Ratings112
Average rating4.3
THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY of George Orwell's birth has brought these two groundbreaking novels together for the first time, along with a revealing new introduction by Christopher Hitchens.
ALL ANIMALS ARE EQUAL BUT SOME ANIMALS ARE MORE EQUAL THAN OTHERS
George Orwell's classic satire of the Russian Revolution is the account of the bold struggle, initiated by the animals, that transforms Mr. Jones's Manor Farm into Animal Farm—a wholly democratic society built on the credo that All Animals Are Created Equal. Out of their cleverness, the pigs Napoleon, Squealer, and Snowball emerge as leaders of the new community in a subtle evolution that proves disastrous. The climax is the brutal betrayal of the faithful horse Boxer, when totalitarian rule is reestablished with the bloodstained postscript to the founding slogan: But Some Animals Are More Equal Than Others.
WAR IS PEACE. FREEDOM IS SLAVERY IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH.
In 1984, London is a grim city where Big Brother is always watching you and the Thought Police can practically read your mind. Winston is a man in grave danger for the simple reason that his memory still functions. Drawn into a forbidden love affair, Winston finds the courage to join a secret revolutionary organization called The Brotherhood, dedicated to the destruction of the Party. Together with his beloved Julia. he hazards his life in a death match against the powers that be.
--front flap
Reviews with the most likes.
One of the best book I have read.
Animal Farm
Great dramatization of the very heavy idea that “Absolute power is likely to Corrupt Absolutely!”
I have read this book multiple times and would read it again because every time I read I gain new insights into human nature and the civilization/government game.
What's more, the novel ends with a quote so true that it still gives me chills.
“The creatures 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”.
I also recommend going through - http://study.com/academy/lesson/allegory-in-animal-farm-characters-examples.html to understand the Animal Farm analogies.
1984
I enjoyed my journey throughout the book, it was full of mixed feeling with a common thread of Depression.
The best part of this book is THE GOVERNMENT ! ‘he who controls the past controls the future, and he who controls the present controls the past'.
We are all living in ‘depression' This book gives new meaning to Depression. Though I know there is a ray of hope somewhere :)
Overall Orwell's fantasy is all too realistic. It fails both as fantasy and prophesy.
Must read books ! Highly recommended to all my reader friends.
I am not a reader, but Animal Farm and 1984 changed something in me.
Found them on the list of once banned book, I was curious enough to try to read them. I've read the premise and thought no way this is that serious. It proved me wrong. I thoroughly enjoyed it. The ideas expressed in the books were something I faintly familiar with but reading them in these organized and structured story, it made me reflected them on a deeper level. It hit me hard, especially the last line of them. I am aware that the author was writing based on the world's situation back then. Still, to me, it is quite remarkable how much resemblance the ideas in the books have with everything going in today age. Reading them made me understand why they were banned and why they are considered as classics. I am grateful to have stumbled upon these books and gave them read.
A must read classic
Story of mighty rule of dystopian government where even thinking against the party is a crime. The books starts rather slow, introducing each character but the later part is dynamic and it makes you stop, sit and read. Dialogue between O'Brian and Winston is epic. It asks you is the system presented is utter failure or complete success?
Very well written and enjoyable to read even without understanding the allegory and satire. Even better when you do.
I have a feeling I'll read this book at least a few more times in the future, we shall see.