Essays analyze the concept of totalitarianism in George Orwell's novel, 1984, and examine the political issues raised by the book.

"Excerpts from Nineteen eighty-four by George Orwell are reprinted"--T.p. verso.

pt. 1.The book and the writer: 1984: enigmas of power / Irving Howe -- The fate of 1984 / Mark Crispin Miller -- "The golden country": sex and love in 1984 / Elaine Hoffman Baruch -- Orwell and the English language / Bernard Avishai -- 1984 on Staten Island / Luther P. Carpenter -- pt. 2. Ideas: Does big brother really exist? / Robert C. Tucker -- On "failed totalitarianism" / Michael Walzer -- Totalitarianism and the virtue of the lie / Leszel Kolakowski -- The disintegration of Leninist totalitarianism / Milovan Djilas -- 1984: decade of the experts? / Johanno Strasser -- 1984 -the ingredients of totalitarianism / James B. Rule -- 1984 and the conservative imagination / Robert Nisbet -- pt. 3. History: Beyond totalitarianism / Richard Lowenthal.