Tuesday 3 June 2003

Big brother will be watching you

This year's Edinburgh International Book Festival will pay special attention to the work of George Orwell. Oh dear, I thought, when I read this:
The spirit of the prophetic writer of Animal Farm and 1984 is to dominate the book festival, which will feature public debate by leading authors on the war in Iraq, the grim underbelly of Western capitalism, modern sexual politics, the tensions between Europe and the US, and the role of the media.
Just as I was wondering why the organisers didn't mind Eastern capitalism I read this:
Ms Lockerbie was keen to stress that she did not want the festival to become associated with anti-war or anti-US thought, and has taken care to ensure that more conservative and neo-conservative thinkers are present, as well as radical and left-wing writers and thinkers.
No paleo-conservatives or libertarians I note, but we'll be there keeping an eye on things.