Orwell in Paris

The True Story Behind George Orwell's Down and Out Adventures in France

Duncan Roberts

Told for the first time, the real story behind George Orwell’s travels and adventures that inspired Down and Out in Paris and London.

For all the books about George Orwell’s life and career, insight on his formative writing years remains sparse. Orwell’s first published work, Down and Out in Paris and London has until now been the only window on his life in the French capital at the end of the 1920s. But how far can George Orwell’s account be trusted? A lack of solid information has led Down & Out to be variously labelled as “autobiography,” "travel-writing,” even "fictional memoir.” Curious about Orwell’s stay in the city of light, Duncan Roberts sets out to solve this mystery.

Orwell in Paris reveals the real story—and real identities and locations—featured in Orwell's classic. These concealed truths—obscured at the request of Orwell's British publisher, who feared libel—have never been divulged or discovered by any of his biographers. Revelatory archive discoveries in France, Belgium, and the Ukraine now mean that Orwell's Parisian life now can be viewed in a fresh light. This immersive narrative replaces pseudonyms with real names and real lives. Exactly who was Boris the Russian captain and how did he end up in Paris? Where exactly was the infamous Auberge du Jean Cottard restaurant that used sweat-ridden blankets as tablecloths? Who did Orwell hang out with in 1929?

Orwell in Paris is an immersive read providing valuable new insights into Orwell’s source material for Down & Out and how this period influenced the major later works of Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty-Four. The book traverses between Orwell’s sordid kitchen experiences, Boris’s intriguing World War I backstory, and Duncan Robert's literary detective work in present-day Paris.

Almost one hundred years after the original manuscript was altered—and subsequently lost—Orwell in Paris uncovers remarkable truths about the shadowy corners of a much-beloved classic.

Duncan Roberts spent more than ten years researching and collecting material for Orwell in Paris. The French edition of the book, Orwell à Paris, garnered substantial French national press and media attention. He is a British/French dual national and has a master's from Kingston University in modern language translation. After living in Paris for many years, Duncan now lives in Oxford, England. 

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Endorsements & Reviews

Praise from France for Orwell in Paris:

"A captivating journey back in time." Liberation

"Gripping from start to finish.” Le Journal du Dimanche

"A fascinating tale that shines a light on an important book." Le Figaro

"See Orwell before Orwell, walking the streets of the capital.” Le Monde Diplomatique

"A book that takes us to a forgotten world and reveals another author: Duncan Roberts, whose clear writing and detailed research shines a light on a hidden side of George Orwell. Unmissable.” Bretange Actuelle

"A literary and historical treasure hunt, a dive into inter-war Russian Paris, a voyage back in time. Magical." Lire Magazine

"One of the stars of this literary season. Orwell in Paris is told at a breathless pace by the masterful hand of Duncan Roberts.” FNAC Magazine