"George Orwell's two great novels about the dangers of totalitarianism brought the writer to prominence in the 1940s. Animal Farm (1945), his satire in fable form of the communist revolution in Russia, and Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949), the author's warning of the threat of political tyranny in the future, both helped to establish him as one of the most important and influential voices of the twentienth century." In this Readers' Guide, Daniel Lea takes a decisive path through the maze of interpretations that has accumulated around Orwell's best-known novels, examining critical reactions from the beginning of the Cold War through to the collapse of communist Eastern Europe, and at the same time placing Orwell within a long tradition of dystopian writings. In exploring the artistic, cultural and social contexts of Orwell's work, this volume is an essential resource for students and general readers alike.