2012-04-01, 08:46 | Link #2101 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
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Yeah, now that you reminded me, I shouldn't say that it's a nice ending. Maybe you should edit the post with spoiler tags. But I like how everything started with Hastings as narrator and ended with Hastings (having grown alongside Poirot in his deductive skills) as narrator. Speculating on the murderer is always hard but yet fun with Poirot's cases. Very gripping.
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2012-04-10, 10:20 | Link #2102 |
Hail the power of Fujoshi
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: hahahahahahahahaha
Age: 34
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I recently read Queen Victoria: Her Life and Times by Cecil Woodham Smith. I especially enjoy the romance aspect. Queen Victoria shared such deep and loving relationship with Prince Albert that I can't help but to envy them. I also felt sorry for her troubled childhood.
I like the author's style of writing. She supplements her writing with plenty of research and necessary level of detail and background, so it's as if was transported back in time to the Victorian era.
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2012-04-14, 11:58 | Link #2103 |
ばか =)
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Belfast, Northern Ireland
Age: 38
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I am currently trudging through a dance of dragons the5th book in the song of ice & fire series. In my opinion it has definitely been the best book so far in the series and easily the longest.
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2012-04-14, 20:15 | Link #2104 | |
Senior Member
Author
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: USA
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Quote:
Halfway done with Wicked Lovely, also bought the rest of the series since it's interesting.
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2012-04-19, 06:37 | Link #2105 |
Hail the power of Fujoshi
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: hahahahahahahahaha
Age: 34
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I read To Kill A Mockingbird for the umpth time. I don't think it's exaggerating to say that this is one of the best books on the theme of racism that is explored through the eyes of 3 innocent children.
My favourite quotes- "You never really understand a person “until you climb into his skin and walk around in it” - Atticus It is easy for us to judge a person, is it not, when we are not in his or her position. We tend to take things at face value. In the context of TKAM, judging based skin colour is the worst error of judgement a person could make. The people of Maycomb will never understand what it means to be judged and humiliated because of their skin colour, until they experience it themselves. “It’s like bein’ a caterpillar in a cocoon, that’s what it is,’he said. ‘Like somethin’ asleep wrapped up in a warm place. I always thought Maycomb folks were the best folks in the world, least that’s what they seemed like.’ -Jem Jem couldn’t believe it when Tom was found guilty. Before the trial, Jem thought the people in the community are decent. After the trial, Jem started to view things differently. He likened it to a caterpillar being forced out of its warm, safe cocoon into the harsh light of day - the cold, real world. He slowly began to see the harsh reality of racism and prejudice, and how it is ingrained so deeply in one’s soul that an innocent man ended up dead. He is forced to see that not everything in life is fair.This statement made by Jem proves that he is another step closer towards adulthood. "I think I'll be a clown when I get grown," said Dill. "Yes, sir, a clown.... There ain't one thing in this world I can do about folks except laugh, so I'm gonna join the circus and laugh my head off." "You got it backwards, Dill," said Jem. "Clowns are sad, it's folks that laugh at them." "Well, I'm gonna be a new kind of clown. I'm gonna stand in the middle of the ring and laugh at the folks." - Dill Dill cannot understand how adults think, nor can he justify their actions. For example, he cannot apprehend why racism is so prevalent among the adults he knows. Clowns are generally associated with children, and thus viewed childish by adults. Dill however, turned the table on the adults, because he can't understand why they are making a big fuss over skin colour. In his eyes, everyone is the same, so he is going to grow up, become a clown, and laugh at adults for their "childishness". Significant events which I could relate to: The morning after the trial, Miss Maudie invited Jem, Dill and Scout over for some cake.. She gave Jem a large piece of cake, while two smaller cakes were given to Dill and Scout. -Why? Because this can be seen as a “grownup” cake. After Miss Maudie served him the cake, she started talking to Jem about the trial in an adult manner. This is another event where Jem is slowly maturing and accepted as an adult. One of the main themes of this story is the transition from childhood to adulthood, but explored through racism. There are many significant events in the book, but I find this event particularly close to my heart because it's about the loss of innocence. At one point, we will all experience that, and I feel sorry for Jem who has to experience this through the harsh reality of racism.
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2012-04-23, 06:11 | Link #2106 |
Hail the power of Fujoshi
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: hahahahahahahahaha
Age: 34
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I bought " Lord of The Flies " by William Golding last month, and I was so captivated by it I just had to read it again. I was disturbed by Ralph's loss of innocence. Loss of innocence is one of the main themes of this novel, and the way William Golding depicts this through the experience and changes the boys go through in the island is tragic and disturbing. I already foresaw Jack's savageness, so his actions in the later chapters did not bother me much. But Ralph. Poor Ralph.
In the beginning of the novel, Ralph is a confident and optimistic boy. He may seem a bit too carefree as the first chapter sees him wandering around the island and marvelling at almost everything. He is confident that they will be rescued, and does everything in his power to return them to civilization. While awaiting rescue, he cheerfully enjoys the island’s beauties. With the conch, he wields a certain authority and is venerated by the group. He is also elected as the leader. In short, with his position and his priority of their rescue, the group of boys’ stay on the island does not seem to be long. However, over the course of the story, one could sense that Ralph is beginning to change. As the result of the boys’ shift in priority, Ralph is forced to become more mature. As a leader, he feels it is his responsibility to look out for the group and remind them of their priority; rescue. He is constantly advocating the fire and the conch shell, even if few listen to his commands. Because of his responsibility as a leader and also subsequent tragic events, he is no longer cheerful and optimistic. He realizes he can no longer play around. Ralph’s strong desire to return to civilization and Jack and his group’s conflicting view force him think and work harder than before. He has become quite despondent. His dull and uninspired speech in chapter 8 illustrates his mood. While Ralph’s maturity grows, his confidence begins to shrink. In the beginning of chapter 5, he starts to question his leadership, because Jack’s action is a sort of rebellion that has never happened before. For instance, he tells himself that he is not a great thinker like Piggy. Later in the chapter, he is afraid to call after Jack and the rest who run off to the beach halfway during the meeting for fear of losing his position forever if they ignore him. Compared to before, he is always assured of his position and the power of the conch. At the end of chapter 5, that assurance begins to diminish. At this point, I felt sorry for him. In subsequent chapters, Ralph begins to rely more on Piggy for his advices as his insecurity as a leader grows and he sees Piggy as a support. At one point, he is even tempted to join Jack’s group. Although it is only a brief thought, it is evident that Ralph, to a great extent has lost faith in his leadership and is quite intimidated by Jack’s power. Although Ralph does not outwardly descend to savagery, it is hinted that he may be one if he stays longer on the island. In chapter 7, he partakes in the re-enactment of the boar killing. He quickly recovers from the euphoria of “landing a hit” on the boar, but this event shows a slight crack in his civilized behaviour. He further degrades into savagery in chapter 9, as he is one of the boys who are involved in Simon’s death. He uses force in chapter 11 to deal with Jack. Unlike before, he would have negotiated and stress to make them see his point of view. Finally, he is forced to act like a savage in chapter 12. He is being hunted like an animal, and therefore he must act like one too. Ralph is just civilized enough to cry for the loss of his civilization when the naval officer arrives at the island. This last part nearly got me in tears. A cruel end to his innocence.
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2012-04-26, 18:01 | Link #2108 |
The Interstellar Medium
Author
Join Date: May 2008
Location: [SWE]
Age: 34
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Those in Peril by Wilbur Smith. I picked this up having not the slightest what it was about, but seeing how it was on a top list, why not.
Well... It was a rollercoaster. It ranged from "This is a horrible book" to "I am now feeling sick" to "I don't even know what to think anymore", coupled with the inability to put the book down. Not recommended, but it was a journey I won't forget anytime soon.
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2012-05-02, 08:49 | Link #2110 |
Junior Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Cadet, Missouri
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I just stummbled across this book at my school's book fair and I haven't been able to put it down since. I never really was a fan of zombies and the such but the way the book is written and the tragedy in it makes for a great read. Or at least I think so.
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2012-05-02, 11:59 | Link #2111 | |
Megane girl fan
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Diagonally parked in a parallel universe.
Age: 55
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Quote:
Endless "Battle of Yonkers" Soul
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2012-05-02, 14:28 | Link #2112 |
He Without a Title
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: The land of tempura
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While I haven't read that one yet I did sincerely enjoyed the other zombie book by Max Brooks: Zombie Survival Guide. It did however made me a bit too knowledgeable about zombies and zombie survival maybe.
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2012-05-02, 17:39 | Link #2114 |
The Interstellar Medium
Author
Join Date: May 2008
Location: [SWE]
Age: 34
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On Writing, Stephen King. In my infinite pursuit to improve my writing, I bought this seeing how it got some good reviews. I might not be a big fan of King's work (though I like them in general), but this book, non-fiction as it is, is brilliant. Inspirational and motivational. And I learnt a lot.
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2012-06-27, 01:25 | Link #2115 |
Hiding Under Your Bed
Join Date: May 2008
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About halfway through the Malazan Book of the Fallen series by Steven Erickson. It's alright, though cringe-worthy whenever Erickson strays into romance of any sorts. The only other downside is the huge cast of characters. I tend to enjoy one group (basically, everyone associated with the Malazan Empire), while not caring much for everyone else, which has made a few of the books a bit exhausting to finish, as Erickson seems to want to try to tell this epic story through as many possible character point of views as possible, with a few books so far containing not a single character I liked.
Overall, as I said, it's alright. Probably a little better than alright. So far.
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