Eric Arthur Blair (1903-1950), better known by his pen-name,
George Orwell, was born in India, where his father worked for the Civil Service. An author and journalist, Orwell was one of the most prominent and influential figures in twentieth-century literature. His unique political allegory
Animal Farm was published in 1945, and it was this novel, together with the dystopia of
Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949), which brought him world-wide fame. His novels and non-fiction include
Burmese Days, Down and Out in Paris and London, The Road to Wigan Pier and
Homage to Catalonia.
Ronald Carter was the Emeritus Professor of Modern English Language at the University of Nottingham. He published more than forty books, including
The Penguin Guide to English Literature (with John McRae).