Animal Farm - George Orwell

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Title: Animal Farm Author: George Orwell Genre: Short-story, classics Rating: 7/10 # pages: 118 Date read: July, 2008

Summary: When the downtrodden beasts of Manor Farm oust their drunken human master and take over management of the land, all are awash in collectivist zeal. Everyone willingly works overtime, productivity soars, and for one brief, glorious season, every belly is full. The animals' Seven Commandment credo is painted in big white letters on the barn. All animals are equal. No animal shall drink alcohol, wear clothes, sleep in a bed, or kill a fellow four-footed creature. Those that go upon four legs or wings are friends and the two-legged are, by definition, the enemy. Too soon, however, the pigs, who have styled themselves leaders by virtue of their intelligence, succumb to the temptations of privilege and power.

Review: Reading "Animal Farm" reminded me a lot of reading "Wild Swans". I could recognize a lot of theories, a lot of ideologies and a lot of tactics. I would probably have gotten more out of it if I knew more about politics and the history of especially communism but also other 'isms. It's the age old story of power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. I doubt it would have worked in a longer book, but as a short-story or novelette it was very effective.

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