内容简介
TheNewcomesisThackeray'smost"Victorian"novel,generousinitsproportions,sharpinitscriticismofthemoralityoftheage,andencyclopedicinitsreference.Setinthe1830sand1840s,aperiodofrapidchangeandofpoliticalandeconomicdevelopment,thenovelconsidersthefortunesandmisfortunesofarespectableextendedmiddle-classfamily.AtitscenterisThomasNewcome,whosedistinctivebutold-fashionedgentlemanlinessstandsfromtheself-seekingsocietyinwhichhelives.ThemostobservantandwittyofThackeray'snovels,TheNewcomesisalsoamonghismostcomplexandallusive,andthiseditionprovidesfullanddetailednotesthatclarifymanyofhisreferences.
作者简介
GeorgeOrwellSonofanEnglishadministratorstationedinIndia(inthe"OpiumDepartment"),Orwell(bornEricBlair)returnedtoHenley-on-ThamesinEnglandwithhismotherwhenhewas2.HeeventuallyattendedEton,becomingasomewhatrebelliousboywhoquestionedhisfamily'smiddle-classvalues.From1921to1927,heservedwiththeIndianImperialPoliceinBurma,ajobheloathed,andafterheresignedhedevotedhimselftolearningtowrite,firstinEngland,theninParis,wherehebegantopublisharticlesonsocialissuesunderthepennameofGeorgeOrwell.Allhislife,OrwellwasawareofandoutragedbypovertyandunemploymentandtheinequitiesoftheoppressiveEnglishclasssystem.Impoverishedhimself,heworkedinthekitchenofaParishotel,outofwhichcamehismemoir,DOWNANDOUTINPARISANDLONDON.Hewroteseveralnovelsduringthisperiod--thefirsttobepublishedwasACLERGYMAN'SDAUGHTERin1935--aswellashisclassicstudyofYorkshirecoalminers,THEROADTOWIGANPIER(1937).(Laterinlife,Orwellcommented,"EverylineofseriousworkthatIhavewrittensince1936hasbeenwritten,directlyorindirectly,againsttotalitarianismandfordemocraticSocialism...")OrwellfoughtwiththeantifascistsintheSpanishCivilWar,detailinghisexperiencesinHOMAGETOCATALONIA(1938),andduringWorldWarIIhewrotefortheBBC.Heiscreditedwithcoiningtheexpression"coldwar."Orwell'sscathingpoliticalsatire,ANIMALFARM,waspublishedafterthewar,in1945.Hisfirstwifealsodiedthatyear,andheandhissonmovedtotheislandofJuraofftheScottishcoast,whereOrwellwrotehismostfamousandinfluentialnovel,1984,whichwaspublishedin1949.Heremarriedshortlyafter,butin1950hediedofthetuberculosisthathadlongplaguedhim.
