Inspired by a recent Radio Open Source program on Orwell’s legacy (including informed speculation on what Orwell would think about the world of today), I picked up a copy of The Orwell Reader at a nearby used bookstore and dove in, starting with the remarkable essay “Shooting an Elephant” (available in various places on the Web). Whew. I can’t think of too many writers so unputdownable. If you haven’t tried Orwell recently, I recommend the exercise.