January 2017 ... Animal Farm (1 Viewer)

[Allan & Loren]

Book Club Members and the month for their book choice.
Jim ..October .. Touching the Void, Joe Simpson
CWH .. November .. A Painted House, John Grisham
Allan & Loren .. December .. Rosa's Gold, Ray Kingfisher
Portland .. January 2017 .. Animal Farm, George Orwell
Hills and Glenns .. February
Jenben .. March
Archie 2000 .. April
Cat53 .. May
Dizzy Izzy .. June
Indy 259 .. July
Jandek .. August
Teasy2007 .. September
Movan.. October
Jumartoo .. November
Rolly .. December
The Old Man .. January 2018
mjltigger .. February
John Laidler .. March
Tick59 .. April
Karlc .. May
Kcy .. June
Motorhome mart .. July
Clive ... August

Everyone welcome to join, just let me know so I can add you to the list and if you decide to leave the book club same thing applies.

Book Club Rules
1. No discussions until the end of the month unless we have all finished the book.
2. Everyone should be respectful of other people's opinions and not get into personal arguments only healthy, respectful discussions.

 

[movan]

Welcome Clive of book. Wouldn't normally have read this again. So thanks
@Portland am enjoying your choice

 

[movan]

How is it going everybody? Been a bit hectic at my end since Christmas but enjoying it and taking it in more than I did when we HAD to study it at school......

Lurving this book club.

Any new members please go to our General book club thread and put your name down ... we would love to see you. Link Removed here

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[archie2000]

Finished the book Joy. It was really strange because every time I picked it up to start reading ,I resented the fact I had to read it. My brain went into back to school mode..
Glad I read it though. I remember it as hard going, I suppose because it was a drag having to read something you didn't want to.. Written in a very simplistic way I thought this time round, surprised me.

Thanks for choosing it Portland

 

[movan]

Finished the book Joy. It was really strange because every time I picked it up to start reading ,I resented the fact I had to read it. My brain went into back to school mode..
Glad I read it though. I remember it as hard going, I suppose because it was a drag having to read something you didn't want to.. Written in a very simplistic way I thought this time round, surprised me.

Thanks for choosing it Portland

Lol Anne... I was the same .. English lessons kept coming into my mind. Like you I thought how simplistic the language was .. which is good for me.

 

[CWH]

Just a bit of a heads-up reminder to everybody - including myself!

I've been a bit busy so haven't started Animal Farm yet but should be able to at the end of the week.
Trouble is, I usually read in bed but I've persuaded myself I am going to listen to this as an audio-book & I don't really want to take my laptop to bed with me!

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[movan]

Great minds. Came on to remind people. Am in van and went on kindle last night to continue reading and no charge .... aaaagh. Will go back to it again tonight.

 

[Allan & Loren]

Ive not quite finished it yet either as I got side tracked part way. Should be done by the end of the week.

 

[movan]

Finished and ready to review for want of better word when others finished.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Hils and Glenns]

I've not finished it either, but will be on the bus to Leeds tomorrow, an hour and a half each way so that should do it.

 

[CWH]

Finished and ready to review for want of better word when others finished.

Don't wait for us Joy, get your review posted and we can join in as and when we're ready

 

[Allan & Loren]

Agree, anyone ready to review don't wait for me, it won't spoil the read at all and I'll join in when I can

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[movan]

Well ... very basic review from me.... thoroughly enjoyed it this time round .. reading it with an 'adult head' as opposed to the emotional turmoil of youth .... and it is still relevant to today's world. ..

Easy reading style-wise, made me laugh, cry, enrage and feel every emotion possible. Could identify with the symbolism amongst people I know .. in fact I think it is my favourite Book Club read so far.

I have never seen a film or cartoon version of this book .. if indeed there are any ... but the visualisatin was intense .. and that final sentence left me traumatised for want of a better word.

I suddenly realised that THIS book may have started my longterm phobia and distaste of stuffed animals dressed as humans? Foxes in huntsman finery, pigs as butchers, . etc.

Will save any furthér comments until others come up.

Thanks @PORKSTER

 

[CWH]

I suddenly realised that THIS book may have started my longterm phobia and distaste of stuffed animals dressed as humans? Foxes in huntsman finery, pigs as butchers, . etc.

Oh I so agree... Even the paintings like this make me feel decidedly unwell. They have some in the restaurant part of one of the pubs here in Hawkshead, and I just cannot sit facing one of them.
I don't even like Beatrix Potter stuff...

 

[movan]

Oh I so agree... Even the paintings like this make me feel decidedly unwell. They have some in the restaurant part of one of the pubs here in Hawkshead, and I just cannot sit facing one of them.
I don't even like Beatrix Potter stuff...

Me neither!

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Hils and Glenns]

Hi I've finished it now. Like others I had a completely different head on reading it this time. I'm not sure I got the politics of it the first time round. I can't remember that I did anyway.
I'm glad I read this this again thank you Porkster.
On the one hand I'm glad to revisit it but on the other I found it very depressing because nothing has changed and if anything it's got worse and there doesn't seem to be any way out. Except maybe another revolution but then the story just starts again.

 

[movan]

Hi I've finished it now. Like others I had a completely different head on reading it this time. I'm not sure I got the politics of it the first time round. I can't remember that I did anyway.
I'm glad I read this this again thank you Porkster.
On the one hand I'm glad to revisit it but on the other I found it very depressing because nothing has changed and if anything it's got worse and there doesn't seem to be any way out. Except maybe another revolution but then the story just starts again.

Yes. Also more depressing because life experience has taught us to recognise the various personalities in the current world .... the hard working Boxer and his sad demise ... the stupid sheep ... the bird talking of a better place in the sky to which we will all go ... etc .. etc ...

Stephen King couldn't have ended it on a more shocking image .. but oh so true ...

Like you say nothing has changed and it is happening again at this very minute!

 

[Jandek]

I enjoyed reading it and like others feel I had a very different understanding than when read it last many years ago. Did find it a bit depressing in some ways as you knew what was inevitably going to happen and kept relating it to present politics. An excellent book . The final statement re all animals are equal etc is something you never forget.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[movan]

I enjoyed reading it and like others feel I had a very different understanding than when read it last many years ago. Did find it a bit depressing in some ways as you knew what was inevitably going to happen and kept relating it to present politics. An excellent book . The final statement re all animals are equal etc is something you never forget.

Yes. Even though it sort of animated in my mind's eye, I got upset when Boxer died. ... bit like in Bambi and Dumbo ...

 

[movan]

@PORKSTER have you finished it yet? What did you think?

@Langtoftlad

 

[PORKSTER]

@PORKSTER have you finished it yet? What did you think?

@Langtoftlad

???????

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[movan]

???????

Have you not read it! !! It's good. Someone recommended it as book of the month.

@Clive

 

[Hils and Glenns]

I've had Animal Farm on my mind. I think I'm a definite Benjamin character. Does that come with age? People seem to get a lift when we have an election and it looks like change is in the offing. I just think it's going to be the same but with another name. There is a lot of excitement around at the moment because a large part of the world has voted for change, but will it be better, or worse or the same?
Marxist theory says that lower classes cannot better themselves. This is why I found the book so depressing.

 

[PORKSTER]

Have you not read it! !! It's good. Someone recommended it as book of the month.

No I am not a book reader I will listen if you want to read it to me though lol

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[CWH]

" am not a book reader I will listen if you want to read it to me though lol"
No excuse @PORKSTER !

Free Audiobook on YouTube:

 

[PORKSTER]

" am not a book reader I will listen if you want to read it to me though lol"
No excuse @PORKSTER !

Free Audiobook on YouTube:

Has it pictures ?

 

[CWH]

Has it pictures ?

Well, if you must...

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Allan & Loren]

I have finally caught up and finished the book last night. I, like others, enjoyed reading this again as it took me back to my youth and my lovely English Teacher Mrs Jones. I thought it was a very simple, easy read and now, as an adult with much more life experience I found myself putting names and ex work colleagues into the characters. Sick and tired of all the poor treatment the animals rise up and decide they can protect and look after themselves much better, with mutual respect and totally equally. A wonderful sentiment and idealistic vision which unfortunately too soon collapses not only in the food privileges but also in the fight for ranking and recognition. Somewhere in the back of my head I seem to recall this was written as a metaphor of the Russian revolution but I thoroughly enjoyed the read and my own metaphors of ex work colleagues and their battles. Thank you for putting it forward as a book of the month.

 

[Portland]

I have finished it and my new take on it is very different from years ago when I likened it a sort of robin hood era with rich barons and down trodden serfs. This time the scheming and comforting of events are just as in a political drama, the trouble is that it's so true to life

 

[movan]

Living in a now very depressed town which was once a thriving town ... glass industries, coal mines, etc .. I also found myself thinking back and relating to episodes of my town's history when reading.

My daughter says I live in a world of nostalgia and need to realise we can never get back to what this country was when I was young .. that the world has changed too much.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}