Tavish Armstrong

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George Orwell likes tea

Thu 02 Dec 2010 18:51:00

I enjoyed this essay by George Orwell on tea: link. He attacks the subject with as much force as anything he’s written. What struck me, in particular, was how much he enjoyed writing it. It’s obvious, even in his reserved tone. This is something Zinsser talks about often, and I’m noticing it often in the writers I enjoy reading, speakers I enjoy listening to, and teachers I enjoy learning from.

Orwell seems to think milk is a necessary ingredient in a nice cup of tea. I disagree, for the same reason he disagrees with people who like sugar in their tea. It tarnishes the drink, and I can’t imagine feeling “wiser, braver, or more optimistic” after drinking a milky tea.