Name: BLAIR, Eric Arthur Aged: 46
Born: June 25, 1903 Where: Motihari, Bengal, INDIA
Died: January 21, 1950 Where: London, ENGLAND
Interred: Sutton Courtenay Churchyard, Sutton Courtenay, Oxfordshire, UK
Married: Eileen O'Shaughnessy When: 1936 (d 1945)
Married 2: Sonia Mary Brownell When: Oct 1949

Eric Blair was one of those men who never find themselves too far away from a war. Served with the Indian Imperial Police in Burma from 1922 to 27. Moved to London, then Paris, then Spain, where he fought on the side of the Republican forces. Made it back to England in time for WII where Blair served with the home guard.

Throughout this period he was writing novels, short stories, and newspaper feature articles. After his return to England from Burma, Blair lived as a beggar in London's East End and then Paris. Those experiences led to the book, Down and Out in Paris and London (1933). Several books followed, based on Blair's human experiences with life and war. During WWII, he wrote articles for the Tribune and served as a war correspondent for the Observer and the BBC.

Noted for two main novels, Animal Farm (1945's satire on Communism), and Blair's only SF novel, Nineteen Eighty Four (1949). The latter was so intensive and so completely captured the public's attention that it qualifies Blair's appearance here. Both books were made into movies.

PEN NAMES: George Orwell

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

BIOGRAPHY: Who Was Who in America, Vol IV, p723 and Science Fiction Writers, Scribners 1982

ONLINE BIOGRAPHY: Here.

OBITUARY: The New York Times, January 22, 1950, p77

George C. Willick, 514 East Street, Madison, IN 47250