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Episode: 110 – [General] Why Did Orwell Write? episode artwork

Oct 9, 2026 23 min

Episode: 110 – [General] Why Did Orwell Write?

from Paperback Friends Hosted by Sam Ögren

Why did George Orwell write? In this episode of Paperback Friends, I take a look at Orwell's essay Why I Write, where he explores the four motivations he believed drive writers: ego, aesthetic enthusiasm, historical impulse, and of course the aspect that made his own writing so famous. But this episode is about more than Orwell's reasons for writing. We also talk about how his early ambitions shaped Burmese Days, why reading this essay felt like Orwell had reached across time to respond to one of my own reviews, and why this old kook continues to mean so much to me. Type: General | Book: Why I Write | Writer: George Orwell

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Episode: 110 – [General] Why Did Orwell Write?

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