A fair amount of Orwell is available at that site, including Down and Out.

Orwell has long been my hero. One of the finest prose stylists in the English language. His essays flow through one's mind like music.

“Shooting an Elephant” is, as Jazz indicates, one of the finest insights into imperialism ever written.

“Such such were the Joys” is a classic piece about the horrors of Orwell's public school education (really private school for you Yanks). Later in life, Orwell realized that he had avoided an entire section of southern England because of the trauma associated with the school he attended.

Reminded me of my own education. I remember when I was about 11, being held up by the throat by my teacher against the wall, my feet kicking in the air . . . because I had forgotten to wear the school tie!
After that school, it was years before I could wear a tie again without breaking out in a cold sweat.

Orwell does note, however, that when one is terrified one does have an incentive to learn! This is very true, I can attest.

With almost every page of Orwell there is a new insight. Casual brilliance.

Orwell was, of course, an iconoclast of the Left. Hated and despised by generations of British leftists for his opposition to Stalin as much as to imperialism.

Another great summer Orwell read would be “Down and Out in Paris and London”.