On the eve of the Second World War, George "Fatty" Bowling places a bet that changes his life. Unlikely winnings in his pocket, George sets off to revisit the happier days of his childhood, distancing himself with each step from his unhappy life, dour wife, and annoying daughters. Along the way, however, Bowling learns that time does not stand still, even in memory, as many of his old haunts have either disappeared or irrevocably changed. Published in June 1939, shortly before the outbreak of war, Coming Up for Air is George Orwell's nostalgic look at an idyllic world on the brink of collapse.
