Wifedom: Mrs. Orwell's Invisible Life
Anna Funder
This is the story of the marriage behind some of the most famous literary works of the 20th century —and a probing consideration of what it means to be a wife and a writer in the modern worldAt the end of summer 2017, Anna Funder found herself at a moment of peak overload. Family obligations and household responsibilities were crushing her soul and taking her away from her writing deadlines. She needed help, and George Orwell came to her rescue. more
464 pages, Hardcover
First published Knopf
4.18
Rating
4657
Ratings
600
Reviews
Anna Funder
12 books 550 followers
Anna Funder was born in Melbourne in 1966. She has worked as an international lawyer and a radio and television producer. Her book Stasiland: Stories from Behind the Berlin Wall, won the 2004 Samuel Johnson Prize. She lives in Sydney with her husband and family.Community reviews
'Finding her held the possibility of revealing how it [power] works on women: how a woman can be buried first by domesticity and then by history'. Eileen O'Shaughnessy may have been George Orwell's first and most influential wife but her-story was never a real part of his-story. Upon discovering some of Eileen's personal letters to friends, Anna Funder uncovers the true impact Eileen had on George's writing, including the infamous 'Animal Farm'. In trying to comprehend why so little of Eileen exists within Orwell's biographies or, indeed, his own writing, Funder discovers a pathological 'erasing' and 'minimising' of Eileen's life with George, 'Her work is barely acknowledged by the man it benefits, and she is later erased by his biographers from his achievement'. From this viewpoint, using letters and biographies, Funder attempts to recreate how Eileen went from being an intelligent, lively, and literary master in her own right, to being married to a philanderer who seemed to have little time and regard for her. more
Orwell's work was essential in this task. It was a joy, even, revisiting his writing on the systems of tyranny 'with theft as their aim', and the 'vast system of mental cheating' that is doublethink. It was his insight. that allowed me to see how men can imagine themselves innocent in a system that benefits them, at others' cost. But his insight into the rapacity of power. more
Eileen O’Shaughnessy was George Orwell's first wife. Yes, that Orwell. Anna Funder turned to Orwell's writing as she was feeling overwhelmed with life, motherhood, the domestic and professional workload. Funder has always admired Orwell's writing and his opposition to totalitarianism and oppression. She took on reading multiple Orwell biographies. more
Funder's objective in writing this book was not to cancel George Orwell, and I respect that. Despite this, I have my pitchfork ready. more
Wifedom arrived on my doorstep as a surprise mailing, and I was over-the-moon excited about it due to the feminist angle and absolutely stellar reviews from some of my favorite reviewers. I placed it in my #24in24tbr challenge stack and used a random number generator. This was book number one. Wifedom is a biography/memoir/historical fiction unlike any I’ve read before. The biography sections are centered on Eileen O’Shaughnessy, wife of writer George Orwell, and a talented and well-educated writer herself. more
I have sat with “Wifedom” for several days, apprehensive that my review won’t do it justice. It is undeniably one of the most brilliant books I have read. Its structure and the meticulous research and intellect of author Anna Funder are as compelling as the characterisation of George Orwell himself. Funder “[blends] forensic research, fiction, life writing and criticism [to upend] the legacy of literary triumph to reveal the woman behind it. ” (The Guardian, 7/7/23) In presenting in meticulous detail the omission of Orwell’s wife, Eileen, from both Orwell’s writing and from the biographers’ commentaries on her contributions to his life and literary works, Funder reveals the patriarchal (sometimes misogynistic) motives that had underpinned the omission. more
Wifedom is a biographical work by Australian author Anna Funder, recreating the story of Eileen O’Shaughnessy, the wife of George Orwell. This is blended with anecdotes from her own life, some fictional scenes, and some commentary or speculation on the motivations involved in the couple’s life. Eileen was married to George from 1936 until her death in 1945, and this incorporates time spent involved in the Spanish War and also in London during the Blitz. Her story is largely recreated from a handful of letters more recently discovered, and from examining and commentating on previous biographies. The main point is that, despite Eileen being an Oxford graduate, a writer, an intelligent and capable woman who made a significant contribution to both Orwell’s life and work, she is largely erased by history and Orwell himself. more
I am almost half way through this book and I cannot keep reading it. I don't understand where it is going, although it is meant to be about the 'invisible' wife of Orwell - she seems to be playing a 'bit' part in a piece of fan work dedicated to Orwell. I think I am the wrong target audience and rather than give it a bad rating I would rather pass. more
Readers who hold George Orwell in high esteem may be best served not reading this book, as it will do them no favors in regards to his personal character. The book covers the marriage of Orwell to his wife Eileen, and offers a much more unvarnished perspective than previously seen in delving into their relationship. Even though the Orwells lived in a different time, it’s hard for a modern woman not to struggle with the toxic masculinity and the helplessness with everyday tasks so that Orwell can focus all his efforts on the much more important task of writing. These things are not what drove me crazy about the book, as they were enlightening and eye-opening. The way the story is told is a mess. more
This could have been a much more thoughtful, nuanced book, one that allowed Eileen to be at its front and center. I was ready to accept Orwell as a selfish and unfaithful husband because I don’t need to reconcile his brilliance as a novelist and essayist with personal failings. The weakest parts of this book were when we flash forward to Funder’s own life as she works all of this out. Based on the reviews I had read, I definitely came into this book with incorrect expectations and that will color a lot of what I have to say here. For example, I was hoping for some thoughtful musings on what it means to step out of the spotlight, to willingly do the hidden work of service that allow one’s partner to shine. more
Riverbend Book Club Aug-23. This book needed a trigger alert. Woke feminist patriarchy bashing and projecting of the author’s biases. While I enjoyed reading ’Eileen’s’ story, loathed the author trying to put her life into it and surmising intent. Victim mentality. more
Wifedom is the history of an invisible woman, and the counter-fiction that seeks to give her back her voice. Eileen Blair was clearly a courageous, intelligent woman, who had a tangible impact on Orwell's creative output. So why does she barely get a mention by Orwell or his biographers. Funder explores the 'doublethink' at the heart of gender politics, the world of unpaid 'women's work' and the male creative ego. Eileen may have been all but erased from the history books, but through a series of newly discovered letters, Funder uncovers the real life hiding between the lines. more
I read this in a day 🙃 I couldn't help myself, I needed to know everything I could about Eileen O’Shaughnessy, a witty, ironic Oxford educated woman who was George Orwell's first wife (and pretty much his everything). Through letters, biographies, speculative fiction, and personal essays, Funder acts as a detective and creates a fuller picture of Eileen and how impactful and influential she was to Orwell's work. Orwell essentially erased Eileen through his writings and his biographers continued to push that fiction in theirs. I won't say much about what we learn about this marriage, I want you to discover that for yourself, but I will be reading Orwell's work differently and paying attention to what's in the shadows. What does he hide through the passive voice. more
Absolutely stunning book. As in you’ll feel like a rabbit in the headlights. So impeccably researched, and makes you think about all the other women who have been shrouded with invisibility cloaks. I cried at points, and it’ll take me a long while to forgive Orwell. more
Struggling to find adequate words to describe how this book affected me. It was an amazing insight into a marriage, an author but especially to a women who was so much more than the two. more
From this book onwards my reading of biography will be focussed as much on who is not mentioned as who is, who is lurking in the space, or the silence presented in the passive voice. In a style that re-writes how biographies can be done, Wifedom gives voice to one woman who stood in the places left silent in other memoirs of George Orwell, and in his novels. Eileen O’Shaughnessy, poet, Oxford graduate, married Orwell and disappeared into the background of history while being essential to his story. Orwell stands in for many ‘Great Men’ and other men whose work is made possible by the unpaid work of others. In Wifedom the role of Wife is examined for the social convention it is, the unpaid labour that for many men provides them time and support to be who they want to be. more
I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own. I did not like this "biography". I say that term loosely because of the way the author had of writing. One moment, it's her personal memoir, reflecting on her own life with anecdotes that are supposed to tie into the Orwell's life, but it was too much of a stretch for me. more
The year 2023 was the year we finally started to cast off our idolization of people who don't deserve it (i. e. celebrities, figureheads, 'icons', influencers, politicians, writers, etc. ), and it looks like that streak is going to continue in 2024, judging by the utter disillusionment I felt when I finished Anna Funder's "Wifedom". Orwell's writing needs no introduction, of course, and I have been a fan of his writing, especially his nonfiction essays and literature. more
I don't think I have read a conglomerate work like this--biography, personal essay, literary analysis, fiction. The format serves the subject well. I appreciate that Anna Funder does not serve up a bitter feminist banter, but instead presents what biographers might have missed when documenting Orwell's life and why his wife, Eileen, should get a second look (or more). It's probable the same could be said for many women behind great men. I found the piece to be thoughtful and balanced, and I still have more to ponder on the subject. more
Most people have heard of Anna Funder thanks to her stalwart endeavor of disclosing previously unmentioned stories of former East Germany and the lives of those affected by the former's state's secret surveillance operatives - the Stasi. (It should be of no surprise, then, that she's exploring Orwell after exploring a totalitarian regime, and I highly recommend this book. I don't know if there's anything else like it out there. Stasiland: Stories from Behind the Berlin Wall ). She truly does bring a humane and compassionate sentiment to an otherwise very bleak and desolate tale. more
Who knew Orwell was such an asshole. His wife Eileen certainly did. Funder reinserts Eileen into the story of Orwell’s life and writing after discovering some wonderful letters Eileen wrote to her best friend. She also reconsiders her own life as a wife and writer. She inserts herself into the narrative almost the exact right amount (less is more with this). more
I would advise anyone intending to read Wifedom that they read some of Orwell’s work as many of his stories are referred to by Funder. She also discusses the Orwell biographies. Funder asks the question why did Orwell and his biographers not give greater acknowledgement to Eileen Blair’s contribution to Orwell and his writing. Funder then expands this into the broader question of what leads to the idea of Wifedom, where the patriarchy sets the agenda as to the role of the female in the marriage. Throughout the book Funder mentions her own life, her husband and her family. more
My opinion is not a popular one. I must have read a different book than others did. I thought this book was slow, boring and a mish-mash of the story of George Orwell's wife, Eileen. There was no easy flow of the book. The author used biographies on Orwell, Eileen's own letters to friends and family, as well as the authors opinions about their marriage. more
I feel that my rating is controversial, given so many friends I know have loved this book. Therefore, I feel compelled to write a review to explain. The good: - Funder did some decent research here, and I loved hearing reflections on both Eileen and George from multiple friends, families, colleagues, neighbours. Along with their letters, this really brought the two to life. - I enjoyed reading about Britain's involvement in the Spanish Civil War (1936-39). more
Just like Stasiland this is a terrific book and so powerfully written. I’ve taught Animal Farm for donkeys years and it’s never once occurred to me that Orwell’s wife had anything to do with the writing of it. The fact of Orwell’s wife never occurred to me either, because I’d never read anything about her prior to this book. I knew Orwell had been shot through the neck, knew he’d gone to war in Spain, knew he had TB, but knew nothing at all of his wife or his sexual proclivities. . more
I am not sure how to rate this book. Two competing thoughts: - I absolutely loved reading it and so much of the book resonates, especially Funder’s descriptions of ‘wifedom’. The fact that this topic is tackled through a focus on Eileen, George Orwell’s wife, means you’re especially confronted by it. I really struggled to surrender my absolute adoration of George Orwell. I still think 1984 is a brilliant book that everyone should read, and that Orwell’s insight and foresight are second to none. more
It's an easy read, but it's a mess. Anna Funder doesn't know what she wants to do in this book and clearly the editors were of no help. It's described as pushing the bounds of different genres, but it's just unfocused. Through most of the book, it was about 3 stars for me, there were interesting bits about Eileen, but Funder's constant interjections and personal anecdotes (Patriarchy and Feminism 101. *Yawn*) as well as fictional imaginings of Eileen (let's give this woman a voice, but oh wait, let me speak for her and project my own issues onto her life) were really unnecessary. more
I’m so pleased to have read another non-fiction by Anna Funder: I LOVED Stasiland. Wifedom felt like Stasiland meets Hhhh, meets A Room of One’s own. And it probably meets even more books that I love…However, the 3 above come to mind in that you follow the author’s journey as she learns and explores aspects of Eileen’s life, processing what this means or could look like, as she progresses. A life where Eileen put up with way too much of Orwell’s selfish, misogynistic bullshit. It reminded me of Woolf’s discussion on Shakespeare’s sister. more
A swinging vote between 3 and 4 stars here. This was a difficult but truly unique read; part biography of Eileen and her life with Orwell, part fictionalised flashes of their life together, part interrogation of how male biographers can edit out the impact of a woman on a literary great and part Funder's own investigations into the meaning of wifedom, living in a patriarchal society and how to start counteracting the male doublethink to get to the truth of the woman behind many of the great men we hear far too much about. There was a lot in it, and if I was more aware of Orwell's life as well as his works beyond the biggest hits, I may have gotten a bit more out of it but still a fascinating read. Only book I can think that's anything like it is one of my all time favourites HHhH by Laurent Binet so that in itself gives the book some extra points. more