Books

Stated at copyright page: "first Canadian edition." Tan full cloth boards, bold red cover and spine titles, light shelf wear, bump. Pages near fine, clean; no writing Bind fine; hinges intact. Original first edition dust wrapper, light shelf wear; unclipped 3.00, protected in new clear sleeve. Classic mid-twentieth century wrapper in bright blue with bold black titles. Caricature of Orwell at back panel by George Holland. Rare near fine first edition in same original wrapper. 1984 is the year in which it happened! The world is divided into three great powers, Oceania, Eurasia, and Eastasia, each perpetually at war. Britain is part of Oceania and is known as Airstrip 1. Throughout Oceania, The Party rules through four ministries, whose power is absolute. The Ministry of Peace deals with war, the Ministry of Love, seat of the dreaded Thought Police, handles 'law and order,' the Ministry of Plenty deals in scarcities, and the Ministry of Truth doles out the propaganda. 'New-speak' is the 'modern' perversion of language ordained by the Party. It has installed such remarkable words as double-think (duplicitousness), thought-crime, and sex-crime or 'love' in standard English. In every room, a tele-screen is installed, which can never be switched off, and where 'authorities' spy on every action, word, gesture, and thought. On every hoarding a huge face is displayed - the face of Big Brother! Set within this nightmare is the drama of Winston Smith, possibly the last man alive to rebel against the Party's rule and doctrine, clinging to the belief in the individual and in those precious human feelings and values. With flawless craftsmanship, ingenuity and narrative power Mr. Orwell lays out a terrifying potential future. The love of Winston for the amorous and independent Julia, and the fate that befalls them, stirs the reader's emotions as the cautionary tale paces to a tremendous climax. When Mr. Orwell's 'Animal Farm' was published three years prior, critics hailed him as a new Jonathan Swift. The satirical passages in '1984' justify the critics' verdict. But, presented here is much more than satire. Printed in the United States of America by the Haddon Craftsman, Scranton, Pa. 314 pages. Insured post. Size: 8vo - over 7� - 9�" Tall.

"1984" is a dystopian novel set in a totalitarian society ruled by a party led by the enigmatic figure, Big Brother. The story revolves around Winston Smith, a disillusioned man working for the Party whose job involves altering historical records to align with the Party's propaganda. Winston secretly harbors dissenting thoughts against the oppressive regime and begins a forbidden love affair with Julia, a fellow rebel. As they engage in acts of rebellion and attempt to challenge the Party's control, they are drawn into a web of surveillance, manipulation, and betrayal. The novel explores themes of censorship, surveillance, the nature of truth, the dangers of totalitarianism, and the resilience of the human spirit against oppressive regimes.