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Summary: The Best Version of Orwell's Classic
Review: What do you do with "Animal Farm"? It's a tad too short to stand on its own, but far too important to only appear as part of an anthology. In its 50th Anniversary Edition, Harcourt Brace comes up with the perfect solution: make it into a children's book. The trade size and large type gives this edition the eerily appropriate look of bedtime story, and the accompanying watercolors by Ralph Steadman (illustrator emeritus of all things swinish) are a perfect touch. The extra material-two prefaces, one a translation back into English from the circa 1947 Ukranian edition-is somewhat superfluous, but doesn't detract from the overall effect. This is the best version of Orwell's classic.
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Summary: Based on Russians
Review: This book is a metaphor for Russia. Because Soviets are swine.Give it up for Bang Daddy.
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Summary: A Timeless Reminder of Our Short Memory
Review: George Orwell is doubtless one of the great thinkers of the 20th century. With Animal Farm, he cements himself as a pithy and moralistic speaker for a tumultous sociopolitical era. Animal Farm, amazingly written so soon after WWII, when much of the West was still blind to the horrors of Russian communism, not to mention the truths behind the failing experiment. Orwell is a historian who analyzes history as it occurs - a risky endeavor, but his exceptional capacity for discerning truth from chaos and for clairvoyance are unrivaled. Animal Farm tells the story of farm animals who rebel against their master and set out to achieve an animal utopia based on equality, hard work, and good will. As their project is executed, though, it reveals features reflexive of human evolution - greed, ambition, the need to chart differences and draw borders, and the eternal desire to have dominion over all others. Animal Farm is not only a good general outline of human political flaws, but also a keen study in some of Red Communism's specifics. Orwell shows knowledge of his subject, not settling for vague inferences and over-obvious dichotomies. Rather, his satiro-ideological allegory portrays the entire social spectrum of masters and slaves, rulers and masses, idealogues and tyrants. A great counter to the Communist Manifesto, it answers with enough verbal economy and irony.
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Summary: In praise of freedom
Review: This book is the best educational tool of the value of freedom and what happens when we choose to compromise it in favor of other "higher" goals of society. It is an old world political novel, which serves to remind us of what the world used to be like, and what it can look like if we are not careful.
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Summary: Great
Review: It is a short book but full of symbolism. George Orwell has written many other great books like 1984 and his writings are always interesting.
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Summary: Failed Utopia
Review: George Orwell writes about a society that parallels the Soviet Union in his satirical novel, Animal Farm, where the animals revolt against their cruel master and form a new society based on the same principles as communism.
After the animals' revolt and the formation of Animal Farm, the animals' name for their society, things start to look up. But as with the real Soviet Union, the leadership begins to become corrupt, conditions deteriorate, and freedoms slowly slip away. By the time anyone outside the leadership realizes what is happening, it may be too late.
This interesting and easy to read book provides fascinating political commentary on Orwell's time-period and the failures of communism (specifically the USSR). The reader's ability to see where things are going and the ability to spot the parallels of the characters from the novel in history only enhances the book and George Orwell gets his point across without mentioning the Soviet Union, its leaders, or communism even once. His warnings on the dangers of any form of totalitarianism show through in his writing, and this book almost reads like 1984 (another Orwell classic) in parts.
Those who read this looking for a happy fairy tale where a bunch of talking animals live in an utopia of their making will probably not be satisfied, nor will the story be rewarding if the reader ignores the historical context of the novel. But if you're looking for an interesting novel and don't mind the constant reminder that this was meant as a political commentary, you will probably enjoy this book.
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Summary: Animal Farm Helps [a religious group] wake up...
Review: Animal Farm is a GREAT TOOL for getting [a religious group] to wake up from L Ron Hubbard's madness.... It does not mention [a religious group], however, the techniques used will resonate with any current staff or public [religious group]. This book would make a GREAT gift to that person you love whom you WISH was not in [a religious group]..... You might also suggest that they watch the movie "The Truman Show" and "The Matrix", but make sure that they read Orwell's Animal Farm.... The life you save might be a loved one. Arnie Lerma...
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Summary: Are animals really this smart?
Review: I have just recently finished reading the book Animal Farm, written by George Orwell, that I have given a four star rating. George Orwell's intriguing beginning of this book earned my first star. It all starts out on a cold night when Mr. Jones goes in the house without noticing that the gate to the animal barn was left unlocked. This automatically got my imagination zooming on what could happen with the gate unlocked. The farm has a pig resident named Old Major. His real name is Willingdon Beauty. He is a prize winning middle-white boar OWNED by Mr. Jones. He has thick fur/hair with black and white spots. Old Major likes to share his dreams with the farm, because he feels that they have great and powerful meanings. He is very respected on the farm. The detail in this book is so grand. George Orwell does a great job explaining the farm when he describes Old Majors' living space. The detailing earned two more of the four stars. Most books you read only give settings at some of the locations in the book, but, this book details almost every change of setting. The fourth and final star I give this book goes to the author's credit. He deserves this star for putting forth the effort to give us this amazing piece of literature.
The only reason I did not give this book a fifth star is because no book is perfect, there is always things that can be added to it. I would have liked to have felt a happier atmosphere or lighter feeling while reading the book. I give this book an age rating of eight and up. ANIMAL FARM IS A WINNER!
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Summary: Animals are smarter than we think!
Review: Animal Farm is about a farm that is taken over by it's underfed & underloved animal's, who are tired of being used without any recognition.Their mission is to kick the owner off of the Manor Farm, and claim it their very own "Animal farm."They work very hard to diminish the human race,as they maintain the farm.They work and work with only one thought on their mind."Four legs good, two legs bad." Will they throw the entire human race off the face of this earth?There was one character in the book that really touched me;Old Major was a father-like figure to all of the animals he often told them to stand up for their rights.And he often spoke of the better days where animals will be treated equally and with the respect they deserve.It really saddend me when old major told everyone: "what is the nature of this life of ours?""Let's face it our lives are miserable,laborious,and short."I felt really bad,I will definitely treat all my animal's with extra love from now on.I recomend this book to any one who loves animals or who just loves adventure!
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Summary: Review for Animal Farm
Review: This book is about a group of mad animals that try to take over their owner's farm. At first, everything goes well, and everyone cooperate with each other. But, as time passes, trouble occurs and life gets hard. Read the book to find out what will happen next!
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