George Galloway on John Cornford

Having recently blogged about the Spanish Civil War, I've just found via BBC iPlayer this radio programme on John Cornford. George Galloway sings the poet's praises, with contributions from the leading expert on anglophone Spanish Civil War poetry, Stan Smith. Not surprisingly given his own politics (and character), Galloway is more interested in Cornford as activist than as poet; but ably supported by Smith and Matthew Parris, he shows an impressive depth of knowledge about Cornford's life and works. The programme is worth half an hour of anyone's time.

And here, via today's Guardian, is George Orwell's magnificent account of being shot through the neck during the Spanish Civil War. 'The whole experience of being hit by a bullet is very interesting...'