PD: George Orwell, welcome to the Public Domain
Eric Arthur Blair, better known under his pen name as George Orwell lived from 1903 until 1950 and in that time he wore many hats, from sailor, to soldier on the Republican side during the Spanish Civil War and of course an Authour who wrote not only a history of his own life, essays and government pamphlets but he also happened to have written some great novels which, and the 70 post death rule, have ALL fallen into the Public Domain in Europe and the United Kingdom as of (January 1st 2021).
Below are just a few of his works that are now free to use but keep in mind the usual caveats such as Trademark law and the copyright laws of countries outside those of 70 yrs post death:
The story of Winston Smith, one man in the middle of a fascist super-state known as Oceania. In what used to be England, Winston struggles with his everyday life as heās forced to conform to the āPartyāsā standards. The Party is lead by a mysterious figure known only as Big Brother and it requires all citizens, with the threat of torture and death, to remain loyal to the rules of the state but Winston longs to rebel and eventually gets the opportunity to.
The novel follows anthropomorphized animals who set out to rebel against their owners on a farm. The leads, Snowball and Napoleon, two pigs, take their place as leaders of the revolution. But, before long, the pigās rule becomes just as tyrannical and dangerous as the farmerās.
3. Down and out in Paris and London
This book was written in the late 1920s when Eric Blair had yet to solidify the pen name of āGeorge Orwellā. It chronicles his time living in London and Paris, visiting the darkest and poorest areas of the cities, and even getting arrests, on purpose. He speaks on social injustices, poverty, and the cruel nature of society that many do not have to see and usually ignore.
This novel is another autobiographical book. It describes Orwellās time in Spain, fighting against Franco in the Spanish Civil War. He traveled to Spain, originally, to report on the conflict but ended up joining in and eventually being charged with treason. The novel shows Orwell fighting, risking his life, in order to fight for the ideals that are at the forefront of his novel 1984.
5. A Clergyman's Daughter
This novel tells the story of Dorothy Hare, the daughter that the title refers to. She moves from day to day, living as a spinster, doing what is required of her. Suddenly, everything changes when she starts to experience amnesia. The rest of the book chronicles her attempts to reassemble her life while also encountering corruption and societal inequities.
This non-fiction book is set in the years prior to World War II. In it, Orwell follows the lives of hardworking, miners and their families in Northern England. He weaves in the concepts of socialism and the ways that this social, political, and ideological belief system might change their worlds for the better.
Now the usual caveats still stand: Trademark and pretenders to the copyrights will no doubt attempt to threaten anyone using the stories for their own but that doesn't change the fact that they are all in the public domain BUT and here's the second caveat: Only how they appear in their original publishing, other versions may still be under copyright so only use the stories as they appeared in their original release. (To read more about Orwell follow this link).
