Animal Farm

After getting through Copper Sun and I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, I get to have the pleasure of teaching, what I think is one of the greatest books ever written, Animal Farm. Don't get me wrong, I liked the first two, but I don't think they are books I would have ever chosen to teach all on my own. I'm so excited to teach something I'm super passionate about. I think it is brilliant.

Anywho, there is this 1999 version that has real animals in it (not the cartoon version you saw in school). I watched it last night, and totally had nightmares. Not about animals, but about Stalin and his cronies. I don't get why our education always focused on how corrupt Hitler was. I mean, I know he was evil and all, but Stalin and Mao are light years closer to reincarnations of the Devil.

Serious nightmares. But it's like a train wreck, I just can't look away. I love learning about Stalin and Mao. It just fascinates me. Probably because no one ever taught me much about it in school, and all I ever knew was the US propaganda version. I like the PBS documentaries and the Jung Chang novels much better than our "red scare" tactics. The truth actually scares the crap out of me way faster than the propaganda anyway.