Churchill and Orwell: The Fight for Freedom

Based on biographies of Winston Churchill and George Orwell, the author shows that these two unlike any of their contemporaries influenced the ideological structure of post-war Western society more than others. Their weapon was the word, and their books and speeches even today have a huge impact on millions of people.

By focusing on the most fruitful period of their lives—1930s to 1940s—Thomas Ricks not only draws precise psychological portraits of his protagonists, but also recreates the picture of life in the British Empire of that era in all its brilliance and poverty—with colonial ambitions and class contradictions, a fatal policy of appeasement, and fascination with fascism by the ruling elite. This audiobook also reflects Orwell’s participation in the Spanish Civil War and Churchill’s decisive role during World War II. At the same time, Ricks does not write ceremonial portraits of great people—he fearlessly shows his heroes in moments of moral and intellectual ascent and in emotional and physical decline, the manifestation of incredible spiritual strength and frank human weakness.