Burmese Days
Drawing on his years as a colonial policeman, Orwell's first novel exposes the racism and rot of British rule in Burma.
Set in a small station in colonial Burma, Orwell’s first novel centers on Flory, a timber merchant sickened by the racism of the English club he belongs to yet too weak to break with it. Drawing on Orwell’s own service in the Imperial Police, the book anatomizes the boredom, snobbery, and quiet brutality of empire. It is a bleak portrait of a system that corrupts ruler and ruled alike.
As an Amazon Associate, bookstoread.org earns from qualifying purchases. Links to Amazon on this page may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. Spotted an error on this page? Tell us and we will fix it.