Product Description

Having got rid of their human master, the animals of Manor Farm look forward to a life of freedom and plenty. But as a clever, ruthless elite among them takes control, the other animals find themselves hopelessly ensnared in the old ways. Orwell's chilling story of the betrayal of idealism through tyranny and corruption, is as fresh and relevant today as when it was first published in 1945.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #12195 in Books
• Published on: 1998-09-03
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 112 pages

Review
Well-written, thought-provoking, funny and above all short, it is considered perfect for the attention span of the MTV generation. For those who have yet to have the pleasure it is a satire on Stalinism in which animals take over a farm. Inspired by the vision of the prize boar Old Major, the animals of Manor Farm rebel against their human masters and establish a model democratic community in which 'all animals are equal'. But power corrupts, and gradually the dictator pig, Napoleon, betrays the animals back into slavery. ('All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.') (Kirkus UK)

A modern day fable, with modern implications in a deceiving simplicity, by the author of Dickens. Dali and Others (Reynal & Hitchcock, p. 138), whose critical brilliance is well adapted to this type of satire. This tells of the revolt on a farm, against humans, when the pigs take over the intellectual superiority, training the horses, cows, sheep, etc., into acknowledging their greatness. The first hints come with the reading out of a pig who instigated the building of a windmill, so that the electric power would be theirs, the idea taken over by Napoleon who becomes topman with no maybes about it. Napoleon trains the young puppies to be his guards, dickers with humans, gradually instigates a reign of terror, and breaks the final commandment against any animal walking on two legs. The old faithful followers find themselves no better off for food and work than they were when man ruled them, learn their final disgrace when they see Napoleon and Squealer carousing with their enemies... A basic statement of the evils of dictatorship in that it not only corrupts the leaders, but deadens the intelligence and awareness of those led so that tyranny is inevitable. Mr. Orwell's animals exist in their own right, with a narrative as individual as it is apt in political parody. (Kirkus Reviews)

About the Author
George Orwell, real name Eric Blair, was born in 1903 in Bengal. He served with the Indian Imperial Police, and later came to Europe, doing a series of ill-paid jobs which led to his writing Down and Out in Paris and London. He fought in the Spanish Civil War for the Republicans, but in later years became disillusioned with the aims of Communism, which led to the writing of his two most famous political satires Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty Four, which were immensely popular. He died in 1950.

Customer Reviews

A Well Deserved Classic
Unlike other books which you are forced to read at school, or which are labelled classics and which turn out to be wildly disappointing, this book lives up to its hype.

It is a simple political allegory acted out in a farmyard setting with the animals deciding they have had enough of being 'ruled' by the farmer and that they could do a better, fairer job by themselves. Orwell charts their progress with its initial ups and final horrifying downs with a sense of wondrous glee which lifts this book out of the ordinary and well above the usual fairytale standards.

The book is simple, short and yet breathtakingly powerful. It has huge emotional impact and will stay with you long after reading it. I am glad that I didn't read it at school and discovered it later in my adult life when I could really appreciate it properly. This and 1984 are two of Orwell's greatest achievements and given the high standards of the rest of his output that is really saying something.

My fav ever book
I teach History, Politics and some English so this book is well ahead to start with. However i think it is the greatest English book ever writen Orwell is a master story teller. At 6 i thought this book was about Pigs and sheep, at 15 i understood it was about Russia, at 21 i understood it was about both Ruissa and European society as a whole and at 27 i understand that perhaps i dont really understand this book at all, because it can mean many different thing to many diffent people. That is Orwell's master stroke he never knew his books would still have an impact after the fall of dictatorships but his books speak more to us now than perhaps they ever did

Brilliant!!!
One of the greatest books ever! The animals bring a revolution and it goes all awry. Don't think this book is for or against any particular ideology as such (just like 1984) but a sheer brilliance of George Orwell the way he could spin the political stories. The theme was true when the World was dreading Communism and it is true today when we 'think' that 'Capitalism', 'Free Markets' or 'Neo Liberalism' is a revolution or utopia and a 'Nation' or two can lead rest of the humanity to bring prosperity or equality. The book will be true no matter what contemporary political ideology we try to apply to the World problems. Pigs (sorry Men) are so greedy and power hungry! Would be interesting to know what way out did Mr Orwell think of?