You’ve probably read – or at least heard of – George Orwell’s 1984. The fictional novel revolves around protagonist Winston Smith and his desperate struggle to break free from the oppressive regime of a tyrannical Government named Big Brother. 

Interestingly, last week it was revealed that 1984 was the number 1 bestselling novel on LitRes; which is the biggest e-book seller in Russia. 

We spoke to Professor Robert Hassan, an academic who specialises in studies of Media and Communication at the University of Melbourne about the enduring popularity of Orwell’s novel.