Catalogue

BACK

Title:	Wifedom
Authors:	Funder, Anna
Genre:	Non Fiction
Pages:	464
Year:	2023
Language:	English
Description:	When Eileen O'Shaughnessy married Eric Blair in 1936, little did she realise the vital role she would play in influencing her husband's literary legacy and the political truths he would extoll while writing as George Orwell. Incorporating Eileen's actual letters to her best friend, and with a daring blend of memoir, literary detective work and the fictional reconstruction of the Orwell's marriage, this is the brilliant and captivating story of a forgotten wife of a famous man, restored and acknowledged.
Categories:	Non-fiction, Biography, War theme, Feminism, Gender Issues, Literature oriented, England, UK, 2025 Titles

Reviews

[Please log in to write a review]

By: WELL 047		2025-12-10 13:27:35

Wide range of scores - intense discussion.

By: TAKA 001		2025-12-10 11:18:59

Although not everyone found the structure of the book easy to follow, overall people enjoyed the read and the way Anna portrays what was happening re Eileen. The recurring question was: why did she stay in the marriage...?

By: LOWER 007		2025-11-28 14:53:16

The majority of our group really enjoyed this book. They liked the mixture of fiction and fact, and also the themes relating to feminism, patriarchy, misogyny and hypocrisy. Our score is lower than expected as we had an outlier who hated the book.

By: MORRI 001		2025-11-20 11:27:21

This is not a light read, but an interesting biography/feminist account of the life of George Orwell and his wife Eileen O'Shaughnessy. Great discussion read.

By: BLENH 031		2025-07-25 14:41:48

This book we didn't all finish. This was due to the love- hate view of the 'story line' of the book we had amongst ourselves. That centred around George Orwell's view of the world and perceived treatment of his wife and females. That said, the author, her style of writing, and research is highly recommended.

By: JERV 001		2025-07-18 09:13:04

Details of the relationship between Orwell and Eileen O'Shaughnessy, while not enjoyable, held some fascination. Funder writes a scholarly thesis to explore the significance of Eileen's contribution and worth as a wife and muse to Orwell the writer and Eric Blair the man and husband. It's not possible to know fact from fiction. Funder reimagines conversations based on a set of 6 letters and anecdotal comments from close friends and associates. The layout is not linear. It challenges the reader to know whose voice is speaking. It is provocative, subjective and will generate controversy.

By: AUCK 285		2025-06-11 10:27:23

We didn't all finish the book but were fascinated by it. The mix of fictionalised history and the writer's parallel issues, a different take on the adulation that George Orwell has, and uncovering the tragic, unrecognised life that his wife Eileen O' Shaughnessy had - putting all her efforts into supporting George's Orwell's writing and diminishing her own actions. Important for themes that resonate still in the lives of women today. But an overly long, highly detailed book - could have been much shorter as the point was made (over and over again).

By: TAUP 004		2025-05-07 11:35:49

Well liked and respected for the journey Eileen suffered, and for Anne Funder's astonishing research.

By: WELL 008		2025-04-03 11:38:06

Overall a positive response. The beginning was off putting for several readers. We enjoyed the scholarship of the author, and were very surprised at how unsympathetic ( narcissistic) Orwell was. A lot of animated discussion about his wife's role and acceptance of his self centred behaviour.

By: AUCK 038		2025-02-26 14:02:57

Not sure how to score this one - half the group loved it and the other half couldn't get into it at all!

By: AUCK 027		2025-02-26 11:47:02

Excellent book - very complicated and well-written. Brilliantly researched and well linked together. Huge insights into male/female relationships.