Customer Reviews

Snowball's Chance

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Really, you must look at this book for your classes. High School and College. I have a freshman composition class that just went wild discussing this book. In twenty years of teaching, I've never seen my students so engaged in anything.

The future of Animal Farm is sub-prime home loans for all and sequined mangers--Animal Fair! Need I say more? I do. John Reed is wicked smart. He's wicked. And smart. And not wrong. When every young girl dreams of becoming the next big dancing chicken, and the pigs are still running the show, it's time to be very afraid and seriously funny.

I'd heard about the book from a conservative friend who read about it in the New York Times. He was seething over the idea and just hated this Reed, who he called a Marxist. A few weeks later, I was talking to an actual Marxist, who also was seething over Reed's novel. So, being a reasonable fellow, I decided to take a look. And I loved it. Totally rational assesment of what's going on. A must read.

It's really not ahead of its time, but this book will one day be recognized for its very accurate depiction of contemporary society. I'm still baffled that it is not discussed in more forums/schools/universities. But I imagine, at some point, it will be. So, be ahead of the curve, read it now. Even if you hate it, you will enjoy figuring out why you hate it.

I love this book! I read Animal Farm when I was 14 and have wanted to read it again but haven't gotten around to it. Now it's a must after reading 'Snowball's Chance'. John Reed has an imagination like no other and his writing style is incredible. As I was reading, I found myself putting faces to the animals, not thinking of them as animals, and saying "ah-hah....", along with laughing in parts and feeling an incredible sadness in others. I recommend 'Snowball's Chance' to everyone, whether you're a fan of Orwell's 'Animal Farm' or not.

--I went to the animal show, where all of the animals go.
Said a flea to a fly in a flue, "Oh fly, what shall I do?"
Said the fly, "Let's flee!" Said the flea, "Let us fly!"
So they flew through a flaw in the flue--

This was a book that was placed on the required reading list of my college English class, along with Orwell's Animal Farm. I found it an incredibly intriguing piece that both capitalized (no pun intended) on the uniqueness of Orwell's writing style (paranthetical phrases, etc) and pokes fun at it (there are quite a few silly songs and poems that the animals make up).

I think that it can be viewed from many different angles, especially if you see their Ferris Wheel as the Pentagon...think about it.

Brilliant wit mixed with polical savvy! An incredible read!

Really, you must look at this book for your classes. High School and College. I have a freshman composition class that just went wild discussing this book. In twenty years of teaching, I've never seen my students so engaged in anything.

Reed's satirical treatment of Animal Farm is a surprising, and surprisingly high energy take on Orwel and twenty-first century America. Use it to blow your high school teacher to pieces, or get brownie points, depending on everyone's politics.

Any book dealing with 9/11 issues has an uphill battle to win me over. If it was written poorly it would have been a disaster. However 'Snowball's Chance' was a crafted modern extension to Orwell's Animal Farm. It was tasteful, witty and a good read.