Down and Out with Orwell

June 25: Eric Blair was born on this day in 1903, becoming “George Orwell” with the 1933 publication of his first book, Down and Out in Paris and London.

The Antiquarian

Peruvian journalist Faverón Patriau’s debut novel confirms what we’ve long suspected: booksellers are secretly trafficking human organs in an underground marketplace. This dark fable recalls the works of Jorge Luis Borges and Roberto Bolano in its pairing...

Things I Don’t Want to Know

Few essayists have the courage and talent to go head-to-head with George Orwell. Deborah Levy’s response to Orwell’s iconic piece “Why I Write” is at once a feminist call to arms, a touching memoir of small moments, and a guide to writing...