Wifedom Mrs Orwell's Private Life by Anna Funder (Book Review)

[@booksandallthatjazz1654]

Yes, a very thought provoking read. I too have read most of Orwell’s books. My brain says you enjoy ‘art’ for art sake and accept that most great artists have flawed characters. So I will read the couple of books left to complete my list of ‘Orwell’ books. I like his nearly reportage style of writing, but more importantly, he provides practical detail that makes his writing convincing - to some degree. Given how random I go about choosing my next read, it is difficult to know when I will next pick up an Orwell novel!

[@LifeLessonsFromBooks]

That has been my feeling and I have all his books and now I’m not quick to jump on reading them.

[@TheSpeedoBandeedo]

I have just read a study about men stealing time from their partners to exercise.

[@LifeLessonsFromBooks]

Eeek yeah that wouldn’t be surprising especially if women may not get the same in return.

[@hanswurst666]

Will you read more Dostoevsky at some point? Specifically Crime and Punishment

[@LifeLessonsFromBooks]

Yes!! Planning to read it this year. 😊

[@Mersthamgal1]

Just a point of interest. Eileen has an Irish surname pronounced O'Seanasee (shorn as in trimmed sheep😂). or in my county pronounced O'Shockensee ..... dont ask😂😂😂😂

[@LifeLessonsFromBooks]

Love it! Thank you so much for letting me know. The wonder of accents and different pronunciations of names around the world. 🙏

[@DefaultName-nt7tk]

The time balance in couples' life usually tips over to the person who holds more power over the submissive one. Sometimes we get disappointed when we find out more about the personal life of our admired artist, composer or author. Great thoughts thank you 😊

[@LifeLessonsFromBooks]

Yes that’s very true. Thanks again for watching and commenting. Always appreciated. 😊

[@heathergregg9975]

Did the book feel like auto fiction - like it was the writer working on her own life and reactions? This book has a gazillion people ahead of me in the queue to read at the library, so I'm glad to hear your review. It sounds like a development of what Virginia Woolf wrote about - the need for a room of one's own and having to "kill the angel in the house" - the role of bringing the warmed slippers etc. What did Eileen want herself - did she have frustrated goals? She seemed to want to have a child and be willing to give up her paid work for this - which at the time (unless you were wealthy enough to have a nanny) meant giving up a huge proportion of your time to caring for a dependent. Apart from Anna Funder, are there other writers who accused George Orwell of quashing his wife - or was he simply a man of his times or was it the way the whole world at the time expected a wife to behave? The Lindsays sound great, but there was a difference: they had no child/ren and weren't fighting in a war. An interesting book.

[@LifeLessonsFromBooks]

Thanks for watching Heather. I greatly appreciate it. Lots of good questions so I’ll do my best to answer them. Re the library book. Agree it’s quite popular so that’s why I decided to buy it - but now it’s on my shelf and I don’t think I’ll reread it. I may need to share it to others in my book club. The book is not entirely auto fiction. Only in some chapters. It’s engrossing that’s for sure and there are parts where you just get angry at Orwell and his behaviour towards Eileen. Yes. She did want a child so I understood that (especially at that time), she would have done all the child rearing plus all the duties in the house. I’m unsure of other biographers but Anna Funder mentions that none of the other biographers mention Eileen’s role in Orwell’s work. Even in his Diary and Letters (which I also read at the same time alongside the book: some long tedious passages of his daily life), there wasn’t much. Anywhere where she was mentioned was flagged but there was also a good amount of assumption in Anna Funder’s book. We simply don’t know what this couple decided amongst themselves to be/act in this relationship. I agree the Lindsays were completely different. They didn’t have children instead welcomed children into the house. Children were the only people who had full run of the house upstairs in private areas and into workspaces. Children represented curiosity, freedom, creativity to them and both Joan and Daryl had created a creative space in their house devoid of clocks, restrictions of time and welcomed artists into their home. They weren’t rich but they were connected to the artists and writers and distinguished people in Melbourne at the time.

[@heathergregg9975]

@@LifeLessonsFromBooks The Lindsays sound fantastic and inspirational. Having creatives come to the house for writing time would make them smile. I wonder if Orwell's letters and diaries were edited by someone who excluded his wife because of the myth of the "lone genius"? As you say, so many interesting questions. It would be good to hear the book debated among academics who have researched Orwell and his life and times in depth.

[@PedroPedru]

As someone who also enjoys Orwell's books, I am really curious to read this one - and get to see a different side to his story. Your take on why the author combined different genres was really interesting. I don't think many books out there mix up different genres, right? I would like to ask you if you have read any of Jorge Amado books. He is a great brazilian author, and I do believe you would enjoy his work! I recommend "Captains of The Sands" by him

[@LifeLessonsFromBooks]

It's definitely worth reading especially if you like Orwell. I don't think I've read any other auto-fiction - certainly can't remember if I have - where the author reflects of her own life and puts that into the story too. I don't know Jorge Amando but I always look out for authors who don't come from English speaking backgrounds. I'll keep a look out for this book in my travels in book stores and libraries. Thank you!

[@PedroPedru]

@@LifeLessonsFromBooks Indeed, having the author reflecting on their own life and sharing this in the book is quite unique. Hope you get to come across Jorge Amado's books!

[@LifeLessonsFromBooks]

@PedroPedru our library only has one of his books but it is in Russian! It means I will look more extensively now. I’ve put him on my list of authors to find and read. Thank you for this suggestion.