The Road to Wigan PierThe Road to Wigan Pier
Score Classic
What it's about
In the 1930s, George Orwell traveled to the industrial heartlands of Yorkshire and Lancashire to observe working-class life: slum housing, dangerous mines, hunger and unemployment. The second half is a fierce polemic about socialism and the English class system.
Why it's worth reading
It's on the Guardian's list of the 100 best nonfiction books of all time. It crystallized the ideas behind Orwell's later work.
You'll love it if you liked
Homage to Catalonia
Nickel and Dimed
Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American CityGood to know
The first half is reporting; the second is argument. Some of its views now seem dated.
By the numbers
- Readers40 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics51 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller16 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
Why it made the list
Reads as
Thought-provoking
More by George Orwell
1984
Animal FarmHomage to CataloniaIf you like this, read next
The Color Purple
The Caine Mutiny
East of Eden
I, Claudius
A Room of One's Own
Angle of ReposeExplore the best-of lists
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Quick answers
Is The Road to Wigan Pier worth reading?
Yes. It's on the Guardian's list of the 100 best nonfiction books of all time. It ranks #1,700 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 66.6 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Road to Wigan Pier about?
In the 1930s, George Orwell traveled to the industrial heartlands of Yorkshire and Lancashire to observe working-class life: slum housing, dangerous mines, hunger and unemployment. The second half is a fierce polemic about socialism and the English class system.
How long does it take to read The Road to Wigan Pier?
About 5 hours (215 pages), or about 10 days at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Road to Wigan Pier?
If you liked it, try Homage to Catalonia by George Orwell, Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich or Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City by Matthew Desmond.