Burma Sahib
Theroux, Paul
A riveting new novel exploring one of English literature’s most beloved and controversial figures—George Orwell—and the early years as an officer in colonial Burma that transformed him from Eric Blair, the British Raj policeman, into Orwell the anticolonial writer. At age nineteen, young Eton graduate Eric Blair set sail for India, dreading the assignment ahead. Along with several other young conscripts, he would be trained for three years as a servant of the British Empire, overseeing the local policemen in Burma. Navigating the social, racial, and class politics of his fellow British at the same time as he learned the local languages and struggled to control his men would prove difficult enough. But doing all of this while grappling with his own self-worth, his sense that he was not cut out for this, is soon overwhelming for the young Blair. Eventually, his clashes with his superiors, and the drama that unfolds in this hot, beautiful land, will change him forever. Penguin, Random House. Taken from book blurb.
Comments from BDS Reviewers
"A superb read, as one would expect from this author."
"Although the life and and times described are appalling, Theroux somehow manages to map Eric's growth from adolescence and uncertainty to manhood and resolution with warmth and, at times, dry humour."
"It's good to have an account of colonial rule in Burma rather than the usual novels based in India."
"Blair's point of view feels real."
"This is an excellent book - I will add it to my own collection."
"I felt for the people badly treated, but that is the talent of the author (rather than a negative feature of the book)."
390
2024