the author of 1984 and Animal Farm (this would include me). He is ever so much more. And he is considered in such high regard in so many other cultures (aside from the U.K. and the U.S.A) for so many compelling reasons. Reading this makes me want to reread the books mentioned above... and i will. Christopher Hitchens: is an amazing writing. Lest I be guilty of too much subjectivity, I'll provide some specifics so you can decide for yourself. The author is not necessarily easy to read. His vocabulary is inexhaustible, and he brings it all to bear on his subject. He contends -- like a bullfighter -- with the other authors who have written about George Orwell. He also reveals Orwell in his historical and cultural context so that we can better understand him. Consequently, this is a tour de force of England and Europe during the first half of the 20th century. Explored are topics that include the two world wars, colonialism, imperialism, capitalism, socialism, marxism, absolutism, tyranny, bigotry, slavery, ideology, feminism, and religion. I highly recommend this book and the digital format that I bought. I hope this helped. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Must read for the curious *by D***I on March 13, 2026* Great classic book. Extremely well-written. Buy it and read it. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Interesting semi-biography of Orwell *by B***J on December 18, 2019* Hitchens was obviously writing to the academic crowd and not to a wider audience--I have a graduate degree but had to sit with a dictionary at hand because he uses so many archaic and/or little-used words. Though I do not believe he ever got to the point of why Orwell matters (only indirectly) it was an interesting take on Orwell's life. One downside is that Hitchens was obsessed with Orwell's so-called "unexamined and philistine prejudice against homosexuality" including some similar remark in nearly every chapter. Why? Just because Orwell was English does automatically infer he should have either been a homosexual or accepting of the practice of it. How does Hitchens know it was an unexamined prejudice? And why is a mid-twentieth century position absolutely normal for the entirety of history (up until a few years ago) considered "philistine"? Interesting take, but I am not impressed with Hitchens--especially after all the build-up about him I read from various sources. ## Frequently Bought Together - Why Orwell Matters - Thomas Jefferson: Author of America (Eminent Lives) --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.dk/products/5581470-why-orwell-matters](https://www.desertcart.dk/products/5581470-why-orwell-matters) --- *Product available on Desertcart Denmark* *Store origin: DK* *Last updated: 2026-04-26*