The essays collected in George Orwell's Essays illuminate the life and work of one of the most unique writers of this century - a man who elevated political writing to an art form. This exceptional collection includes Orwell's greatest and most significant essays as well as a selected collection of shorter pieces that include My Country Right or Left, Decline of the English Murder, Shooting an Elephant, and A Hanging. With great originality and a witty disposition, Orwell expresses his views on topics ranging from the reassessment of Charles Dickens to the nature of Socialism, from a comedic but in-depth discussion on misdemeanors on seaside postcards to a passionate defense of English cuisine. With an almost undeniable mastery of plain English prose, Orwell's essays created a unique literary style from the process of thought and continue to challenge, provoke, and entertain. This edition of Penguin Modern Classics includes an introduction by Bernard Crick.