John Wiswell's Reviews > Homage to Catalonia

As important as Animal Farm and 1984 are, Orwell was probably a better non-fiction writer than a fiction writer. In telling true events he is moved to outright explain his feelings and beliefs in perhaps less quotable, but far more important fashion than his fiction. You almost have to read his descriptions of the Spanish people in this book to truly appreciate the coldness of 1984's characters. Dealing with real people and real struggle he wrote his truly most memorable passages - such as why he was disappointed that his time in combat wasn't bloodier. His fiction is about ideals, but this non-fiction on a real warm, is about humanity. If you liked (or feared) Doublespeak, you must read his observations on what the media did in Spain following the resistence. Fiction has many times surpassed non-fiction in its expressiveness and meaning, but this is a case of extremely political non-fiction that is too salient to be ignored just because his other books are more popular.