Join us at Java Love on Church Street in Montclair!  They're partnering with us for our celebration of Banned Book Week this year.  We’ll be discussing "1984," a frequently challenged classic about a doomed love affair under totalitarian government that gave rise to the term “Orwellian.” The book was banned in all languages throughout the Eastern Block and some actually credit it with helping to end the Cold War. More recently, “1984” surged up the bestseller charts to #10 after President Trump’s inauguration in January 2025—not bad for a book published in 1949! In recent years it has also been challenged by conservative groups across the U.S. If you've always meant to read the book, now's your chance. If you've already read it, let's revisit it together and talk about why it's still making waves. 

George Orwell, whose real name was Eric Blair, was an English novelist, essayist, and critic best known for his books “Animal Farm” and “1984.” Beyond his literary career, Orwell worked as an officer for the India Imperial Police Force and fought in the Spanish Civil War. He died in 1950 at age 46 after suffering from tuberculosis for many years.