About this Event
For those who lived in the Soviet Union, George Orwell’s masterpieces Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty-Four were not dystopian fantasies but strikingly accurate reflections of everyday reality.
In this talk, Orwell scholar and expert on Russian politics Masha Karp explores how Orwell’s work was received in Russia and how his ideas found their way into the country even under strict censorship. Offering a fresh perspective on the controversial “Orwell’s List” of 1949, Karp places Orwell’s articles and letters of that period in their historical context and examines how his ideas of totalitarianism took root in Russia.
As Vladimir Putin’s actions continue to shock the West, we are witnessing yet another transformation of totalitarianism—one chillingly anticipated and described by Orwell decades ago. More than 70 years after Orwell’s death, his writing remains, in relation to Russia, as urgent and relevant as ever.
About the speaker
Masha Karp is a political journalist and one of the leading scholars on the work of George Orwell. She worked for the BBC Russian Service from 1991 to 2009, first as a producer and later as Features Editor. A member of the St. Petersburg Writers’ Union and the Literary Translators Guild, she translated Animal Farm and its original preface, The Freedom of the Press, into Russian. Her biography of Orwell—the first published in Russia—was a finalist for the ABS Literary Prize. Masha Karp is also a board member of the Orwell Society and the editor of its journal.
Admission: $10
All proceeds support our small and cozy space.
Please note: seating is limited due to the size of our venue, so we strongly recommend purchasing tickets in advance.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
White Rabbit's Books, 200 West 86th Street, New York, United States
USD 12.51
