University of New Mexico gets rare George Orwell collection

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A longtime advocate and employee of the University of New Mexico University Libraries is donating his collection of rare George Orwell books.

The university announced last week that professor and curator emeritus Russ Davidson has agreed to donate his Orwell book collection, which includes first editions of "Animal Farm" and "1984" in various languages.

Davidson's extensive collection also includes scarce editions of many of Orwell's other books, essays and journalistic writings.

The collection will be part of an Orwell exhibit in Zimmerman Library from September 2019 through spring of 2020.

Davidson worked at University Libraries for 25 years.

The British-born Orwell was known for his allegorical novella "Animal Farm" and dystopian novel "1984," both of which tackled totalitarianism. Orwell's "1984" has become a best-seller in the U.S. again during the Trump administration.