Animal Farm

By George Orwell

"I first read Animal Farm in school, when I was 15. In it the animals get rid of their human master and look forward to a life of freedom and plenty. But as a clever ruthless elite among them
takes control, the other animals find themselves hopelessly ensnared in the
old ways. For me it was a really striking
and significant learning experience to see how the loss of freedom and the descent
of idealism into tyranny could happen so easily.

"I re-read it only very recently. It is not a deep political analysis. It is witty, short and puts across important ideas in an almost simplistic fashion. It is an allegory about Stalin's Russia but it continues to resonate, as human nature remains the same.

"It is particularly relevant to me from Front Line's experience working to protect human rights defenders worldwide. These brave individuals work at great personal risk for the human rights of others. Despite their legitimate work, governments and powerful interests persecute them.

"They face intimidation, surveillance, detention, torture, defamation in the press, trumped-up law charges, suspension from employment, denial of freedom of expression and movement, restrictive NGO laws or closure of their organisations, and death.

"I find it deeply troubling to see how we as humans can become warped, power hungry, manipulate the truth and lose our moral compass. Animal Farm as such is a book for Everyman."

As told to Katrina Goldstone