麻豆社

George Orwell鈥檚 1984 gave us a whole vocabulary to describe the techniques of modern tyranny: from Newspeak, to Doublethink, the Thought Police, and Big Brother, in many ways the language he created is Orwell鈥檚 biggest legacy.

In today鈥檚 world of half-truths and 鈥榓lternative facts鈥�, Orwell's 1984 has never felt more relevant. The novel remains the book we turn to when facts are questioned, the truth is distorted and power is abused. Franz Kafka鈥檚 work plays a similar role: in February 2024, Russian human rights defender Oleg Orlov sat reading 鈥楾he Trial鈥� in a Moscow courtroom during his own trial.

Helen Lewis and Ian Hislop find out how and why our duo鈥檚 writing is still so potent today.

Guests:
Masha Karp, author of 鈥淕eorge Orwell and Russia鈥�
Dorian Lynskey, author of 鈥淭he Ministry of Truth: A Biography of George Orwell's 1984鈥�
Professor Carolin Duttlinger of Wadham College, Oxford
Steve Rosenberg, 麻豆社 Russia Editor.

Producer: Sarah Shebbeare