Yep, one or more of his works is standard in Canadian public high schools as I recall. This time my read was The Road to Wigan Pier, which touches on some of the same themes in the context of coal miners in the 30s. He has a whole section on why socialism at the time didn't seem to be making any headway with the miners and why socialism had become a sort of dirty word that would make people instinctively recoil at the mention, even if it was something that when explained properly should appeal to them. I didn't like how he was blaming "vegetarians and sandal wearers" and other urban fringe people for scaring people away; they need liberation too.