Burmese Days (7 Cassettes)

Rating:
Summary: A treat for Orwell fans
Review: When most people think of George Orwell they think of Nineteen Eighty-Four and perhaps Animal Farm. Many people don't realize that he also wrote a number of other books and essays that were successful before he wrote Nineteen Eighty-Four. One of these books that Orwell wrote before Nineteen Eight-Four is `Burmese Days.' This book was published originally in 1934. The subject is appropriate for Orwell since Orwell spent time in Burma as an Imperial Policeman. `Burmese Days' is about a man in a remote British outpost in Burma when Burma was still a British Colony. The man, named Flory, works for a British timber company harvesting timber from Burma.
Many issues are raised in this book. The main issues are the attitudes of the British toward the Burmese. Burmese attitudes towards the British are looked at. Issues of friendship are explored. One of the biggest issues is idealism, honesty, and loyalty vs. greed, excessive materialism, and selfishness.
The issue of Burmese vs. British relations is explored in the relationship between the main character Flory and his friend Dr. Veraswami. Other characters such as Ellis are used to illustrate the stupid and immature nature of most of the Englishmen's attitudes toward the Burmese.
The book also shows how most people are really just slaves to their inner instincts and the social constructs that they are indoctrinated into. One of the points related to this that most people don't really understand new ideas or are cultured unless it benefits them personally.
The book uses Dr. Veraswami and U Po Kyin to symbolize the struggle between idealism, honesty, loyalty and greed, excessive materialism, and selfishness. This is done in a very intresting way as Dr. Veraswami and U Po Kyin struggle and position to get the best of eachother through the book.
The style of the book isn't the greatest I've ever read but it's adequate. Orwell could have been more descriptive at various points in the book with how characters are feeling and thinking. Orwell also has a tendency to tell rather then show in this novel. Over all though it is a good book with many complex issues that Orwell exposes and explores very well.