Burmese Days

Burmese Days is George Orwell's powerful first novel, set in British-ruled Burma during the final years of the British Empire. Drawing on Orwell's own experiences as a colonial officer, the novel offers a sharp critique of imperialism, racism, and moral corruption.

The story follows John Flory, a lonely and conflicted Englishman who struggles between his conscience and the expectations of the colonial society he inhabits. As he forms an unlikely friendship and seeks personal integrity, Flory is forced to confront the hypocrisy, prejudice, and cruelty at the heart of imperial rule.

Dark, insightful, and deeply human, Burmese Days exposes the damaging effects of colonialism on both the rulers and the ruled. It stands as a compelling early work that reveals the political and moral concerns that would later define Orwell's greatest writings.