Received the book in quick order. I'm no old book evaluator but is in very good condition. Only one dog-eared page in the upper corner; another page with dog ear fold at the lower corner and the same page with 2 mid page dull folds; all others are in good order. No writings in the book. Pages are yellowed as expected for its age. Front cover is folded at the spine consistent with age & wear but is not torn. The spine has very minor folds with little loss of print. The same version that my classmates had in high school in 1970. Somebody took very good care of it. I always wanted to read the book. It's fitting for the past & current sociopolitical time.

I just love Orwell's writing and I actually reread this and have lost count. This is a fantastic way to delve into Orwellian literature, since it's a novella and it won't burden you like a novel. Orwell is known for his political commentary and satirical style of writing. So, beware! Similarities may be found and they are purely coincidental or inspired from real events. To appreciate Orwell's writings, one needs to have a clear mentality and neutral mindset. So happy reading!

This is a book that I always considered more of a junior high level read, though I have just read it (I am 29). On the surface the story is entertaining and enjoyable. However, as with similar books (e.g. 1984, Fahrenheit 451, Darkness at Noon, etc) once one gets past the story, which was composed to carry the deeper message, you begin to think critically about what the author is really trying to communicate. I have read historical works regarding the Soviet Union and to see the near exact same events and methodologies evolving/being presented in such an otherwise entertaining way is really interesting. To me, this would be an excellent introductory text to Soviet history, just to the the students' feet wet, so to speak. After reading this book I began to wonder. ... MoreThis is a book that I always considered more of a junior high level read, though I have just read it (I am 29). On the surface the story is entertaining and enjoyable. However, as with similar books (e.g. 1984, Fahrenheit 451, Darkness at Noon, etc) once one gets past the story, which was composed to carry the deeper message, you begin to think critically about what the author is really trying to communicate. I have read historical works regarding the Soviet Union and to see the near exact same events and methodologies evolving/being presented in such an otherwise entertaining way is really interesting. To me, this would be an excellent introductory text to Soviet history, just to the the students' feet wet, so to speak. After reading this book I began to wonder. Orwell was an avid socialist, though he wrote Animal Farm and 1984 as a form of protest against dictatorship, communism, and totalitarianism. I began to wonder if this story was not only Orwell's jab at Soviet totalitarianism, but also against capitalism. Traditionally capitalists are represented by pigs, and in Animal Farm the pigs run the newly acquired farm in a manner reminiscent of some factory owners of the late 19th and early 20th century. For me, this book made me really contrast the totalitarian oppression of the Soviet Union and the capitalistic oppression of extreme capitalism (exploiting workers for the benefit of the owner). I won't make a statement on how appropriate or valid such a comparison is, but I will say that I have begun to see things in a slightly different light after reading this story. This is the type of book that allows the reader to experience something new and gives him/her just enough guidance and information to critically think about the implications of what happens in the story and how it may or may not apply to our current situations. This was a short read, and not a very deep read, but what it lacks in presented depth it makes up for by how it catapults the reader into thoughts of different possibilities.