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mk · 5335 days ago · link · · parent · post: George Orwell's preface to the Ukrainian translation of Animal Farm
Yeah, there is something from personal experience that cannot be imitated. Until now, I had no idea that Orwell had such an interesting life. I am a huge fan of Melville (not just Moby Dick, but White Jacket, Typee and Omoo), as there is so much personal experience that fuels it. I've heard people rave about The Confidence Man, but it's the one book of his that just seemed artificial to me. Good, but not great.
I'll be reading more of Orwell's for sure. I'd love to find a reading list of works that were part autobiographical. BTW, you might be interested in George Kennan's "Tent Life in Siberia". It's a personal account of a trip across Siberia in the 1860's, planning a route for a US-Europe telegraph cable. It's not very provocative, but it is unique. Some background on Kennan: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Kennan_(explorer)