George Orwell set out ‘to make political writing into an art’, and to a wide extent this aim shaped the future of English literature – his descriptions of authoritarian regimes helped to form a new vocabulary that is fundamental to understanding totalitarianism. While 1984 and Animal Farm are amongst the most popular classic novels in the English language, this new series of Orwell’s essays seeks to bring a wider selection of his writing on politics and literature to a new readership. In Why I Write, the first in the Orwell’s Essays series, Orwell describes his journey to becoming a writer, and his movement from writing poems to short stories to the essays, fiction and non-fiction we remember him for. He also discusses what he sees as the ‘four great motives for writing’ – ‘sheer egoism’, ‘aesthetic enthusiasm’, ‘historical impulse’ and ‘political purpose’ – and considers the importance of keeping these in balance. Why I Write is a unique opportunity to look into Orwell’s mind, and it grants the reader an entirely different vantage point from which to consider the rest of the great writer’s oeuvre. 'A writer who can – and must – be rediscovered with every age.' — Irish Times

We are the only species able to talk ourselves into difficulties that would not otherwise exist, from divorce to war. Here's a book full of practical suggestions on how to use our language to improve our lives.

A young boy has a mind full of wonderful stories but when he writes them down, day after day, they come back covered in red pen after his teachers have corrected his spelling. It seems his dyslexia will always hold him back from sharing his creativity the way he longs to. Then a new teacher arrives at the school! Mr Watson tells magical stories and draws wonderful pictures. He makes his students feel safe. He inspires them to be themselves. He doesn't cover the boy's stories in red pen -- and with this newfound acceptance the boy finally feels comfortable to just write! My Storee is a story of hope and acceptance into a world of literature that can too often seem impossible or difficult for dyslexic children to enter because of the rules that surround it. It highlights the magic and importance of 'story', the ideas and the creativity behind literature that are too often taught out of children through an over-emphasis on teaching them rules, structure and spelling. It is an engaging and creatively designed picture book that provides inspiration and support for reluctant writers and dyslexics, and shows the importance and power of good teachers. It is also the story of Paul Russell, the author, who as a dyslexic boy was inspired to become the writer and teacher he is today because of one teacher who believed in him.