Homage to CataloniaHomage to Catalonia
Score Classic
What it's about
In late 1936, George Orwell went to Spain to report on the civil war and joined a militia fighting Franco instead. He describes the strange, egalitarian atmosphere of revolutionary Barcelona, the cold and boredom of the trenches, being shot through the throat by a sniper, and then the Communist-led crackdown on his own militia that forced him to flee the country.
Why it's worth reading
It's on the Modern Library list of the best nonfiction. It's honest and vivid, and the betrayals Orwell saw in Spain shaped Animal Farm and 1984.
You'll love it if you liked
1984
Darkness at Noon
DispatchesGood to know
Two chapters on the politics of the Spanish left are dense; many editions move them to an appendix, and readers can skim them.
By the numbers
- Readers61 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics83 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller25 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #13 of the 44 politics books we rank
- #143 of the 762 classics we rank
- #446 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story
More by George Orwell
1984
Animal Farm
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The Path to Power
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A Promised Land
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Quick answers
Is Homage to Catalonia worth reading?
Yes. It's on the Modern Library list of the best nonfiction. It ranks #446 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 79.1 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Homage to Catalonia about?
In late 1936, George Orwell went to Spain to report on the civil war and joined a militia fighting Franco instead. He describes the strange, egalitarian atmosphere of revolutionary Barcelona, the cold and boredom of the trenches, being shot through the throat by a sniper, and then the Communist-led crackdown on his own militia that forced him to flee the country.
How long does it take to read Homage to Catalonia?
About 6 hours (232 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Homage to Catalonia?
If you liked it, try 1984 by George Orwell, Darkness at Noon by Arthur Koestler or Dispatches by Michael Herr.