In 'Down and Out in Paris and London, ' Orwell follows the life of an impoverished English writer living in two great European cities during the early 1930s. In this classic partly autobiographical literary work on poverty and its impact on the human condition, Orwell explores several of the classic themes evident in most of his writing--man vs. society, social injustice and the plight of ordinary people at the hands of oppressive and exploitative political systems. Eric Arthur Blair (1903-1950), better known by his pen name George Orwell, was a ground breaking 20th century English author and journalist. His work is marked by keen intelligence and wit, a profound awareness of social injustice, and passionate belief in ideals of democratic socialism. 1st Viewforth Classics edition. Dr Craig Paterson, General Editor.