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1984 is a true classic because it is generally accepted to be such a classic by so many (with valid opinions). What more could you need?
Animal Farm was, to me, a simpler version of the same message that went through 1984. There were so many similarities. It's almost as though they are linked, and you must read both of them, not just one.

I've found that with all my reading, I don't particularly favour any author. I read the books. I don't go through the works of this writer or that author. The only one who's writing has ever stood out for me was Roald Dahl. And of course, Douglas Adams and his few loose screws.
I used to like detective novels and read a few of Ian Rankin's Rebus novels but then I decided that there's so many important and useful books that I can and want to read, that I just don't have time for Scottish Murder.

For me Homage to Catalonia is the most important Orwell, but then I'm biased I specialized in the Spanish Civil War at uni.

The Time Machine and War of the Worlds by HG Wells, read when I was very young. Opened my mind to the fact that books were in no way boring.

Then onto the classic gothic horrors such as Dracula and Frankenstein, which I read alongside the Marvel comics and Tales from the Crypt comics that I became obsessed with.

Then came my earnest youth - Animal Farm, On The Road, Absolute Beginners...

Then Stephen King (It being my favourite) rekindled my passion for horror and fantasy alongside Clive Barker (Great & Secret Show and Weaveworld being faves).

More recently, The First Psychic by Peter Lamont and Talking to the Dead by Barbara Weisburg neatly tie together (for me) my passions for mentalism, spooky goings-on (technical term), and Victoriana. And there we are back with HG Wells. Well done.

MagicBell wrote:1984 is a true classic because it is generally accepted to be such a classic by so many (with valid opinions). What more could you need?
Animal Farm was, to me, a simpler version of the same message that went through 1984. There were so many similarities. It's almost as though they are linked, and you must read both of them, not just one.

Animal Farm is a straight allegorical retelling of the Russian revolution up to the establishment of Stalinism. 1984 is Orwell's expansion on the theme of totalitarianism and how far it might go, and is a much more complex and meatier piece of work as a result.

I practically worshipped 1984 as a teenager, and therefore was obliged to adore Animal Farm because it was something very similar by the same author -- even though, really, I don't like it nearly as much. I recall being rather disappointed in other writings of Orwell because they didn't continue in the same vein. (Although I did enjoy Down and Out in Paris and London.)

My knowledge of the classics in general is rather poor and patchy, with the exceptions of the ones we read in school. I'm trying to fill in the gaps as time goes on. There are so many to choose from, and so little time!

Symbolic: Atlas Shrugged
Inspirational: Atlas Shrugged
Novel: Atlas Shrugged
Overall Favourite: Atlas Shrugged

As you can see, I've been thoroughly brainwashed.

Seeing as how Animal Farm came first, wouldn't 1984 be riding the coattails?

For me, 1984 is the superior story, but you can definitely see where it all began, with Animal Farm.

Two books in particular stay with me, and often pop into my head when I get angry at the news...

The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner by James Hogg

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

Demitri wrote:Seeing as how Animal Farm came first, wouldn't 1984 be riding the coattails?

For me, 1984 is the superior story, but you can definitely see where it all began, with Animal Farm.

I love Orwell. His "Essays" is a great volume of shorter collected work spanning 1931 to 1949 and it's great to see all the ideas begin to come together over the years for "Nineteen Eighty-Four". When I first read "A Hanging" I completely went of the idea of capital punishment, and yet it's just simple nouns and verbs. "Politics and the English Language" taught me to write. For me, "Nineteen Eighty-Four" is still a work of prophesy, and it's well worth a re-read to see which parts are coming true and how society has avoided others.