- George Orwell is estimated to have sold in excess of 41 million copies from just two novels, Nineteen Eighty-Four and Animal Farm.
- Recent figures suggest that Orwell’s most successful novel, 1984, has sold over 30 million copies worldwide.
- His second-most recognized work, Animal Farm, sold 250,000 copies when it was published in 1945.
- Latest figures suggest Animal Farm has now sold over 11 million copies worldwide.
- The most successful film adaptation of Orwell’s 1984 (which was also released in 1984) grossed $8.43 million worldwide.
- George Orwell spent a large period of his life as a writer-for-hire, earning a sum of £3 (around $12.50) a week for articles, essays and novels.
- In 1946, Orwell estimated that the best possible income for a writer at the time was around £1,000 ($4,000) per year.
- When Nineteen Eighty-Four was chosen for a Book-of-the-Month Club Deal, his publisher estimated it would earn Orwell £40,000 (around $147,500).
- However, he passed away in 1950 at 46 years of age as he was still living in relative poverty, just prior to becoming rich and famous through the deal.
- In the UK, the Orwell Prize was created in 1993 to meet Orwell’s ambition of making “political writing into an art”.
- As of 2023, each award winner is given £3,000 (around $2,400) as a prize.
How many books has George Orwell written?
- In total, George Orwell authored 9 books.
- Six of these were novels.
- Three of these were nonfiction titles.
- His books were published between the years of 1933 and 1949.
- During the period, Orwell averaged a book release every 1.89 years.
- In addition to books, George Orwell also created a number of other works, including:
- 556 articles.
- 18 poems.
- 7 pamphlets.
- 5 journals.
- 5 letters.
- 4 scripts.
- 1 play.
George Orwell books in order
| Date published | Book title | Book type | Original publisher | Page count | Audiobook length |
| Jan 1933 | Down and Out in Paris and London | Nonfiction | Victor Gollancz Ltd | 224 | 6h 33m |
| Oct 1934 | Burmese Days | Fiction | Harper & Brothers | 300 | 10h 17m |
| Mar 1935 | A Clergyman’s Daughter | Fiction | Victor Gollancz Ltd | 336 | 10h 3m |
| Apr 1936 | Keep the Aspidistra Flying | Fiction | Victor Gollancz Ltd | 288 | 9h 1m |
| Feb 1937 | The Road to Wigan Pier | Nonfiction | Left Book Club | 146 | 7h 43m |
| Apr 1938 | Homage to Catalonia | Nonfiction | Secker and Warburg | 232 | 8h 25m |
| Jun 1939 | Coming Up for Air | Fiction | Victor Gollancz Ltd | 288 | 8h 24m |
| Aug 1945 | Animal Farm | Fiction | Secker and Warburg | 112 | 3h 11m |
| Jun 1949 | Nineteen Eighty-Four | Fiction | Secker and Warburg | 328 | 11h 22m |
George Orwell FAQ
Why did George Orwell change his name?
- Born Eric Arthur Blair, he opted to publish his writings using the name George Orwell.
- He did this in order to create a greater distinction between his personal and professional life.
- The first name chosen, “George”, was inspired by England’s patron saint.
- The second name chosen, “Orwell”, was named after a river in East Anglia, England.
What did George Orwell predominantly write about?
- In general, George Orwell looked to write about social and political issues.
- He focused heavily on themes such as totalitarianism, abuse of power, oppression, surveillance, propaganda and human rights.
- On the whole, many of his writings act as warnings towards the impacts of authoritarian and dystopian societies.
Why did George Orwell write 1984?
- 1984 was written by George Orwell to highlight the dangers of totalitarianism and the erosion of personal freedoms.
- The book depicts a dystopian society, where unchecked state power rules at a great detriment to the lives of citizens.
- It is his most successful novel and demonstrates the importance of maintaining democratic values.
Why did George Orwell write Animal Farm?
- Animal Farm was written by George Orwell to act as an allegory critiquing the events of the Russian Revolution.
- Satirical in nature, it exposes the hypocrisy and corruption that can result from revolutions.
- It is seen as his second-most successful novel and highlights the dangers of authoritarianism.
What happened to George Orwell’s estate?
- After George Orwell passed away in 1950, it was initially believed that his widow, Sonia, had spent most of his income.
- Later it was found that she had largely lived modestly throughout her lifetime, before passing away with few possessions.
- After the death of George Orwell, she initially received a widow’s pension of £40 per month, which rose to £750 in the 1970s.
- Having never received her share of assets from George Orwell Productions (which controlled the estate), she initiated a lawsuit against the company’s accountant.
- She won an out-of-court settlement, before deciding to leave the copyrights to Richard Blair, Orwell’s adopted son.
Orwell wrote about the power of language with more precision than almost anyone — his essay Politics and the English Language remains a masterclass in clear writing. If you share his interest in the mechanics of words, WordsRated publishes daily hints for today’s Connections and today’s Wordle, and our Word Finder is there whenever you need to find the best word from a set of letters. Check yesterday’s Wordle too if you missed it.