Skip to main content

First attempt at "Animal Farm"

Ok so I chose "Animal Farm" for my next book because A. I had it already and B.its very short. Before I head into one the meatier picks on my list, I want to knock out some of the more easily read books.

Animal Farm - written in 1945 and published in the U.S. in 1946, is a satire about communism told from the perspective of farm animals. Weird, weird, weird. I breezed through the first 80 pages (its only 128 pages - on the borderline of even being called a book) but then hit a wall. I kind of hate this book. It's boring, the writing is elementary and I'm not interested at all in the subject matter. I only have 40 or so pages left and I'm doing everything I can to avoid going back to it. I feel like I'm back in college again where procrastination was my middle name. I was the student who did EVERYTHING last minute. I didn't start writing my 20 page senior thesis until 2 days before it was due. Somehow I always managed to get good grades despite my horrible habits but I digress. Back to the avoidance of the book -all of a sudden the floor REALLY needed vacuuming, my morning yoga workout wasn't enough - I needed to do kickboxing too and oh, wasn't there a marathon of "America's Next Top Model" on somewhere? I mean how pathetic am I? I don't HAVE to read this book - no one would really care if I just stopped but I made a commitment and I'm going to see it through dammit! Hate you right now George Orwell!

So I guess I'll pour a glass of red wine - maybe the book will be more fun with a buzz on and finish the ghastly thing!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What is a classic?

There are varying definitons and opinions about what defines a classic but they all have  3 things in common: 1.  It stands the test of time 2. It has universal appeal 3. It has artistic quality I have to add my own to these three and that is that it moves you to feel something - whether it be love, hate, anger, sadness or joy, a classic work of literture should have the power to move. This has led me to reflect upon my first real experience with being moved by a book. I read a lot as a child and teenager but largely to impress my mother who was a librarian. My reading experience didn't extend beyond  Stephen King and the Baby Sitter's Club books. Then my junior year in high school, my English teacher assigned, "A Separate Peace." by John Knowles,  a typical high school reading list book.  I approached it like I did every school assigment - with diligence but little to no enthusiasm. Three quarters of the book was pretty forgettable....
Post a Comment
Read more

California dreaming

When I was 23, I moved to Los Angeles. My older sister Lorraine left for California after graduating college in the 80s and stayed out there. When I was young, I would go visit her with my parents or my Aunt Florence. Something about California seemed impossibly glamorous and other worldly when I was 11. I fell in love. It was always sunny and the ocean greeted you at every turn. I was enraptured by the palm trees and the active lifestyle. Growing up in Boston my whole life, I was used to freezing cold winters, barren landscapes and grumpy people. I mean its beautiful in the spring and summer but that doesn't last that long. California was the land of plenty and I wanted to go. I set my sights on leaving when I was in high school. I knew by the time I was 15 that I would move there eventually. I ended up staying in Boston for college mostly due to financial reasons but as soon as I graduated I was off. I ended up in Los Angeles which wasn't my first choice but my other sister w...
Post a Comment
Read more

By the numbers

The study of numerology is a interesting one. I never looked into before but lately I’ve been delving a little deeper. I guess it all started when I was listening to a podcast about it. I don’t know if I believe in it but lately I’m not closing off any ideas so I thought I would do a little research. I also started thinking back to when my current struggles took root and it was 7 years ago. There are so many instances of 7 being a significant number in all types of cultures and religions. Haven’t we all heard the proverb that says, “Break a mirror and have 7 years of bad luck?”  In many religious cultures, 7 is a significant number. In Christian belief, God created the world and rested on the 7 th day. In sects of Hindu and Buddhist beliefs belief, there are 7 major energy systems in the body (chakras). In Islam, Muslims, on their pilgrimage to Mecca walk 7 times around the center of the sacred mosque. In Jewish wedding ceremonies, there are 7 blessings. There are 7 deadly sins, ...
Post a Comment
Read more