# \[Very Off Topic\] Julia, a novel (Retelling Orwell's 1984 from Julia's PoV)

**URL:** https://discourse.julialang.org/t/very-off-topic-julia-a-novel-retelling-orwells-1984-from-julias-pov/105797
**Category:** Offtopic
**Created:** [November 4, 2023, 4:27pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/very-off-topic-julia-a-novel-retelling-orwells-1984-from-julias-pov/105797 "2023-11-04T16:27:03Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![cormullion](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/cormullion/32/49131_2.png) [@cormullion](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/cormullion)
#### Post date: [November 4, 2023, 4:27pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/very-off-topic-julia-a-novel-retelling-orwells-1984-from-julias-pov/105797/1 "2023-11-04T16:27:03Z")

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My local bookshop is promoting a book called Julia, by Sandra Newman, with an eye-catching cover. It’s a novel, re-telling the story of the character **Julia** in George Orwell’s famous book, “1984”.

 ![Screenshot 2023-11-04 at 16.10.46](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/original/3X/4/5/45b1b5f8f077f7d5e5552e6ceb6ff883284a39fd.png)

“1984” entered the public domain into 2021, since Orwell died in 1950. However, the Orwell Estate (“The Estate of the Late Sonia Brownell Orwell”) registered both the phrases “Big Brother is Watching You” and the name “Julia” as trademarks in 2021, in the UK. I think this means that you can’t use either of these phrases in your own “1984” dystopian fiction.

Inside Newman’s book “Julia” you’ll find the following legalese:

> “First published in Great Britain by Granta Books in 2023  
> Copyright © Sandra Newman, 2023  
> The trademarks for JULIA and NINETEEN EIGHTY-FOUR are used with the permission of the Orwell Estate.”

Browsing through the UK’s Intellectual Property Office website, there are entries for the trademark “Julia” registered both by Julia Computing:

 ![Screenshot 2023-11-04 at 15.58.56](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/original/3X/1/0/10055f08a34d4b0398aba8d4851cfdc69c1d2e27.png)

([https://trademarks.ipo.gov.uk/ipo-tmowner/page/search?id=1270196&domain=1&app=0&mark=UK00801433224](https://trademarks.ipo.gov.uk/ipo-tmowner/page/search?id=1270196&domain=1&app=0&mark=UK00801433224))

and by Sonia Orwell’s Estate:

 ![Screenshot 2023-11-04 at 15.58.32](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/original/3X/9/1/914e4c8db59981bb5dfe1d5242a9f0256b7ce910.png)

([https://trademarks.ipo.gov.uk/ipo-tmcase/page/Results/1/UK00003732744](https://trademarks.ipo.gov.uk/ipo-tmcase/page/Results/1/UK00003732744))

Both are registered under Class 9 - computer software. Julia Computing also has registered classes 38 and 42; the Orwell Estate has registered classes 16 and 41.

Anyway, my fleeting interest in trademark law has now dissipated… 🙂

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### Author: ![sylvaticus](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/sylvaticus/32/203883_2.png) [@sylvaticus](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/sylvaticus)
#### Post date: [November 4, 2023, 7:24pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/very-off-topic-julia-a-novel-retelling-orwells-1984-from-julias-pov/105797/2 "2023-11-04T19:24:08Z")

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Curiosity: the headquarter of Julia Computing is a residential home ? 🙂

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### Author: ![rafael.guerra](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/rafael.guerra/32/216610_2.png) [@rafael.guerra](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/rafael.guerra)
#### Post date: [November 4, 2023, 10:00pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/very-off-topic-julia-a-novel-retelling-orwells-1984-from-julias-pov/105797/3 "2023-11-04T22:00:14Z")

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> [@sylvaticus](#):
>
> the headquarter of Julia Computing is a residential home

[These people](https://www.piqueshow.com/home/2017/11/13/this-is-the-microsoft-staff-photo-from-1978)’s cousins used to work there.