We really like this book, and used it as a reference source for some of the information in our website (see email address). It has nice photographs, detailed descriptions of the bigger reefs, and is written with a fun, interesting tone. Definitely recommended.

George Orwell's Animal Farm is a superb animation of the Russian Revolutioon. The book is amusing and interesting; it includes a comic element as it synonymously demonstrates the evolution from the proletariat revolution to a totalitarian government led by the swine of the society. Orwell successfully simplified the not-so-simple theory of class stratification and Karl Marx's proposed solution of communism. Orwell's method of conveyance is incredibly inventive. He uses satire in the form of a fairy tale to share his indignation for ideological doctrines that would, if allowed, lead to the eventual destruction of a society. Each character in the story is representative of someone who was involved in the Russian Revolution. Old Major is Marx, and inspires the proletariat revolution by motivating the over-worked animals and educating them on the ways of the human beings, who represent the bourgeoisie. Orwell's creativity convinces the reader that the animals on the farm are intellectual beings, revolting against the tyranny of the humans. Animal Farm offers itself as an example of a responsible criticism of Marxism. The story gives us a peek at the Utopian vision, and then offers a long look at what results from using a Marxist approach at achieving it. I strongly reccomend this book, as it is entertaining and educational. Orwell succeeded in creating a fairy tale that evokes both sadness and laughter, while causing us to feel sympathy and even empathy for the working class animals. The book escapes complexity, but its message does not.

I have read and re-read Animal Farm since studying ithighschool, and yes it is a heart breaking allegory about the failureof organised idealogy, its also a gripping simply and sharply written story that can engage people on every level of the intellectual food chain.

Many readers will start off by pinning the signs on the donkey's backside so to speak i.e. Moses the crow who tells the overworked animals that their afterlives will be bliss represents the church. Benjamin the wise, but silent donkey is the silent intellectuals who could see what was going, but did nothing to save their own skin and so on. It still shocks me how accurate Orwell is, I can recognise a Squealer (the government publiscist talking in fanciful meaningless figures), a Napeloen and sadly too many Boxers in my own country. Strange that what Orwell wrote about the Russian revolution applies to almost any third world country today.

The simplicity of the prose of Animal farm is by design, he wanted his book to be accessable to the masses, afterall this is the man who changed his name from Eric Blair to Goerge Orwell just to appeal to the "average Joe". I don't think he would have wanted this book to be discussed by intellectuals, he wanted it to reach you and me.

Humanity has learned (in some parts of the world at least) that the only organised idealogy that works is the abscence of an organised idealogy. Utopia can never exist because 1- It can never be defined 2- It is against human nature not to strive to be better, superior, more powerful and richer then others. Unfortunate but true.

The character of Snowball is in my opinion the most important of the book. He is full of good intent, he wants to start classes for the other animals to elevate their understanding of the world. He is also a careless and unrealistic character. What Orwell is saying here is that intent without action is useless. A person who cares about injustice and can't do anything about it is no better than a person who doesn't give it a moment's thought.

Animal Farm is Orwell's masterwork, it is clairovoyant, the Soviet Union has indeed fallen. I believe the events of 1984 are only a few you years away, the government can already take pictures of your roof top. If you for some odd reason are among the few who haven't read Animal Farm, you must rectify that situation. It will make the inexplicable around you crystal clear.

This book should open the eyes of many who are caught up with the ideas of utopianism, absolute egalitarianism, and other "heaven-on-earth" ideas. Orwell does a masterful job in this short, easy, and fun to read book showing how a "utopian-oriented" revolution can go wrong. Though the book is humorous, it has a serious and solemn message for any generation. Though Orwell was a socialist himself, he had the guts to prove that "socialist" transformation or revolution of society can go wrong if the leaders of the revolution adopt "rightist" attitudes and behaviours along the process. This book shows the similarities between Animal Farm and the Soviet Union during the Stalin era. The pigs in the book represent the Soviet vanguard leaders of the revolution; the dogs the ruthless secret police; and the rest of the animals the various bodies within the USSR during the Stalin era. This book is a good reminder that no matter what words and rhetorics are spoken in the past, leaders can succumb to the influence of power and elitism and throw out their past socialist beliefs in actual behaviour. Pure forms of socialism cannot happen on this side of life. People are still inherently selfish and proud. Positivism is a dead social theory (individual genes, personalities, and brain processess do matter on how society is formed and structured). What is society? It is the product of human personalities. This should awaken the ideological slumbering of many liberals, socialists, and leftists. Orwell does a good job showing that no matter what (poor or plenty) people only seek their own self-interest when the opportunity arises.

Well, after waiting so long for this book to come back into print it turned out to be an overall disappointment. I found "Timing..." to be remedial and overpriced. True, timing itself is crucial to animation as with all acting, however this book offers nothing I didn't already learn from "Disney Animation: The Illusion of Life" or Preston Blair's How-To books, which I cut my teeth on.
If you are an animator who already owns every other book on the subject and you have 30 bucks burning a hole in your pocket then this book is for you. However, if you don't own the 50 other great animation books by Frank Thomas, Ollie Johnston, Richard Williams, Eadweard Muybridge, John Canemaker, Brian LeMay, Jeff Kurtti, Preston Blair, Chuck Jones, Tony White, Culhane, Finch, Schneider, Adamson, Rebello, Green, and Hart to name a few; then please go buy one of theirs.
This one is going back for a refund. Sometimes you just have to say "The Emperor is Naked."

In this book, you will get concentrated doses of animation rules and laws as it applies to timing. Very simple explanations, tricks of the trade, formulas, and vital do's and dont's is what seperates this book from the rest. In animation, it's all about the timing.

I recently purchased a copy of Harold and John's book, and find it to be well-written and easy to follow; were it not for the recent publication of Richard Williams' book 'The Animator's Survival Kit,' I would label 'Timing for Animation' a critical purchase for an animator's arsenal. Wait. I take that back. It IS a critical purchase, but 'The Animator's Survival Kit' also covers this material exceptionally well, too, plus it has SO much more... Bottom line: This book is worth having.