Animal Farm: A Novel (An HBJ modern classic)

I snuck in another novella as I finished “Last Breath” while I was on lunch at work yesterday so needed something else to read on my Kindle. Somehow in all my years as a reader I’ve never read “Animal Farm”. I don’t know how it’s managed to pass me by. Similar to “1984” I was struck by how prescient Orwell’s writing is. Considering it was said to have been written in around 1943-44 he could have been writing about now. Napoleon was definitely reminding me of a certain US President. I would definitely recommend people to consider reading this as it is very much a reminder of being careful about the media you are consuming and the lies that are being pedalled that just a little bit of thought and independent research would show you are definitely lies. It’s a very short read and shows just how quickly power can corrupt and how harmful that pursuit of absolute power can be for the people at the bottom. An important read that I can’t believe I’ve never read before.

Animal Farm by George Orwell is a literary gem that continues to captivate and resonate with readers even decades after its initial publication. This brilliant allegorical novella takes you on a thought-provoking journey into a farm where animals revolt against their human oppressors, only to discover that power corrupts absolutely. Orwell's writing is both accessible and profound, making it a must-read for all ages. The characters, though animals, are brilliantly crafted to represent various facets of human nature and society. As the story unfolds, you'll find yourself drawn into the struggles, triumphs, and ultimately, the tragic consequences of the animals' pursuit of freedom and equality. What truly sets Animal Farm apart is its timeless relevance. Orwell's critique of totalitarianism, propaganda, and the corrupting influence of power is as pertinent today as it was when the book was first published. This book serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of political manipulation and the importance of remaining vigilant in the face of oppressive regimes. In addition to its thought-provoking content, Animal Farm is a quick and engaging read. It's perfect for those who appreciate allegorical storytelling that challenges the status quo. Whether you're a literature enthusiast or someone looking to explore the darker aspects of human nature and politics, Animal Farm deserves a place on your bookshelf. It's a powerful, haunting, and brilliantly crafted work that will leave you pondering its message long after you've turned the final page. Highly recommended!

I loved the book very interesting but it was quite short and the author does have decent books as well

great classic

So I'm definitely reading a novella to try and reach my book goal. However, this book did surprise me. I thought it would be one of those hyped up classics. But it was actually a really thought provoking book. I did have an idea of what the book was going to be about beforehand. Since it's often spoken about or referenced. Even so I still learnt a lot from finally reading it myself. Plus with such a short page count it's hardly a big commitment. No regrets, if you have been debating it, give it a go.

Very relevant to today and perfectly written. Everyone should read Animal Farm

I wanted to read this book because when I was at school I'm pretty sure my English class was the only group that didn't study it, and I always felt a little left out! I felt I was missing out on something not only great, but also something that everyone would understand references to.. but me! Going into this story, I knew the gist of it, and after reading the first chapter, I know it was going to be a quick read. I know why they read it in year 8 - it is such a simple political allegory to follow! However, the simplicity of the text is not to be criticized, because it actually highlights Orwell's genius! To be able to so concisely write about revolution (with particular reference to the Soviet revolution) and yet make it comprehensible to people of varying reading age/ability, backgrounds, and education is remarkable. This is a story with a point - a warning - about particular aspects of revolution, totalitarianism and fascism, and yet both a 10 year old and a 60 year old can get message through the same enjoyment. Like the book or not, it should be recognized for that great feat at least. I did enjoy it, a lot. The accompanying appendixes were also interesting - an insight into what Orwell thought about the censorship of his novella at the early stages of publication, and about literary censorship in general - as well as an interesting personal foreword that Orwell wrote for editions for displaced Ukrainians living in camps in Germany. The introduction by Malcolm Bradbury and the Notes on a Text by Peter Davison were both interesting insights to the reception of the novel, as well as some of the author's thoughts and commentary about the text. Well worth a read, though I chose to read it afterwards because there were a couple of spoilers. Overall, really good, and I will certainly read more Orwell in the future. It turns out I really did miss out all those years ago!

Great book, son loved it, nice simple front cover..

Great book

Great story! Nothing I say in this review can say anything that has not already been said better by so many people before me. Therefore I will just say that this specific clothbound classic edition is of the quality and beauty worthy of this classic story!

I started reading Animal Farm with a prejudice that I incurred through my academic career as a teacher of English Literature. I mean, the allegory stuff. The matter of solidified criticism in the book is the communist totalitarianism in Europe. However, this view received a serious self-analysis as I reached Chapter-3. I realized that George Orwell has created a marvel of literary art with his animals that ran a farm in England. The animals spoke English too, and like many other instances like hoisting a flag or singing an anthem, it didn't feel odd. The "fairy tale" model has worked immensely for Mr. Orwell. A Fairy Story is the subtitle of Animal Farm,and aptly so. This subtitle not just gives a space for philosophical discussions, but it also renders to the story technical perfection. How efficiently George Orwell represented human realities using animals is the key factor any student of writing might find fascinating and useful in this book. Animal Farm allegorizes many cultural stereotypes and not just political systems. A novella in size, Animal Farmmade George Orwell popular. George Orwell had written books such as Burmese Days (1934), Down and Out in Paris and London (1933), The Road to Wigen Pier (1937) and Coming Up for Air, before Animal Farm. Orwell's life changed, as a writer, with the publication of Animal Farm. Another book that followed asserted his popularity. This book was titled Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949). Animal Farmends with the shattering of hopes and irredeemable desperation. The leaders of the revolution, drained of all the ideological zeal appear to be profit mongering megalomaniacs. They become "too practical", to use a terminology from popular culture. Animal Farmends with an apt scene that exemplifies this. "The creatures from outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which." This scene narrates a confusion. No confusion, however, can be felt as a reader. It's crystal clear that the leadership of the animals have compromised. They no longer resemble the folk that started it all through the Rebellion. Yes, a rebellion with a capital R. Three philosophical quantum moments mark the body of the Animal Farmwith transcendental wisdom. I am not sure if Orwell had any intention to tell a story that was oriented in higher consciousness and the awareness of the Source. These three philosophical quantum moments help us tune into an unforgettable wavelength of higher consciousness through the story of animals that play human roles. These three quantum moments appear as follows: 1. Rebellion 2. The seven commandments 3. Banquet with humans. The Rebellion with a capital R serves the distinct purpose of establishing the harmony with an awareness that comes to Major through a dream-experience. Remember that this book is nothing else but animals pretending to run a world of humans. Plus, it's an allegory. This means, once we succeed in seeing through the maze of meaning in Animal Farm these concepts and nuggets of awareness can be assimilated into our personal lives too. This, I believe is the great historical value of Animal Farm. One receives the visionary idea about a political system that is going nowhere, but to the doom of its inhabitants, and at the same time can see through the meaning, the essence of human spiritual experience. Animal Farm, in this regard, is a deeply spiritual book. The best example for this experience is the scene of Major giving the lecture to the animals in the barn about an ideal society. The society resembles Thomas Moore's Utopia and Carl Marx's socialist state. However, the spiritual side of the book tells us to look into this scene and see why all those inhabitants find Major's concept of ideal society inviting. A harmony is at play here. The animals of the farm find themselves aligned with Promised Land that until then only existed in Major’s head. In Animal Farm, this Promised Land seems to be within the territory of Manor Farm. Only they have to bring it into life through their active participation. By giving the animals an anthem, Major extols the role of imagining a society where all animals are equal. Major has clearly attained a glance at his higher consciousness. It is from there he receives the dream as well as the anthem song, which he himself affirms to be lost in the chaos of childhood memories. Major represents any individual deriving his or her knowledge from one’s conscience. And conscience, as Dr. Viktor E Frankl points out connects our physical self with higher self. The farm animals feel the resonance with their needs and the dreams shared by Major. The Seven Commandments are written on the wall of the barn where Major first spoke of the dream of a society sustained in equality. This happens after the Rebellion. The Rebellion is a decisive moment that acts like a bridge between a dream and its manifestation into reality. As a result, the excited animals of the farm rename the farm as Animal Farm and assemble under the seven commandments. First commandment reads: “Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy.” Engraved in the first commandment is the commitment the animals make towards building their new society—destroying humans. At one point, the animals start addressing the way of life they dream for themselves as “animalism”. Battling humans is the central treatise of animalism. Gradually, these set of maxims undergo subtle changes. Although the rest of the farm animals notice the change, they are unable to place their finger on the problem. As the time passes, the seven commandments that served as the semiotic map in preserving the ideal society dreamed by Major, the boar, undergoes manipulation and abandonment. The pigs appear as the ruling class, with Napoleon, a boar as their head. The pinnacle of manipulation appears as the seventh commandment that originally read: “All animals are equal,” is transfigured into “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.” This scene evidently portrays the death of a realm imagined and attempted by the animals. Animals in this book are not merely animals; they are allegorical figures. This brings the thematic significance of seven commandments and the equality concept closer to human experience. The idea of a grand social order based on justice and equality is pure energy waiting to burst through and manifest into physicality. The manipulation of the seven commandments is the intervention of self-centered thinking and corruption blemishing the original idea. Eventually, the banquet with humans transforms the pigs into human-like, at least in the eyes of the observing animals. This event shuts the doors and puts the seal on the ideal notion of a society where everyone is equal. None of the animals in the farm feel aligned with the new notion that humans are better and that animals should work with them in order to progress. Napoleon announces some staggering changes in the running of the farm as well. Here is the time to unveil the spiritual lesson engraved in George Orwell’s Animal Farm. The pure creative energy that originates from the Source of all Being appears through Major and his dream. However, in its application, the animals fail to access the levels of success they dreamed the project would bring. The result would have been different if the animals had remained truly aligned throughout with the Divine creative energy that creates thoughts and manifests itself through dreams. In other words, instead of letting the Diving creative energy taking control of them, the ruling class of the animal farm takes control of the destiny of the farm animals. Perhaps, the ideal society was just a dream. But one is not sure. Each moment, every one of us covets to take hold of our own ideal worlds. The truth is no one can have it until we let our higher self resonates with the Source energy, call it god, Krishna, or Allah. Only our complete resonance with that energy can let the creation happen with the dreams we had manifested into the physical reality.

Ein Klassiker – Kommentar überflüssig. Leider ist das Buch auch heute noch erschreckend aktuell.

A must read. It will make reader to ponder and reflect.