Disappointing. The first half is descriptive and evocative of a vanished way of life. Orwell writes in such a way that the reader is immersed in the subject, his description of down the mine being particularly strong. However the second half is for the main part a repetitive, rambling rant about pet subjects. True, he warned obliquely about the coming Fascist-led War but his point is almost lost in verbosity. The last two pages of the book could replace the whole of Part 2. Socialist sensitivity was obviously offended and the commissioners got more than what they bargained for but I can't help but feel that if Orwell had been less vitriolic he may well have been more successful in his call to Socialist arms.