Coming Up for Air Background

Coming Up for Air is a fictional classic novel written by George Orwell. It was first published in 1939. George Orwell was an English novelist and was very famous for his novels Animal Farm, which alluded to communism and its problems, and 1984, a dystopian novel. His books earned numerous awards and Orwell was and remains one of the greatest authors in history.

Coming Up for Air talks about the main character, George Bowling, who earns a sum of money and doesn't know what to do with it. He then decides to have a round trip where he will visit all of the places of his childhood. He starts to recall memories in his childhood to recall the places that were significant to him. When he visits them, he is shocked by the fact that nothing remained as it was years ago and everything changed dramatically. He is then reminded several times during his trip with the dangers of the war that was happening at the moment (World War II). Suddenly, a bomb hits his town.

Many people loved the novel, while others criticized it. For one, it earned a 3.8 out of a 5-star rating on Goodreads. A reader on the site wrote: "As with Orwell’s other books, I loved his endearing trademark of dry wit and humor in his powerful storytelling. This novel would probably resonate with anyone who has ever experienced an urge for an escapist indulgence." Brother Judd wrote in its book review: "Orwell writes beautifully about the world that Lower Binfield represented and with great disdain of the England that George currently occupies. But his most devastating intuitions concern the world to come."