George Orwell's Animal Farm is one of the most influential novels of the 20th century: a work of biting political satire, echoing the tumultuous years after World War II. In Animal Farm [1945], Orwell examines the mechanisms of Stalinism through an allegory of animals revolting against their human owner, and taking control of their farm. Orwell's uncanny ability to predict societal trends makes it as relevant today as when it was first published. GEORGE ORWELL was born in India in 1903, and died in London in 1950. As a journalist, critic, and author, he was a keen observer of his time and its political conditions and consequences.