Today is George Orwell’s birthday. He was born on June 25, 1903 and would be 110 today if he had octogenarian genes in him. Unfortunately, it was quite the opposite, as Orwell succumbed to tuberculosis at the age of 46.
The following is a passage from a book by George Woodcock who was a good friend and colleague of Orwell’s, entitled The Crystal Spirit: a study of George Orwell. It tells the story of Orwell in his post-Animal Farm days, when he was finally able to live a life unrestricted by the burdens and stresses of poverty and financial insecurity that came with being a writer. It is the story of a man who was compassionate, humble and principled up until the very end. And, it involves absinthe. Happy Birthday, George Orwell!
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Invisible Man 