What We Are Reading Today: ‘Animal Farm’ story of a group of farm animals

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Updated 29 November 2022
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What We Are Reading Today: ‘Animal Farm’ story of a group of farm animals

  • A memorable quote from the book says, “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others”

“Animal Farm” is a satirical and allegorical beast fable written by George Orwell, and first published in 1945 in England.

Unlike other beast fables, Orwell added human characters to show that oppression in animals and humans is one and the same.

The book focusses on farm animals who one day realize the extreme oppression and living conditions they are experiencing under the power exercised by their human farmer.

The animals envision a society where they can live as equals with free will, and they plan a rebellion.

A memorable quote from the book says, “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.” Orwell argues that in 1945 England — when the book was set — moral discrepancies in society were apparent and obvious enough that it seemed like the eternal norm at the time.

The book sheds light on all forms of totalitarianism, and the socio-political repercussions which follow.

The social criticism referred to in “Animal Farm” also extended to the Soviet Union under Communist rule and the Russian Revolution of 1917.

The dystopian theme continues in other Orwell books, such as “1984,” which highlights the future of humanity bereft of justice and equality.

“Animal Farm” sold 250,000 copies when it was first published in 1945. As of today, the book has sold more than 11 million copies worldwide.

George Orwell was the pen name adopted by Eric Arthur Blair who was best known for his political satire. An essayist, novelist, and critic, he was born in India, studied at Eton College, and was buried in England.

He was the pupil of Aldous Huxley, the English writer who set the scene for the dystopian genre.

 

 


What We Are Reading Today: ‘What Do You Want Out of Life?’ by Valerie Tiberius

Updated 02 July 2025
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What We Are Reading Today: ‘What Do You Want Out of Life?’ by Valerie Tiberius

What do you want out of life? To make a lot of money—or work for justice? To have children—or travel the world? The things we care about in life—family, friendship, leisure activities, work, our moral ideals—often conflict, preventing us from doing what matters most to us.

Even worse, we don’t always know what we really want, or how to define success. Blending personal stories, philosophy, and psychology, this insightful and entertaining book offers invaluable advice about living well by understanding your values and resolving the conflicts that frustrate their fulfillment.


What We Are Reading Today: ‘Wildlife of the Eastern Caribbean’

Updated 01 July 2025
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What We Are Reading Today: ‘Wildlife of the Eastern Caribbean’

Authors: Steve Holliday and Gill Holliday

This is the first photographic field identification guide to Eastern Caribbean birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, land crabs, dragonflies, and butterflies.

Beautiful and easy-to-use, the guide covers 17 island groups stretching from the Virgin Islands south through the Lesser Antilles, from Anguilla to Grenada, where a unique range of flora and fauna evolved in relative isolation.

Around 30 percent of all the species included are endemic to the region. 

For each island group there is a list of endemic and “don’t miss” species.


What We Are Reading Today: ‘African Modernism’

Updated 30 June 2025
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What We Are Reading Today: ‘African Modernism’

Edited by: Manuel Herz

The late 1950s and early 1960s saw a large number of central and sub-Saharan African countries gaining independence, and one of the key ways in which they expressed their newly established national identity was through distinctive architecture.

Parliament buildings, stadiums, universities, central banks, convention halls, and other major public buildings and housing projects were built in daring, even heroic designs.

“African Modernism” takes a close look at the relationship between these cutting-edge architectural projects, according to a review on goodreads.com. The book will be of interest to historians of architecture and students alike.


What We Are Reading Today: ‘A Leaf Unturned’: Short story collection explores questions of identity, social constraint

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Updated 30 June 2025
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What We Are Reading Today: ‘A Leaf Unturned’: Short story collection explores questions of identity, social constraint

  • “Saifi is an accomplished writer with a deep understanding of the human condition, particularly when it comes to themes of desire, identity, and societal constraint

Author: Shamim Saifi

“A Leaf Unturned” is the English translation of a collection of short stories originally written in Urdu by Shamim Saifi, one of India’s leading short story writers.

The stories were originally published by Bihar Urdu Academy under the title “Ek Warq,” and have been translated by Syed Sarwar Hussain, a professor of English at Riyadh’s King Saud University who has translated several books of renowned Indian and Pakistani writers.

Shamim Saifi.

Saifi, who died in 1994 while serving as a High Court judge, demonstrates a deep understanding of the human psyche, particularly in relation to themes of identity, and the struggles of individuals living on the margins of society.

The collection contains 12 short stories, each with a different flavor of writing, but all rich in symbolism and often with a stream-of-consciousness pattern that allows readers to follow each character’s inner thought process.

The stories offer a distinctive kaleidoscope of Joycean surrealism, Kafkaesque existentialism, and Faulknerian symbolism.

Sarwar Hussain writes in his introduction: “Shamim Saifi’s work is marked by its ability to evoke strong emotional responses and its keen insight into the complex intersections between personal desire, societal expectations, and existential crises.

“Saifi is an accomplished writer with a deep understanding of the human condition, particularly when it comes to themes of desire, identity, and societal constraint. His writing is rich in symbolism and emotional resonance, making him a writer whose work invites introspection and reflection.”

The book is available on Amazon.in and Kindle.

 


What We Are Reading Today: ‘Grasshoppers, Locusts, and Crickets of the World’

Updated 29 June 2025
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What We Are Reading Today: ‘Grasshoppers, Locusts, and Crickets of the World’

Edited by Martin Husemann and Oliver Hawlitschek

Grasshoppers, locusts, crickets, bush crickets, and katydids make up the order of insects known as Orthoptera.

Although there about 30,000 species of Orthoptera around the world, many people pay little attention to them and even scientists know relatively little about them.

Yet the world of grasshoppers is a fascinating and diverse one.