--- product_id: 4593782 title: "Down And Out In Paris And London: From the author of 1984―a penniless writer's raw, semi-autobiographical journey through poverty in Paris and London" price: "€ 33.23" currency: EUR in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.sk/products/4593782-down-and-out-in-paris-and-london-from-the-author store_origin: SK region: Slovakia --- # Down And Out In Paris And London: From the author of 1984―a penniless writer's raw, semi-autobiographical journey through poverty in Paris and London **Price:** € 33.23 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Down And Out In Paris And London: From the author of 1984―a penniless writer's raw, semi-autobiographical journey through poverty in Paris and London - **How much does it cost?** € 33.23 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.sk](https://www.desertcart.sk/products/4593782-down-and-out-in-paris-and-london-from-the-author) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description From the author of 1984, the classic semi-autobiographical story about the adventures of a penniless British writer in two cities. Down and Out in Paris and London follows the journey of a writer among the down-and-out in two great cities. Without self-pity and often with humor, this novel is Orwell at his finest―a sobering, truthful protrayal of poverty and the reality of social class in Europe. Review: excellent writing - I am a fan of Orwell. There is nothing that I've read of his that I did not like, although I have only read a few things. So I was predisposed to like this book. This story is odd. The "plot" is very repetitive; it consists of Orwell's more or less daily account of his seeking work in Paris and London in the 1930s Great Depression, mostly unsuccessfully, and the seeking of work is woven through with his description of near starvation in the process. Even though the book is repetitive in its accounting of these experiences, the writing is clear, insightfully detailed, and down to earth, and it does not get tiresome to read; I read the book in about two days. It's a close look at the underbelly of a few English settings, cities during the late 20s and perhaps early 30s of the 20th century. Furthermore, the narrative is punctuated with some wonderful character profiles of the (mostly) men that he buddies with along the way. It has significant good humor, despite the horrible conditions that Orwell experiences and describes; the characterizations of the handful of men he tramps with are especially humorous: Orwell was good, apparently, at picking out good mates in similar circumstances, men he could count on in a pinch. The first half of the book, set in Paris, is a bit more upbeat in tone than the second half, set in London. In the Paris section, much of the reportage is about Orwell's working as a dishwasher/busboy/gopher in a fancy hotel restaurant, and I found this reportage to be very accurate to what I know of current-day restaurants, which I know are still operated in the same chaotic way. The dining room is a different world from the kitchen. The second half of the book, the London section, is much more "down and out." I discovered from this book that during this time and probably in the Great Depression as well, England managed its tens of thousands of unemployed, homeless men (mostly men: 10:1 men to women) by providing them room and board, but the "tramps" could only stay one night, and were forced to march up to fifteen miles the next day to the next "accommodation"; these large institutional shelters were called "spikes." The accommodations were vermin-infested and the food was usually "tea and two slices": two pieces of bread with oil slathered on them and a cup of tea. To my mind, this book reminded me of a long New Yorker-like article in which the writer goes undercover to expose the horrors of a situation. Apparently, however, Orwell was not undercover but instead an unknown unemployed writer who was truly forced into this degraded, dangerous, unhealthy lifestyle. I knew that Orwell died before he was fifty, and after reading the book I wondered if these harrowing experiences did not somehow contribute to his early physical decline. This book is touted as a minor masterpiece. I don't know if I agree with that but it is essential reading for one who is studying Orwell. It certainly must have drawn on his socialist thinking, and he makes some astute recommendations for how England might better deal with the problem of massive unemployment. Review: Walk a mile in my shoes - 'Down And Out' was first published in 1933, an account of the poverty stricken streets of both Paris and London during the era. It bears little resemblance to today's homeless problems, but is an interesting study in older times where sweeping a sidewalk could make a difference between bread and no bread. A friend of mine told me that if I liked 'The Jungle' by Upton Sinclair that I should read 'Down And Out In Paris And London'. I found few similarities other than the filthy kitchens that Orwell describes, but I was glad this Orwell book was referred to me. All I've read by the author before are the standard 'Animal Farm' and '1984' that most people have read. (If you haven't read them, you should, they're great) Orwell's protagonist begins the story in the slums of Paris, occasionally teaching English classes for a bit of money. (One of the things I had a hard time translating is the foreign currency: a shilling, a franc, a sou, a pence, a crown, a pound, etc. But the prices are so out of date now in 2008 that it mattered very little) He's down and out on his luck, and running out of rent money. When he thinks he's at his lowest his friend Boris brings them a job at Hotel X, where the protagonist works as a plongeur (dishwasher/gopher/whatever). He works long, hot hours for little money, but can afford his rent. Boris has another dream though, that they both become employed at a 'yet to be opened' restaurant where Boris is promised a higher position. By the time our protagonist works at the new restaurant, he begins to believe that all the violations and harassments at Hotel X were superior. Becoming fed up with the harsh conditions and long hours, the protagonist writes to a friend in London for a position, which his friend promises. Worthy of note are the descriptions of the Hotel's and restaurant's kitchens. They are filthy beyond imagination, and the working conditions deplorable. Though the book is older and there are more inspections nowadays than there were back then, you'll still question the next meal that is served before you, even from a fancy restaurant. Our protagonist packs up and leaves Paris. Unfortunately, the position promised to him in London, that of looking after a feeble patron, isn't ready, so he's on the streets without lodging, food, or work to provide for himself. He spends time in the charity lodgings of London, meeting up with Paddy and Bozo and other characters. He quickly learns the ways of the street, and extrapolates on the cause and condition of the homeless society he finds himself in. The characters are fascinating. There's Boris - loud, lame, and strange. Charlie, who lives off a pittance from his family and will not work (and who loves the ladies - once portrayed in a horrible story he told). There's Paddy, resigned to his fate. There's Bozo, a screever (pavement artist), and a star-gazer who has an astonishingly bright outlook on street life. The concept of work vs idleness is explored, along with the concept of how hard the homeless actually "work" (panhandling, selling matches, selling herbs like lavender, getting up early and waiting in line for jobs, "screeving", pawning, even stealing) for the privilege of a bug ridden cot and watered down tea. The book is a study in poverty even though its outdated. The one thing I didn't like about it was the abrupt ending. The story could have used a little more conclusion, in my opinion. Overall, I'm glad I explored this addition to my Orwell collection, and highly recommend it. Enjoy! ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #44,960 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #22 in Paris Travel Guides #198 in Biographical & Autofiction #236 in Classic American Literature | | Customer Reviews | 4.4 out of 5 stars 5,813 Reviews | ## Images ![Down And Out In Paris And London: From the author of 1984―a penniless writer's raw, semi-autobiographical journey through poverty in Paris and London - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71ZBiSCdW-L.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ excellent writing *by G***N on December 24, 2019* I am a fan of Orwell. There is nothing that I've read of his that I did not like, although I have only read a few things. So I was predisposed to like this book. This story is odd. The "plot" is very repetitive; it consists of Orwell's more or less daily account of his seeking work in Paris and London in the 1930s Great Depression, mostly unsuccessfully, and the seeking of work is woven through with his description of near starvation in the process. Even though the book is repetitive in its accounting of these experiences, the writing is clear, insightfully detailed, and down to earth, and it does not get tiresome to read; I read the book in about two days. It's a close look at the underbelly of a few English settings, cities during the late 20s and perhaps early 30s of the 20th century. Furthermore, the narrative is punctuated with some wonderful character profiles of the (mostly) men that he buddies with along the way. It has significant good humor, despite the horrible conditions that Orwell experiences and describes; the characterizations of the handful of men he tramps with are especially humorous: Orwell was good, apparently, at picking out good mates in similar circumstances, men he could count on in a pinch. The first half of the book, set in Paris, is a bit more upbeat in tone than the second half, set in London. In the Paris section, much of the reportage is about Orwell's working as a dishwasher/busboy/gopher in a fancy hotel restaurant, and I found this reportage to be very accurate to what I know of current-day restaurants, which I know are still operated in the same chaotic way. The dining room is a different world from the kitchen. The second half of the book, the London section, is much more "down and out." I discovered from this book that during this time and probably in the Great Depression as well, England managed its tens of thousands of unemployed, homeless men (mostly men: 10:1 men to women) by providing them room and board, but the "tramps" could only stay one night, and were forced to march up to fifteen miles the next day to the next "accommodation"; these large institutional shelters were called "spikes." The accommodations were vermin-infested and the food was usually "tea and two slices": two pieces of bread with oil slathered on them and a cup of tea. To my mind, this book reminded me of a long New Yorker-like article in which the writer goes undercover to expose the horrors of a situation. Apparently, however, Orwell was not undercover but instead an unknown unemployed writer who was truly forced into this degraded, dangerous, unhealthy lifestyle. I knew that Orwell died before he was fifty, and after reading the book I wondered if these harrowing experiences did not somehow contribute to his early physical decline. This book is touted as a minor masterpiece. I don't know if I agree with that but it is essential reading for one who is studying Orwell. It certainly must have drawn on his socialist thinking, and he makes some astute recommendations for how England might better deal with the problem of massive unemployment. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Walk a mile in my shoes *by S***Y on January 8, 2008* 'Down And Out' was first published in 1933, an account of the poverty stricken streets of both Paris and London during the era. It bears little resemblance to today's homeless problems, but is an interesting study in older times where sweeping a sidewalk could make a difference between bread and no bread. A friend of mine told me that if I liked 'The Jungle' by Upton Sinclair that I should read 'Down And Out In Paris And London'. I found few similarities other than the filthy kitchens that Orwell describes, but I was glad this Orwell book was referred to me. All I've read by the author before are the standard 'Animal Farm' and '1984' that most people have read. (If you haven't read them, you should, they're great) Orwell's protagonist begins the story in the slums of Paris, occasionally teaching English classes for a bit of money. (One of the things I had a hard time translating is the foreign currency: a shilling, a franc, a sou, a pence, a crown, a pound, etc. But the prices are so out of date now in 2008 that it mattered very little) He's down and out on his luck, and running out of rent money. When he thinks he's at his lowest his friend Boris brings them a job at Hotel X, where the protagonist works as a plongeur (dishwasher/gopher/whatever). He works long, hot hours for little money, but can afford his rent. Boris has another dream though, that they both become employed at a 'yet to be opened' restaurant where Boris is promised a higher position. By the time our protagonist works at the new restaurant, he begins to believe that all the violations and harassments at Hotel X were superior. Becoming fed up with the harsh conditions and long hours, the protagonist writes to a friend in London for a position, which his friend promises. Worthy of note are the descriptions of the Hotel's and restaurant's kitchens. They are filthy beyond imagination, and the working conditions deplorable. Though the book is older and there are more inspections nowadays than there were back then, you'll still question the next meal that is served before you, even from a fancy restaurant. Our protagonist packs up and leaves Paris. Unfortunately, the position promised to him in London, that of looking after a feeble patron, isn't ready, so he's on the streets without lodging, food, or work to provide for himself. He spends time in the charity lodgings of London, meeting up with Paddy and Bozo and other characters. He quickly learns the ways of the street, and extrapolates on the cause and condition of the homeless society he finds himself in. The characters are fascinating. There's Boris - loud, lame, and strange. Charlie, who lives off a pittance from his family and will not work (and who loves the ladies - once portrayed in a horrible story he told). There's Paddy, resigned to his fate. There's Bozo, a screever (pavement artist), and a star-gazer who has an astonishingly bright outlook on street life. The concept of work vs idleness is explored, along with the concept of how hard the homeless actually "work" (panhandling, selling matches, selling herbs like lavender, getting up early and waiting in line for jobs, "screeving", pawning, even stealing) for the privilege of a bug ridden cot and watered down tea. The book is a study in poverty even though its outdated. The one thing I didn't like about it was the abrupt ending. The story could have used a little more conclusion, in my opinion. Overall, I'm glad I explored this addition to my Orwell collection, and highly recommend it. Enjoy! ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Down and Out - A timeless classic *by C***Y on December 2, 2014* Prior to serving in the Republican forces during the Spanish Civil war, George Orwell worked as a plongeur or dishwasher in Paris. He also wandered England as a homeless tramp staying in doss-houses. George Orwell transformed these experiences into the book Down and Out in Paris and London which was published during the great Depression in 1933. This was, to say the least, an unusual path for an "old Eton boy" to take. Nietzsche once wrote, "Poets are shameless with their experiences: they exploit them." Orwell did not hesitate to exploit his experiences as a "plongeur" in Paris or a tramp in England. If Trip Advisor Had been around in 1933 Orwell might have posted a review something like this: "Avoid all restaurants and hotels in Paris and beyond! The sanitary conditions are appalling. There is filth on the kitchen floors. Rats infest every kitchen. The staff could care less about their customers. How many Stars? Zero!" Here is what Orwell actually wrote after working at the Hotel X in Paris, "The dirt in the Hotel X, as soon as one penetrated into the service quarters, was revolting. Our cafeteria had year-old filth in all the dark corners, and the bread-bin was infested with cockroaches. Once I suggested killing these beasts to Mario (he was in charge of the cafeteria). 'Why kill the poor animals?' he said reproachfully. The others laughed when I wanted to wash my hands before touching the butter...In the kitchen the dirt was worse. It is not figure of speech, it is a mere statement of fact to say that a French cook will spit in the soup--that is, if he is not going got drink it himself. He is an artist, but his art is not cleanliness. To a certain extent he is even dirty because he is an artist, for food, to look smart, needs dirty treatment. When a steak, for instance is brought up for the head cook's inspection, he does not handle it with a fork. He picks it up with his fingers and slaps it down, runs his thumb around the dish and licks to taste the gravy, runs it round and licks again, then steps back and contemplates the piece of meat like an artist judging a picture, then presses it lovingly into place with his fat, pink fingers, every one of which he has licked a hundred times that morning. When he is satisfied, he takes a cloth and wipes his fingerprints form the dish, and hands it to the waiter. And the waiter, of course, dips his fingers into the gravy--his nasty, greasy fingers which he is forever running through his brilliantined hair." Orwell then moved on to work at a restaurant in Paris called the Auberge de Jehan Cottard as a plongeur or dishwasher. He wrote about his employer, "The Auberge was not the ordinary cheap eating-house frequented by students and workmen. We did not provide an adequate meal at less than twenty-five francs, and we were picturesque and artistic, which sent up our social standing. There were indecent pictures in the bar, and the Norman decorations--sham beams on the walls, electric lights done up as candlesticks, "peasant" pottery, even a mounting-block at the door--and the patron and the head Waiter were Russian officers, and many of the customers titled Russian refugees. In short, we were decidedly chic. Nevertheless, the conditions behind the kitchen door were suitable for a a pigsty. For this is what our service arrangements were like. The kitchen measured fifteen feet long by eight broad, and half this space was taken up by the stoves and tables. All the pots had to kept on shelves out of reach and there was only room for one dustbin. This dustbin used to be crammed full by midday, and the floor normally an inch deep in compost of trampled food... There was no larder. Our substitute for one was a half-roof shed in the yard, with a tree growing in the middle of it. The meat, vegetables and so forth lay there on the bare earth, raided by rats and cats." One of Orwell's colleague at the Auberge was a waiter named Jules. Orwell confides that 'Jules took a positive pleasure in seeing things dirty. In the afternoon, when he had not much to do, he used to stand in the kitchen doorway jeering at us for working too hard: 'Fool! Why do you wash that plate? Wipe it on your trousers. Who cares about the customers? They don't know what's going on. What is restaurant work? You are carving a chicken and it falls on the floor. You apologize, you bow, and you go out; and in five minutes you come back by another door--with the same chicken. That is restaurant work." Has the restaurant world really changed much since 1933? One can certainly hope so, but there are many parts of the world where restaurant sanitation standards are little improved from the Paris of 1933. Orwell then moved on to England where he tramped about the country moving from flop house to flop house. He survives on a "cuppa" and two slices with a bit of margarine. He is nearly molested at night by "Nancy" boys. He and other tramps are preached to by religious do-gooders and Salvation Army warriors. He offers one piece of advice which is as sound for today's London as it was in 1933. Handbills were distributed on the streets of London by local merchants then as they are now. Orwell writes, "When you see a man distributing handbill you can do him a good turn by taking one, for he goes off duty when he has distributed all his bills." Orwell writes with genuine understanding, sympathy and, often, humor in his descriptions of the grinding poverty of the working classes and those unfortunates who are unemployed and homeless. His account helps us to appreciate how fascism was able to exploit the suffering of so many throughout Europe during the Great Depression. Check out George Orwell's Down and Out in Paris and London. At minimum, you may never think of restaurants and hotels in the same way again. Has George Orwell's review been helpful to you? If you like Orwell's Down and Out in Paris and London you may also enjoy America Invades: How We've Invaded or been Militarily Involved with almost Every Country on Earth by Kelly / Laycock and Italy Invades ## Frequently Bought Together - Down and Out in Paris and London - The Road To Wigan Pier: (Authorized Orwell Edition): A Mariner Books Classic - Homage to Catalonia --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.sk/products/4593782-down-and-out-in-paris-and-london-from-the-author](https://www.desertcart.sk/products/4593782-down-and-out-in-paris-and-london-from-the-author) --- *Product available on Desertcart Slovakia* *Store origin: SK* *Last updated: 2026-08-09*