'This novel is one of his finest in a long and redoubtable oeuvre' William Boyd New York Times
From renowned author Paul Theroux comes a fascinating atmospheric novel inspired by George
Orwell's years in Burma There is a short period in everyone's life when his character is
fixed forever . . . ' George Orwell Eric Blair stood out amongst his fellow police trainees in
1920s Burma. Nineteen years old unusually tall a diffident loner fresh from Eton after five
years spent in the narrow colonial world of the Raj - a decaying system steeped in overt racism
and petty class-conflict - he would emerge as the George Orwell we know. Drawing on all his
powers of observation and imagination Paul Theroux brings Orwell's Burma years to radiant life
tracing the development of the young man's consciousness as he confronts the social racial and
class politics and the reality of Burma beyond. Through one writer we come to understand
another - and see how what Orwell called 'five boring years within the sound of bugles' were in
fact the years that made him. One of John Irving's best books of the 21 st century
'Thoroughly enjoyable . . . [Theroux's] approach is like that of a skilful subtle barrister
who patiently lays out his evidence gradually ensnaring the reader' Times Literary Supplement
'Always a terrific teller of tales and conjurer of exotic locales' Sunday Times 'The most
gifted most prodigal writer of his generation' Jonathan Raban
