Animal Farm is fantastic. If you like Orwell, then you could read 1984 and Burmese Days and The Road to Wigan Pier. They're all very readable. His essays and reviews are fantastic, too.

I'd also say that if you consider yourself a beginner, read what grabs your attention and allow a passion for reading to develop. It's that passion that will turn you from a beginner into a real bookworm.

Lastly, 'well read' does not necessarily mean 'widely read'. If you'd like to learn as much as you can from reading, then read slowly and deeply and don't race to the finish line. Remember that some of the wisest people in history only had access to a few dozen books.

Hope this helps.