Ken Burns and the American Revolution

This book provides an elegant synthesis of the American Revolution, integrating recent scholarship with classic questions about the period. Wood discusses the French-Indian War, the crisis within the British Empire, American resistance, the Declaration of Independence, and the Constitutional Convention. He emphasizes the radical shift in sovereignty from monarchs to the people and the significance of republicanism in shaping American society and government. The book also addresses the broader political context and the complex, often ironic nature of the Revolution's history.

Published in 1945, 'Animal Farm' is a novella that allegorically represents the Russian Revolution and the subsequent rise of Stalinism. The story begins with Old Major, a boar, inspiring the animals of Manor Farm to rebel against their human oppressor, Mr. Jones. After the rebellion, the animals rename the farm 'Animal Farm' and establish a utopian society based on the principles of equality and solidarity, known as Animalism. However, as time passes, the pigs, led by Napoleon and Snowball, consolidate power and gradually corrupt the original ideals, leading to a dystopian regime that mirrors the oppressive human rule they initially rebelled against. The novel critiques totalitarianism and the corrupting nature of power, reflecting Orwell's experiences and views on the Soviet Union under Stalin's rule.