Orwell, George | A rare uncorrected proof

Orwell, George

Nineteen Eighty-Four. London: Secker & Warburg, 1949

8vo (184 x 124 mm). Fly-leaf, half-title with advertisement of seven other works by Orwell on the verso, title-page, some leaves at end unopened; loss to lower corners of pp. 17-20 and pp. 49-52 not affecting text, closed tear at foot pp. 65/66 affecting text, open marginal tears to p. 298 from where leaves were clumsily opened. Original plain light blue wrappers; crease to front wrapper, edges lightly browned. Housed in a quarter black morocco slipcase with folding chemise.

An uncorrected proof of arguably the greatest dystopian novel of modern times. The novel has come to define contemporary discourse around surveillance, and is responsible for the rise of the term "Orwellian." It is now almost incessantly referenced in any debate about the use of technology and algorithms by the surveillance state or trans-global corporations to track, control, or influence citizens across the world.

Proof copies of Nineteen Eighty-Four are rare, with only two other copies appearing at auction in the last 30 years. Notably, the title of the book is spelled out on the half-title, whereas it is printed in numerals on the title-page. Harcourt Brace, Orwell's American publisher, were eager to print the book and reluctant to wait for corrected proofs from Secker & Warburg. Orwell complained, "This will mean 2 sets of proofs to correct. ... As there are a lot of neologisms there are bound to be many printers' errors of a stupid kind, & American compositors are very tiresome to deal with as they always think they know better than the author. ... It is most important that there shouldn't be any misprints in a book of this kind" (Fenwick, p.129). 

REFERENCE:

cf. Fenwick A.12a