George Orwell (1903¿1950) was an English novelist, essayist, journalist, and critic. Best known for his dystopian book 1984 and the allegorical novella Animal Farm, Orwell is the author of six novels as well as numerous essays and works of nonfiction. His writing continues to influence popular culture: The term "Orwellian" (describing a repressive, totalitarian state) has entered the language, along with several of his own neologisms, such as "Big Brother" and "cold war."