Burmese Days

[bettertomorrowamy]

When I was in Middle School we had to read George Orwell's "Animal Farm" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_Farm, which I loved.
It's about the danger of Totalitarianism disguised as a socialist utopia.

I think now kids should be reading one of Orwell's other books, "Burmese Days" along with "Animal Farm".
Burmese Days http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burmese_Days is about the waning days of the British Empire before WWII.
Read "Burmese Days" and keep in mind all the military bases we keep in other countries like Japan, Korea, Iraq, Germany, etc....
Our imperialism is a new and improved form of colonialism.  We use the threat of force to feed off of southeast asia much the same as Great Britain did.
Same goes for South America and Central America. 

[anais.jude]

Oh, you'll read this but not Dune? 

Just kidding. It sounds interesting. Is it better than animal farm would you say?

[bettertomorrowamy]

Not better, just different.

[Tripe]

Homage to Catalonia is good too. Orwell was a terribly good writer who is only remembered for one novel and a novella which is a shame really.

Oh and Keep the Aspidistra Flying

But more on the subject matter, have you read The Heart of the Matter by Graham Greene? Or Time for a Tiger by Anthony Burgess, I love pre-post-colonial literature.

[bettertomorrowamy]

I'll have to check those out.  I've been reading the Chalmers Johnson trilogy, and have probably gotten a little carried away.
Plus I read this book about Blackwater, which is really disturbing.

I need some fiction soon, or my head might explode.

[Tripe]

Yes nothing like a little light reading

Ever read The Raj Quartet by Paul Scott

[anais.jude]

I loved animal farm, but i really disliked Down and OUt in Paris and London. Cool title, annoying book

[Tripe]

What annoyed you about it?

[anais.jude]

it felt really disconnected. First i did this, and then i did this, after that i did this. i feel the same way about on the road.

but in their defense (the books') i read them both in high school and that was over tne years ago. I have no idea how i would feel about them now.