Orwell's Roses. Rebecca Solnit

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A captivating essay in which Rebecca Solnit offers a fresh and inspiring look at George Orwell – his life, work, and love of nature. The author's wonderfully meandering thoughts lead us from the roses planted by Orwell in his garden on a Scottish island, through stories of his commitment to portraying the lives of English miners and fighting in the Spanish Civil War, to reflections on the sources of the revolutionary slogan "bread and roses" and Tina Modotti, a photographer of roses who ultimately succumbed to Soviet propaganda. Solnit also explores Stalin’s order to plant lemons near Moscow, Orwell’s ancestors involved in the triangular trade, and work in today’s "rose factories" in Bogota. She ponders the political nature of art and whether it can be detached from current politics. Solnit also questions whether enjoying life amid the suffering of others is heartless and immoral.

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