Animal Farm
About this audiobook
Now an animated film adaptation produced and directed by Andy Serkis
George Orwell’s classic satire of the Russian Revolution has become an intimate part of our contemporary culture, with its treatment of democratic, fascist, and socialist ideals through an animal fable.
The animals of Mr. Jones’s Manor Farm are overworked, mistreated, and desperately seeking a reprieve. In their quest to create an idyllic society where justice and equality reign, the animals of Manor Farm revolt against their human rulers, establishing the democratic Animal Farm under the credo, “All Animals Are Created Equal.” Out of their cleverness, the pigs—Napoleon, Squealer, and Snowball—emerge as leaders of the new community. In a development of insidious familiarity, the pigs begin to assume ever greater amounts of power, while other animals, especially the faithful horse Boxer, assume more of the work. The climax of the story results in a brutal betrayal, when totalitarian rule is reestablished with the bloodstained postscript to the founding slogan: “But Some Animals Are More Equal than Others.”
This astonishing allegory, one of the most scathing satires in literary history, remains as fresh and relevant as the day it was published.
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About the author
George Orwell (1903–1950), the pen name of Eric Arthur Blaire, was an English novelist, poet, essayist, journalist, and literary critic. He is best known for his works of social criticism and opposition to totalitarianism. He also wrote nonfiction about his experiences in the working class and as a solder. His work remains influential in popular culture and in political culture, and the adjective “Orwellian,"describing totalitarian and authoritarian social practices, has become part of the English language. In 2008, the London Times named him the second-greatest British writer since 1945.
Andy Serkis is best known for revolutionising performance-capture acting with his portrayal of Gollum in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, a role that brought him international recognition. He went on to play King Kong in Peter Jackson’s King Kong, Caesar in the Planet of the Apes films, and Supreme Leader Snoke in Star Wars, among others. Additional credits include acclaimed performances in The Prestige, Black Panther and The Batman, as well as award-winning television programs such as Andor and Longford. Andy has also established himself as a director with films including Breathe, Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle, and Venom: Let There Be Carnage. His contributions to cinema have been recognised with a BAFTA Award for Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema, multiple Empire Awards, Saturn Awards, and a Daytime Emmy, along with several nominations from BAFTA and the Golden Globes. In 2011, he co-founded The Imaginarium Studios, a leading production and performance-capture company. Andy lives in London with his family.
