Winston turned round abruptly. He had set his features into the expression of quiet optimism which it was advisable to wear when facing the telescreen. He crossed the room into the tiny kitchen. By leaving the Ministry at this time of day he had sacrificed his lunch in the canteen, and he was aware that there was no food in the kitchen except a hunk of dark-coloured bread which had got to be saved for tomorrow’s breakfast. He took down from the shelf a bottle of colourless liquid with a plain white label marked VICTORY GIN. It gave off a sickly, oily smell, as of Chinese rice-spirit. Winston poured nearly a teacupful, nerved himself for a shock, and gulped it down like a dose of medicine.

–From Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell, completed sixty years ago this year and first published in 1949.

The image shows the very lovely new Penguin edition of Orwell’s novel, and a bottle of Victory Gin, available in the UK from Thresher’s off-licences. It’s not as bad as Winston Smith makes out.

Posted by Chris Routledge

Apparently reading wagons were used by circus artistes and eventually became what we now call caravans. Having one of these things as a place to sit and read would be really wonderful. I’m off to fetch my hammer and nails:

Like a revolving shed, one of the beauties of being on wheels is that it can be moved during the year or even during the day, however the whim takes you. During the autumn it has to be near the house in order to be plugged in to the mains electrics. Loudon has used the wagon as a guest room but has now started making them to order, including as a garden office.

Here’s the link again to the Shedworking piece and to the article in The Times.

Posted by Chris Routledge. Powered by Qumana