George Orwell lived in a small cottage, writing and tending his garden. When Rebecca Solnit visited the cottage, she discovered the descendants of the roses he had planted. These survivors, as well as the diaries he kept, provide a fresh look at Orwell's motivations and drives. Solnit journeys to England and Russia, Mexico and Colombia, exploring the events that shaped Orwell's life and her own. Solnit meets Orwell, in a riveting alternative journey through the legacy, teachings and life of George Orwell.