The Duty to Stand Aside tells the story of one of the most intriguing yet little-known literary-political feuds - and friendships - in 20th-century English literature. It examines the arguments that divided George Orwell and Alex Comfort during WWII. Laursen's book takes a fresh look at the Orwell-Comfort quarrel and the lessons it holds for our very different world - in which war has been replaced by undeclared 'conflicts,' civilian bombing is even more enthusiastically practiced, and moral choices between two sides are rarely straightforward.
About the book
The Duty to Stand Aside tells the story of one of the most intriguing yet little-known literary-political feuds - and friendships - in 20th-century English literature. It examines the arguments that divided George Orwell and Alex Comfort during WWII. Laursen's book takes a fresh look at the Orwell-Comfort quarrel and the lessons it holds for our very different world - in which war has been replaced by undeclared 'conflicts,' civilian bombing is even more enthusiastically practiced, and moral choices between two sides are rarely straightforward.