One of the most influential intellectuals of the early 21st century, Christopher Hitchens is often and readily compared to George Orwell: both have surprisingly similar biographies, similar styles of thinking and even writing. This closeness to his hero allowed Hitchens to create one of the best biographies of Orwell to date. Moreover, Hitchens’ book is not only about the writer himself, but also about the “Orwellian” world - what it was like during his life, what it became after his death, and what it is like now he. Why did Orwell’s predictions turn out to be so relevant, being embodied again and again in a variety of forms? Why was he so disliked by both the “right” and “left” and yet persistently tried to recruit him into their ranks - even after death. In search of the source of Orwell's insight, Hitchens deeply explores his personality, his motivations, his aspirations and limitations. It does not ignore its most controversial features (including its anti-feminism and homophobia) and episodes of its activities (including the notorious “Orwell’s list”). Hitchens's portrait of Orwell—remarkably coherent in its contradictions—is perhaps the closest to the original.