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Burmese Days  By  cover art

Burmese Days

By: George Orwell
Narrated by: Frederick Davidson
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Publisher's summary

Colonial politics in Kyauktada, India, in the 1920s, come to a head when the European Club, previously for whites only, is ordered to elect one token native member. The deeply racist members do their best to manipulate the situation, resulting in the loss not only of reputations but of lives.

Amid this cynical setting, timber merchant James Flory, a Brit with a genuine appreciation for the native people and culture, stands as a bridge between the warring factions. But he has trouble acting on his feelings, and the significance of his vote, both social and political, weighs on him. When Elizabeth Lackersteen arrives - blonde, eligible, and anti-intellectual - Flory finds himself the hapless suitor.

Orwell alternates between grand-scale political intrigue and nuanced social interaction, mining his own Colonial Indian heritage to create a monument of historical fiction.

George Orwell (1903–1950), the pen name of Eric Arthur Blair, was an English novelist, essayist, and critic. He was born in India and educated at Eton. After service with the Indian Imperial Police in Burma, he returned to Europe to earn his living by writing and became notable for his simplicity of style and his journalistic or documentary approach to fiction.

©1934 George Orwell (P)1992 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

“A well integrated, fast-moving story of what life was like in a remote backcountry Asiatic station.” (Chicago Tribune)

What listeners say about Burmese Days

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

A Sad, Fierce and Ambitious Colonial Novel

A sad, fierce and ambitious novel about the emptiness and loneliness of the waning days of the British Empire. It shows the ugliness and corruption of British class-based social structure, cultural bigotry and the harsh individual fantasies that are needed to keep the whole system afloat. It shows the future potential of Orwell, but lacks the restrained grace of his later novels. There are, however, definite glitters and shadows of both E.M. Forster and Joseph Conrad throughout. It is worth the listen for those interested in early Orwell or the decline of the post-WWI British Empire.

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17 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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An impressive first novel

Orwell is a better artist than he is given credit for. For a first novel this is very impressive. The one obvious problem with it is the unrelentingly negative portrayal of people that dominates. He despises the British colonialists; and he has a jaundiced view of the native Burmese. The narrator, Frederick Davidson, has the right kind of voice for snobby colonialists, but I get tired of that voice sometimes.

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3 people found this helpful

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    1 out of 5 stars
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spoilers in this review

I give George Orwell's Burmese days is 0/10 they kill the dog, everybody loses, main character commits suicide, and the bad guy wins. this book sucks but it is an accurate portrayal about how the world sucks. so if you're looking for some historical accuracy and to learn something okay read it but if you're looking for a good story turn back now

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2 people found this helpful

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  • db
  • 05-03-16

it's..... different

the narrator changes his voice for all the characters. Even the dry stuff sounded interesting.

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2 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Unforgettable story

Like any brilliant author, George Orwell was a keen observer of human nature. This book delivers a scathing insight—and consequently, a loathing condemnation of a decadent society crippled by both English imperialism and rampant racism. His repudiation of colonialism and its inherent injustices is aptly made clear. I highly recommend this very entertaining novel.

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Orwell's story and the narration

Better than Paul Theroux's Burma Sahib which lifted a lot from Orwell's modestly (at the time) received novel based on his experiences in Burma.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Poetic and well written

The author writes a believable story where you at times hope things turn out well for a character and then are reminded that these are flawed people who don't necessarily merit happy endings.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Orwell's first novel, published nearly 90 years ag

To this day, Burma (Myanmar) has never known peace. Many of the British despised them, not training them to run an independent country. Orwell captures this extremely well in his early 1930's depiction of life in an out-the-away upcountry station in Burma that then was a part of India. The novel at times is repetitive and could have used a good editing, which probably was not available to an unknown author during the depression. The audiobook is enhanced by a fine narration Fredrick Davidson.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Orwell . Most likely the best author of the last century

Orwell is amazing author. If you want to understand theBritish Empire this book is a must

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

It is a good book, not a masterpiece

"Burmese days" is more reminiscent of Somerset Maugham than of Orwell, I think.

The pitiless dissection of the characters, of their ways and the vacuous reason which sets the plot in motion are what makes this book well worth listening to. The reference to Burma is almost incidental.

I was not overjoyed with the performance but possibly it is just me finding the voice of the narrator irksome.

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