Animal Farm by George Orwell (Audiobook Review)

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Title: Animal Farm
Author: George Orwell
Narrator: Patrick Tull
Publisher: Recorded Books
Duration: 3 hours, 12 minutes
Copyright: 1987
Genres: classic fiction, commentary, satire
Filed in: audiobook reviews
Review copy provided by Carrollton Public Library.

THE GIST: It’s every farmer’s worst nightmare! The over-worked and abused animals of Manor Farm finally decided that enough was enough and revolted against their cruel master. Poor old Jones never had a chance; the bizarre behavior of his animals caught him and his hired men so completely by surprise, that they were run off the property before they knew what hit them. Even when Jones came back later with more men, they were no match for the pent-up fury and frustration of the newly liberated animals.

The animals can hardly believe how easily the dictatorship of Jones was overthrown. They proudly tour the borders of the farm and decide to re-christen their new territory “Animal Farm." Their new-found freedom is even better than they had hoped, and a simple list of commandments is drawn up to ensure the continued freedom and equality of all animals.

“Animal Farm" soon becomes a utopia, with all of the animals sharing in the work and the reward. The pigs, being the smartest of the farm animals, become the natural leaders and handle the planning. They decide what crops to plant, when to harvest, and get the other animals organized into effective work groups. “Animal Farm” becomes a model of efficiency and the harvests that first year are the most bountiful the farm has ever seen.

Their happy time is short-lived, however. The leaders of “Animal Farm” begin to get greedy. Some of the animals begin to notice that the pigs are doing less and less work,while taking more and more profit. What’s more, it seems like the commandments that were drafted to govern the farm are changing, literally overnight while the animals sleep. Before long, the hard working animals of “Animal Farm” realize that they have traded one ruthless master for another.

MY THOUGHTS: George Orwell is as shrewd as he is cynical. If you ever want to see, in a nutshell, how nations and governments rise and fall, you should definitely read “Animal Farm.” Orwell covers everything: a revolution, drafting a constitution, a military coup, a labor strike, propaganda, and trade agreements. And he does it all so cleverly, that if you’re not paying attention you may just enjoy the story without even noticing the satire.

NARRATOR: Patrick Tull is a fine audiobook narrator. He has a mild British accent and reads in a style that is animated without sounding like a cartoon. He actually reminds me a lot of Rob Inglis, the excellent narrator of Tolkien’s "Lord of the Rings" audiobooks.

FINAL WORD: I think everyone should read “Animal Farm” at least once. If you're like me, you might need a little help understanding some of the allegory and symbolism, but it’s worth the effort. A good story with a good narrator, I highly recommend this audiobook.

CHECK OUT THESE OTHER AUDIOBOOK REVIEWS:
1984 by George Orwell (Audiobook Review)
For Us the Living by Robert Heinlein (Audiobook Review)
The Jungle by Upton Sinclair (Audiobook Review)


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This audiobook review is based on the unabridged audiobook.
Audiobook review by Steven Brandt
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