You are invited to a lunchtime reading group to discuss the works of George Orwell.

The Orwell Reading Group meets every month to discuss a book by Orwell. On 19 September we will be talking about his essays in the posthumous collection Books v. Cigarettes (Penguin Great Ideas, 2008).

Beginning with a dilemma about whether he spends more money on reading or smoking, Orwell explores everything from the perils of second-hand bookshops to the dubious profession of being a critic, from freedom of the press to what patriotism really means.

Anthony Burgess claimed to have met Orwell in a pub during the Second World War. Whether or not they actually met, the collection of books at the Burgess Foundation contains a complete set of Orwell’s novels and non-fiction works. The two writers have much in common: their genesis as colonial novelists; their status as English outsiders; their involvement in literary journalism; and their lasting reputation as inventors of nightmarish fictional futures.

This informal reading group is free and everyone is welcome. The discussion will last an hour, and you are welcome to join the staff of the Burgess Foundation for tea and biscuits afterwards.

If you would like to attend, please email graham@anthonyburgess.org or register on Eventbrite.