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4
The long period between starting and finishing seems to contradict the rating. However, it was just one of those 'have to set it aside' moments and there was much else to do and more books to read, so the bottom of the pile kept getting deeper. Yesterday I pulled it out and quickly finished it. The narrative is well told and the science adroitly woven in. One gets to know Harriet, her children--mostly Deborah--and the doctors and scientists who worked with the cells. The book is important as it returns the human Harriet to the sterile lab atmosphere. And it was a good read. Early when I had just started the book, I was also starting in with a new doctor and noticed the permission form included whether or not to give permission for scientific use of any tissues or other samples. It was made clear that there would be no remuneration. I assume the Henrietta Lacks story and other less famous ones created that permission form. I toyed with saying, No, but ended up checking the yes block. But there is no reason to be informed of any use made.
4
Some very interesting character development, an attention holding plot. Some historic information about World War II women prisoners (though the country was changed). Once the main character became an entrepreneur, it became unbelievable, but still a fun read.
3
Brief. Useful as an introduction. I find myself wondering if she really was so stuck on traditional feminine roles as Chalberg's selection of material suggests, or if stereotypical thinking directed his selections. Perhaps reading her own memoir will answer that.
2
"I have freed myself from my past, but I have not let go of it. I cherish the moments and experiences that formed me" (247). This attitude undergirds the whole memoir: the past left behind could have been so bitterly hated, but instead it is simply left. The person left behind is respected as the new person moves on. Some of the appeal of the book is the glimpse into the exotic, but most is the well written narrative of growing up with a mind, of thinking about things and asking questions. What is exotic is based on where one stands. In her liberated life she sees her past as exotic, whereas it was mundane when she lived it, longing for the exotic of the outside world. The details are not all exotic. I see parallels between the Hasidic culture and the Fundamentalist culture more familiar to my past. Most vividly shown are the many minute details maintained to preserve the line between insider and outsider. The book was a more compelling read than many memoirs.
4
Romero surveys the literature from various fields that relates to housemaids and labor issues and finds separate streams that need to be cross linked. She relates employers' requirements to status symbols and also interviews maids of various ages to counter some myths. Most striking is that though employers may consider maids "part of the family" the maids do not see themselves that way. The "part of the family" is used to avoid fair wages and time off etc.
4
The plot a page turner. The maids reflect the Mammy stereotype. I would like to see the story written by one of the maids. I recommend Maid in the USA by Mary Romano as a corrective. It is an ethnography about real live maids along with research about labor law and how it hasn't been applied to housemaids. The dialect was a sad imitation of Black Vernacular English.
1
Interesting how Follett created a cast of characters that let him explore various countries' roles in World War I
4
I was afraid it would merely be a rerun of Pillars in a new era, but it managed to add a new dimension.
3
An interesting exploration of how we create Others, of how a field of study created an area and its people, more often from the creators than the people being "described."
4
It was good to read of this capable woman and her accomplishments. It was helpful to see how her education and early experiences prepared her for the Secretary of Labor position, for having viable ideas and knowing how to implement them. Unfortunately, though she wrote bills, they had to be introduced by legislators, who then got the credit. I'd not heard of her until this book came out and I was reading reviews. The early part of the book is interesting as her background is presented; the middle as we see her in action. The end drags a bit as her influence slows down and her life changes.
3
I enjoy fiction based on historical people, and that is what this book is. It is also interesting when I recognize area references. It seemed culturally sensitive in its presentation of Native American characters; however, I would like a Native American's opinion on that. It was a page turner after a slightly slow start.
3
Timothy Egan makes several histories come alive through telling the life of Thomas Meagher: Ireland, Tasmania as a British prison, US Civil War, and early government of Montana. All are histories that I have only a superficial knowledge about, so the amplification was helpful. Egan fills in detail about issues and events without bogging the story of Meagher down. When I reread Irish authors, I will have a much richer understanding of the oppression Ireland experienced at the hands of the British. I must see the play, "Our Country's Good" again after reading the Tasmania section. I knew the Civil War was brutal, but that horror became more real as I read. And it was interesting to see those battles that I knew something about from the perspective of the Irish immigrants. There is a large cast of characters who appear then reappear after a time. Egan provides enough clues to help us remember what they contributed in the past. (And there is an index if you want more detail.) Not only informative, but a good read.
4
The first half of the book explores ways that presuppositions guide scientific questions, studies and answers--in particular, how racism caused scientists to "prove" white superiority. The second portion explores African American's in higher education, especially psychology, explores their difficulties, and introduces some of the early practitioners.
3
A novel about the difficulty of Italian immigrants getting by during the Depression. Studs Terkel likens it to Grapes of Wrath. The style created a barrier for me. I imagine the intent was to remind us that the characters were speaking Italian and also to convey the confusions of the workplace and family gatherings. It was sort of stream-of-consciousness, but hard to tell in whose consciousness. I could not get used to the personification of Job. Bad things, unfair things, happened to the family. They survived.
2
I was led to this book from the source list in Mrs Lincoln's Dressmaker. Sometimes historical fiction makes me want to learn the history, and this time it was easier than usual. First praise goes to the book cover design and title: the two women shown as equals, the title listing them as equals. The early chapters alternate between the childhoods of each woman. Gradually their lives and stories are more intertwined. Interpretations are interesting, like frequent references to Mary Lincoln's child source of comfort in her mammy and Elizabeth Keckly's past attitudes toward white mistresses as a slave. There are references to the Civil War and to White House activities; however, these are kept in the background and always related to events in the two women's lives. Most interesting to me was the social history that accompanied the women's stories.
4
Mostly photographs of quilts and influences with a little text. Coffee table book. But also a window into creativity. This seems to be about a transition from regular piecing to improvisational piecing (though there is another book I have not read called "Transitions." I had actually started to read this one closer to its publication date, but set it aside. I"d liked earlier works by Crow and was not into improv at all. As I've gotten more accustomed to improv, I thought to give the book another read. And I liked it better this time. I was surprised by a photo with the motto, "Stop Procrastinating" on the design wall. Crow seems so driven, that procrastination doesn't seem to fit. However, in the interview at the end of the book, she seems to equate repetitive work, work that isn't growing/evolving with procrastination. Busy procrastination...interesting concept. I identified with Crow's interest in shape, color, line, proportion over representation and emotion. Although occasionally she finds emotion being expressed, she said it has to happen naturally--not be sought. Meaning, likewise. Her focus is on the composition. Climbing up and down a ladder to place and replace pieces of fabric while designing is not something I'd thought of when looking at large works! I like her idea of working in a series because one cannot solve all design problems in one piece. I enjoyed seeing the connections between photographs of places and her work, rhythm and line in the Construction series; rhythm and line in nature and in buildings. It made me want to go out walking, camera in hand, then come home and quilt.
4
One of the most amazing things about this book was that in spite of knowing the ending, it was suspenseful through and through. The second amazing thing is that it explained rowing to someone who had no clue (me) and little interest in sports in such a way that it was clear but not too much. The story of the road to the Olympics is told mostly from the perspective of Joe Rantz;however, as he requested, it is told in the context of "the boat"--more than the shell that they propelled with oars, "the boat" is the spirit of the team working together in perfect harmony. The physical boat too is a character, and Pocock, its maker, stands out as one filled with wisdom about people as well as rowing and boat building. The story is told in the context of the Depression, the Dust Bowl, and the drums of encroaching World War II. Joe's surmounting of personal struggles as well as economic is admirable.
4
The title led me to expect the book to be more about horses than it is. However, horses move the plot. Martha ends up with a circle of ranches at which she breaks horses, so the novel is about the people at the various ranches. Reading that the novel had seeds in Marie's story in Cowgirls: Women of the American West made me want to read that oral history too. I was delighted to read a book with the main character a woman doing "man's" work as an equal. I would have preferred less of the romance. At first it seemed that the competent Woodruff sisters, who owned one ranch on her circuit, would remain her role model. I would have liked to see her strong and independent character remain. However, I was won over a bit with her demands when Henry proposed and his acceptance of them. The characters are mostly well rounded, the positive ones more than the negative. The latter seem all bad throughout. The setting is 1917-18 so there are a few cars, a few ranches with telephones, and of course WWI in the background. The novel started rather slowly, but my interest intensified, and it was hard to put down after it got moving.
3
This very short book is a quick read. I am not sure one would want more details of the hardship of being a terrorist's son after 9/11; what we were given was harrowing enough. Important is the subtitle, A Story of Choice, as Zak tells of learning to diverge from the hate he experiences being bullied in school and from that expressed by his family. Interestingly the next book I read (Out Stealing Horses) was also about choice. Twenty years from now, it would be interesting to read a longer memoir of a longer life.
3
The setting is the end of the Vietnam war; the main character tells us early on that he belongs to the North, but works under cover with the South. Presented as a spy novel, it is, but it isn't the thriller one might expect. It is more an exploration of character, of times, and of the interaction. It has philosophical moments that are entirely in character and not intrusive, thoughts on being of two minds, on representation, and on "nothing." The latter was interesting, but I am not sure how seriously to take it. The former makes me think that if I were still teaching, I might join this book with How to Be Both in a unit. For me the theme of Who-Gets-to-Represent-Us? enters with the chapters about a movie script and its shooting. However, that was a ways into the novel, so I might reread to see if I missed its actual beginning. When the movie chapters appeared, they seemed an interruption, but gradually they were woven into the whole. The plot was slow, as character explorations tend to be, slow in a good sense. There were moments where action was faster paced and it was a page turner. There was a nice rhythm between the two. We are told early on that the narration is really a "confession" to a "commandant," so we keep wondering what the narrator did to get him into that position. We also expect, and get, some torture scenes. They feel really long while reading them, but don't take a large percentage of pages. Some of the characters have names. Some don't, but rather are identified by position and sometimes affect: "the crapulent major," the congressman," the "affectless lieutenant." It would be worth a second read to look for a pattern of who gets named and who doesn't. It isn't wholly major/minor characters. It doesn't create stock characters. It may relate to the degree in intimacy with the narrator, but I'm not ready to commit to that. It is a novel worth reading once to see how it ends; it is worth rereading to ferret out deeper meaning. Second Reading I marveled more at the skill of the stream-of-consciousness; the shifts were managed such that I almost always knew where I was in the larger narrative. And I marveled at turns of phrase and metaphors more than I noticed on the first reading. And, as usual on a second reading, I was more alert to how all the small parts fit together into the larger structure. I did list the characters named and unnamed; there seem to be an almost equal number of each. I still don't see a pattern, but will keep looking. The 'representation' theme morphed into an identity theme and the narrator shifted from "I" to "we" when speaking of himself. It seemed a culmination of his mother's saying he was not half but all of each nationality, a culmination of his finding his place in his two spy roles. The ending and the play on "nothing" remain fascinating. "nothing" becoming a positive and transforming the meaning of "Nothing is more important than freedom and independence." Man, the blood brother and the commissar in charge of re-education, leads the narrator to see that what starts as revolution ends as a power grab, hence as 'nothing.' And yet hope does not die. Reading the torture aka re-education scenes I wondered if that was intended to judge the communist side that the narrator had been working for as a double agent, the ending being a point of emphasis. And yet it was the CIA manual that they used to orchestrate the torture. So it was not a single, national judgment. The narrative style changes abruptly at the end. The slow-paced narration of a life becomes a mix of first and third person reporting and told contemporaneously with events rather than as memory. It also becomes more philosophical, though still not intrusive.
4
What had appealed to me in listening to the author at a Powell's reading was her comment that the book treated both sides equally, and in fact was said to be more favorable to the Tamils (author Sinhalese). I thought that quite a challenge. And then characters from each side link up at the end, and of course I wanted to know how. (I'd expected a more psychological linking than happened.) I did not find the handling equal. The Sinhalese family was presented in two generations, the Tamil one. The Sinhalese family was presented as aware of the civil war and ultimately leaving the country; the Tamil family as actually participating in the war. It is the latter that made it seem more sympathetic to the Tamil cause. Those things said, it was an interesting read and I learned more about the Sri Lankan civil war than I had known.
3
This book is not a retelling of Shakespeare's play, but the creation of a character from hints in the play. Romeo and Juliet serves merely as backdrop, providing recognition fun for the Shakespeare lover, but not essential to enjoyment of the novel. (But I want to reread Romeo and Juliet to see if some of the details were imagined anew or from the play.) The plot held my attention from the opening in the cottage to Angelica's moving to the elegant home across town and through subsequent events. The contrast provides many occasions for comment on class structure without heavy handedness. Knowing the ending did not inhibit my eagerness to see 'what happens next.' The nurse has some hypotheses that make for interesting decisions. The three characters that I enjoyed most were the Nurse, Tybalt and the Nurse's husband (whose name I can't think of at the moment). Also interestingly developed were the Friar and Juliet's father. The one thing I found distracting was an occasional intrusion of actual Shakespearean language in some of the dialog. The line, "A plague on both your houses" worked, but the others not so well.
3
Unlike many Goodreads commenters, I found the text fascinating. The mix of specialties of the essayists--artists, historians, quilters, and museum curators--creates a conversation from a variety of perspectives. And they don't always agree. One could wish for a panel discussion where they have a chance to comment on each others' comments. Some tell the old story and some revise it. Janneken Smucker, a historian specializing in American Material Culture, does both as she traces early quilting historians' romanticization of colonial scrap quilting to the revision by later historians who question that reading. She places herself among those later historians, then tells of her further revision prompted by the Kiracofe collection. Essayists also provide a range of opinion on the question of quilts as modern art. Elissa Author, an associate professor of contemporary art, provides an overview of rebellious fine artists who were influenced by quilts. Amelia Peck, a curator of American Art at the Museum of Modern Art, tells the criteria she uses to select art quilts and illustrates from the collection. Smucker and Ulysses Grant Dietz, another curator, tell the features of several quilts in the collection that appeal to them artistically; Dietz goes on with cultural critique, placing his taste in the era of the "Gees Bend syndrome," noting the marketing of that collection and trendiness of curation. Alison Smith, an activist artist, probes with this question: "What is at stake in considering paintings and quilts as parallel endeavors? Do we reinforce their differences when we marvel at their similarities?" (158). She proceeds to analyze the differences. "A Texas Quiltmaker's Life: An Interview with Sherry Ann Byrd" provides an organizational scheme for my thinking (not for the structure of the book) about the quilts pictured: "precision quilt, M-provisational quilt, and throw together quilt" (52). Her term, "M-provisational" points beyond "improv" to an emphasis on syncopation that she sees in some designs. And Byrd says many in the collection represent the "throw together" category, made extremely quickly for extreme need. I will confess that though all the quilts were historically interesting, I did not find them all equally appealing visually. However, artistic commentary in the essays and in a few captions led me to revaluate some of those judgments.
4
Most of the African literature I've read has been post-colonial; this was quite a change. The white African family, who had spent a couple years in England, returned to then Rhodesia so the father could fight to keep one African country white ruled. The memoir is told mostly from the child's perspective, observations without judgment. For example, the child observes the difference between the lushness of the colonists' area and the barrenness of the Tribal Trust Lands. Fuller mentions in an afterword that she had taken her education for granted until she realized how suppressed education was for the black children. On first reading, I didn't see the change in attitude that she describes. I saw one incident of awareness, but not an over arching attitude change. Something to look for in a second reading. Also Fuller has written a second book where it may be more apparent (I'll have to get the exact title: Cocktails and...). Although the war for independence was going on, it is in the background. Curfew is mentioned, as is fear of terrorists. Once the war was lost and land redistributed, the family moved to Malawi for three years. Then to Zambia where they stayed. The land, the animals, the insects are all described well. One can see the appeal of Africa to this third generation family (the mother had lived all but three years of her life in Africa). One can see how colonists can begin to feel a land is their land.
4
An interesting memoir of Japanese-American survival. The author had to negotiate her Japanese background in America and her American upbringing in Japan. She also had strong feelings about her place as a woman that were, at times, squelched by parents or others. Memorable to me was the racism of no houses available (though they were) when the ill daughter needed the shore, and of course the relocation and its horrors. The positive attitude the author expressed at the end seemed like whistling in the dark.
3
Being in Oregon, where a big one is expected in the next couple hundred years, I am interested in earthquakes. Oregon's expected one was not mentioned in the book, however. The subtitle makes it sound like the book is about San Francicso, 1906. And half is, directly. The rest indirectly as Winchester explains New Geology, plate tectonics, and the formation of continents. He manages to make this science mostly understandable to lay readers like me. He tells of previous earthquakes and some that followed, some on the San Andreas Fault and others elsewhere. When he gets to San Francisco, there is a mix of description, history and memoir, only occasionally becoming a string of similar quotations on the same theme. Most citations build either the chaos or the attempts at controlling the chaos. Then there are the insurance companies, some paying up and others making loopholes. An aspect I'd not thought about before is the problem of Chinese immigrants trying to prove family links when records have been destroyed. Rarely do I read all content footnotes, but here I did. Some were humorous asides; some were bits of interesting history that didn't quite relate to the ongoing narrative. Almost all were interesting.
3
Did not realize I'd not written a review--it has been about 9 months since I finished it. I remember feeling like it jumped around a lot as I started reading, and then I caught on to the stream-of-consciousness cues. One chapter moved to smallpox and Native Americans in a surprising spot, but when I looked back, there had been discussion of smallpox vaccination and suggestion that the child had had a light case of smallpox, beyond the usual reaction. The book deals with feeling an outsider because of moving from working class to middle class. I found it easy to empathize with the author.
3
I had heard a presentation by Peter Stark at a Powell's book event, so I knew the broad outline and some of the peak crisis moments as I started. The beginning was not so exciting, but I knew more and better was coming. Stark skillfully moves between the land group and the sea group heading to found a trading colony on the Pacific Northwest coast, a colony that would become the hub of a trading empire that touched the continent on the west, China, Europe, then the east coast, making profit at each stop. He also weaves history and botany and social comment into the narrative in bits long enough to inform but short enough not to interrupt. Stark painted a vivid picture of almost unimaginable hardships of explorer cross country travel while also reminding us that it had been explored already by the various Native American nations. Sometimes the European travelers were helped by natives, sometimes hindered, sometimes harmed. Sometimes the Europeans did the harm. He also conveyed the hazards of sea travel and how they were intensified by the mix of people needed to found the colony. The book reads like an adventure story, but also informs.
4
A massive amount of sociological material was covered in a readable way by the way Wilkerson told events through three people, people who migrated north at different times, for different reasons, from and to different areas. And they had different personalities. There were snippets of experiences from others that had been interviewed as well. Tucked among the narratives were bits of analysis. We learned of some of the horrid experienced faced in the south, and then disappointingly also in the north. We learned census data that challenged myths and current theories. Wilkerson linked some of the narrative events to larger historical events; for example, World War I started the migration because workers were needed in the northern factories to produce munitions. Ida Mae almost gets to hear Martin Luther King, Jr. Footnotes are present for the scholar at the end, but unobtrusive for the ordinary reader.
4
The first half of the book read much more slowly than the latter half. Perhaps it was the distance from the present. Perhaps it was the understatement. It may be that understatement and emotional distance are the only way to deal with a life lived in the occupied territory, but they make it difficult to get drawn into the narrative. That changes with the second half, starting with the chapter "Loss." From there on it is told with more compelling immediacy, and i was drawn in.(Yet one more reason why I am glad I tend to stick with a book regardless of how it begins.) It is important to hear the details of life under occupation and attack. Abuelaish manages to be a voice for reconciliation and peace, as the title suggests.
2
It is hard to imagine two women walking across the continent from Spokane to New York City in the 1890s. It is hard to imagine an offer of $10,000.00 to do so. The motivation for the undertaking, however, was clear: to save a home from foreclosure. The book is history--not of a rich and famous man, but of a poor and unknown woman, an ordinary citizen, Helga Estby. it is a history that was nearly lost until her eighth-grade grandson wrote a paper for a history contest about his grandmother's walk, and Linda Lawrence Hunt read it. Hunt interviewed family and researched newspaper articles about the walk as well as more generally researching the times. She pieces together the best possible record without the primary source that would have elevated the book to fascinating, the missing primary account. In a pique of anger, two daughters took it upon themselves to destroy the record Helga herself had written. Hunt concludes with observations about silenced history and the importance of family stories. Perhaps readers will be prompted to record their memories and share their stories with their children and grandchildren.
3
What I valued most about this book was the analysis of negotiating rules in Iran. What seemed to come automatically to local Iranians had to be learned by Maoveni, who had come from the US with a mythic version of Iran. She had to unlearn as she learned--and this made her explanations more cogent for a western audience. Life there was not without danger, but perhaps less danger than our imaginations would assume--at least for the savvy. And perhaps, less oppression, though the experience of escaping it was not without risk. While Moaveni's identity formation was a back drop, it was not the focus; the focus was on Iran itself, and the Iranian peoples' struggles and disillusionments. I appreciated glimpses of Iranian people, places, and customs. I enjoyed meeting her family members and friends. Bookending the narrative with the embassy hostages and the attack of 9/11 seems apt, viewing how that marks the moments Iran is part of awareness for many of us.
4
When I read that each vignette was to be related to a food, I thought, This isn't going to work; I'm going to be bored quickly. However, food was so important to Abu-Jaber's father, his family, and culture, that it did work. I was soon caught up in the narrative and the organizing device slipped into the background. I would be reminded with each recipe, then it would again retreat. I have read about first-generation dual-culture challenges, but this is the first second-generation memoir I have read. Not only the push-pull of old-country Vs. new-country values and expectations, but also parent expectations Vs. peer expectations added to the complexity of Diana's growing up. In spite of narrating teen-ager frustration and rebellion, Abu-Jaber presents a sympathetic portrait of her father. Her mother, though mentioned less often, is still a dominant figure, also presented sympathetically. Abu-Jaber's descriptive language pulled me into the appeal of each culture, periods of confusion, times of identifying with where she was, and times of missing where she was not. Making the transition from living in New York state to Jordan, she describes her first ride through town: "The sidewalks are not like the orderly, straight-line sidewalks of our old neighborhood. Here, they wind around and roam this way and that, as if they've decided to go where they pleased." On returning to a Jordanian city after visiting Bedouin relatives, she ponders " . . . a larger, more formless question, something about whether people have to decide exactly who they are and where their home is. Do we have to know who we are once and for all? How many lives are we allowed" The book was well paced. I didn't have any moments of "when will this end?" that sometimes occur about three quarters of the way through a memoir. it is not only a good read, but opens a necessary window on immigrant experience, on insights of identity formation, some of which are transferable to non-immigrants.
4
Thoroughly enjoyable to read; difficult to put down. Sustained my interest through all 400+ pages. The characters were, for the most part, quite believable. One change in Mary was hard to imagine, though. The shift from being flattered by Theodore's attention to rejecting him seemed too sudden Mary's disillusionment with northern society, black and white, was convincingly presented. There is a historical note--essentially little is known. Mary, Bet, McNiven, Wilson Bowser, and David Bustill Bowser were real people.Bet and Mary really were spies for the Union. There are two memoirs. Mary is mentioned by Bet; Bet and Mary are singled out by McNiven. Both are scant mentions. This gives room for the fictive imagination to play. Much of the information getting and sharing is believable, but details that seem to give Mary control over what happens in the Union Army's activities are sometimes far fetched. Especially that she had the power to withhold information that prolonged the war because a "premature" victory would leave slavery intact seemed strained.
3
I was expecting the dressmaker's story with history in the background. What I got was mostly the Lincoln White House and Civil War history--the dressmaker was mostly a vehicle for that. The portions where Mrs Lincoln was absent were interesting, but Elizabeth didn't come alive enough. One good thing; the list of references led me to Mrs. Lincoln and Mrs Keckly.
2
After a slow start, the pace picks up, and the description later is more subordinated to the action. Life with the animals must have been quite something--all the animals kept in the house made me think of tales of old times when barn and house were one. I have read other books about helping and protecting Jews during WWII, but they told of people living in secret passageways. This was interesting because while the people stayed out of sight, they remained outside. Though the zoo didn't continue as a zoo, it had various functions that allowed for hiring workers. Whenever I read books like this, I wonder if I would have been either brave enough to help or quick thinking enough to pull it off. Antonina and Jan are well portrayed, and very likeable. It was written so that I cared what happened to them. Some of the people they protected became equally real in the vignettes of their survival. Ackerman introduces history carefully and in appropriate places; she adroitly relates people's experiences that she has record of to illuminate those that she does not. The experience of war, of being in the midst of attacks, of the randomness of who lives and who gets hit, of the fear for self and family, are made vivid. With a little shifting, those details are a reminder of what civilians are doing to survive in Iraq and Afghanistan.
3
I read the first couple entries--and got the main point that feminisms had been brewing long before the "second wave." There would have been benefit in reading more of the specific experiences, but I got bogged down and distracted.
2
When I read that there was a memoir by the co-author of the groundbreaking, feminist Madwoman in the Attic, I had to read it. I am also interested in peoples' interactions with cancer diagnoses and meditations on mortality. And like Gubar, in the abstract I am resistant to some of the extreme measures that decrease the quality of life while extending it only briefly. As might be expected of an English literature professor, the style is wonderful; whether Gubar is describing a good day or a bad day, the description is vivid. I appreciated her periodic sentences and metaphors. As a professor too, her level of research is not surprising. She set out to read cancer narratives and fiction about women struggling with cancer (primarily ovarian as was hers and breast cancer) and websites about ovarian cancer. When she narrates a reaction to an event, she quotes others with similar and/or different reactions. When she is in despair she draws on great literature moments of despair; though these were often spiritual, she relates them to her physically induced state. Gubar writes in order to draw attention to the lack of research funding for women's diseases, primarily ovarian cancer, as evidenced by the lack of change in outcome for women with ovarian cancer and the horrendous nature of options. The options are set in the history of attitudes toward ovaries (at one time related to too much sex and at another to too little), attitudes that, of course, parallel attitudes toward women. It might not be a good book to read for one in the midst of pondering whether or not to endure the radical "treatments," but it would be a good book to have read.
4
This book provided a very interesting account of foster care experiences. It was in good contrast to the horror stories one often hears (though there were some non-ideal). The women of the book were official foster parents, relatives of them, friends, and mentors. It amazed me how one person could run into so many people so willing to go out of their way to help. But it was not a book only about luck. Effort was also involved. I was most taken by the foster mother, upon learning of Vicki's interest in dance, got a book and taught her the positions from a book. I really enjoyed the first 2/3 of the book when the narratives were well developed and I got to know the women. The last third dragged and became more of a catalogue of short vignettes. They should have had their own book with more development.
2
I was intrigued by the history--not having heard of Thomas Cromwell. Many other names I recognized, but don't remember their roles (Hugh Latimer is one; even Woolsey was just a name to me). Thomas More, of course I knew, but I had a more holy opinion of him that of one who tortured and pursued heretics. There were two things about the writing style that I really disliked: overuse of short choppy sentences. Wild abandon with pronoun reference. Sentence 1 of a paragraph would be about one male character. Sentence 2 and following would have the "he" refer to Thomas Cromwell. Yet it was not always so. It would take reading a whole paragraph or more to know for sure who was talking sometimes. One thing about not knowing Tudor history well: I didn't always know how some subplot would turn out.(Anne and More I did, but it was still interesting to see how events worked out.) I liked it enough to read the next two books. And may follow up with biographies.
2
I've been waiting for this book ever since reading the first of the Century Trilogy. I remember the first one, Fall of Giants, being better. As with the others, there were people involved in diplomacy, spying, and the various militaries so that the whole European front could be covered. And by one character joining the Navy and his family visiting, Pearl Harbor was covered as well. While it was obviously a means to an end, it was not wholly unconvincing. I find myself wondering if my decrease in interest is that the book moves into history I remember. Most of the romances fell flat, statements of longing for a person were unconvincing interjections. Even though I knew the political outcomes, he characters interested me enough to care about what happened to them, and the pace kept my interest as well. However, I never got to the point where I couldn't put the book down. Because of the complexity of the settings (USA, USSR, Germany, Britain, a little France and Spain) there were a lot of shifts in setting. Each time I had to review in my mind who the people were and what was the last thing that had happened to them. While this is always the case with shifting settings, it was more noticeable because of the gaps between their appearances. The list of characters by country in the front helped, and Follett subtly reminded readers of some of the needed information. The ending was clearly setting up Vol 3 as well as tying up Vol 2, more noticeably than I remember of the first volume. I look forward to Vol 3.
2
Gorokhova's memoir is, first of all, a good read. She knows how to pace her recollections so that as I reader I cared about what happened next. Her flashbacks are well handled, adroit trips into the past and back again to the current story. One of my favorites was while mushroom hunting, they came to what had been a WWII trench, now overgrown. It led to thoughts on the war, on her family's experiences in the war, then back to mushrooms. Another strength was capturing the mental processes of a child in the early portions, the childish logic set against adult logic in such a way that the reader understood far more than the child knowingly reported. The book provided an interesting peek into one person's experience of growing up in the USSR, to the system, to dealing with and around the system, to vranyo: we know, they know we know, we know they know we know. Vranyo, along with theatre imagery (made relevant because a sister becomes an actress), and thoughts on the magic of theatre provide major themes throughout the memoir.
4
A story of growing up during WWII as a Chinese American. son of an immigrant family. It includes a friendship between a Chinese boy and a Japanese girl, a friendship totally rejected by the father. It was interesting to show prejudice against Japanese via the Chinese family(though there were other US/Japanese; US/Chinese issues presented). As is often the case, I feel very ambivalent about the ending. The second generation father/son relationship between Henry and Marty starts as distant as that of Henry and his father, but a couple of events merge to make a believable shift. The contrast is good.
3
The story of Liesel, her foster parents, her good friend Rudy, and Max whom the family hid create a moving look at WWII. Characters I dislike at the beginning become likeable at the end. The events hold together. The pace is mostly good. The ending believable. I was not enamored with Death as a character and narrator though. Occasionally Death provided historical context for the intended YA audience, and some meditations were worthwhile, but most of the comments were intrusions for me. ETA I just learned that it was not originally published as YA book in Australia. So there goes one argument favoring Death's function as a character in the novel.
3
I remember when the fatwa was declared. My immediate response was to go out and buy The Satanic Verses as a protest against censorship and terrorism because of ideas. Because I was a grad student and had time to read only assigned items, the book sat on my shelf. Now that I have read Joseph Anton I intend to read it along with a couple others that sounded good in synopsis. Because I had just finished Wolf Hall with its references to beheadings and burnings of "heretics" by Christians, I extended the denouncement of the Islamic fatwa to a denouncement of all extreme religious hatred and threat. I appreciated the chapter giving a synopsis of Rushdie's life. And the early chapters read at times like a detective novel. By page 400, reports of meetings and who had attended were getting tedious. I pondered the inclusion of all of the meetings and names. First, I suppose, once honor is given to people who were supportive, one dare not leave anyone out. Second, I did enjoy recognizing some of my heroes who were supportive--the names I didn't recognize might be other peoples' heroes. Third, some of the people were mentioned so often that I "got to know them" and began to care about what happened to them--as one does with any character in a novel. I didn't have to have prior knowledge. It seemed odd to read a memoir written in third person. But it functioned. It created distance. It reminded of ways in which Joseph Anton both was and was not Salman Rushdie, he was sometimes forced to act other than he would have chosen. It was also a reminder that there is a degree of fiction in all reporting. I had not been aware that the fatwa lasted eleven years. After having praised European attitudes toward security post 9/11--more balance with rights, less extremism--against the more freaked out US reactions, I was surprised to hear that US had been more lax and Europe more tense and extreme in the fatwa years. For the most part, it was a profitable read.
3
A story important to be told and known. Not a history, but a record of a search for history. Sometimes the descriptions got in the way for me. Otherwise I appreciated the record of the struggle to find information, to synchronize conflicting reports, and to get people to care.
2
It has been a long time since I've read a "dear reader" style narrative. I found it annoying. But I did want to know who would get the credit for creating the black tulip. That plus it being a group read kept me reading. At least I'd been forewarned not to look for realism.
2
This amazing book caught my interest with the first paragraph, and that without the 'in medias res' beginning. Oh there was back story, but the actual plot began in Chapter 1 with two girls stealing fruit. The pace is leisurely for the first two thirds, then speeds up, the style descriptive and immediate. There were few characters, though towns and other activities were implied. The characters were well developed with flaws and virtues--all but one, who had no redeeming qualities. Much of the book was about ideas never stated (the Orchardist himself, Jane and Della, sometimes Caroline Middey, though she was the most likely to speak) or about inability to speak (Clee). Angeline was more the one who wanted to know than one not communicating. Each had their own type of isolation, though there were also relationships. The novel deals with aging, birth, the growing up of children, and the diminished abilities of the elderly, always matter of factly, sometimes understated. Never heavy handed philosophizing. This is a rare book that remains excellent through the ending. No strong woman is forced to marry. The orchard doesn't last forever.
4
Written as a collection of graphic essays by various authors/artists. Thus it is not a chronological history. There is repetition (not a bad thing...events reappear with variations in different contexts) and mixed quality. Some of the art work adds great meaning to the text. A good introduction.
3
** spoiler alert ** Generally, I like the slow pace of 19C novels, the extended description of setting and person. I like getting drawn into the fictitious world. I like the battles of wits and psychological studies. And this novel has those. I like that the novel is narrated as if it were a memoir, written (we learn at the end) ten years after most events. I dislike the hints of Beauty and the Beast mythology in Jane and Rochester. Yes, he does get tamed and become likeable; but I get tired of seeing women put into the civilizing role. I tolerated the moralizing via various characters as part of 19C until we came to St John. He was just too preachy and went on way too long. At first I shrugged it off as part of his character, and I hypothesized that Bronte was mocking him in presenting it to excess, especially when he claims that he has God's will for someone else, for Jane, who had no such internal push to become a missionary. Then I came to the ending of the novel and wondered why it ended with him, his anticipation of death told in Revelation terms. Was this meant to elevate him? To make this the lesson for all from the novel? Was it meant to say he had never changed? That it did say, but why end thus? Is even the end part of the mockery of his approach to life--mocking importance to a self important man? Another place that did not work for me was Rochester's narration of his past to Jane after the wedding has been called off. Mere telling went on way too long. I also could not believe that the feisty Jane could be almost persuaded by St John. Yes Bronte did try to make it believable by Jane's saying that she was docile and obedient until a certain level of resistance had been reached and then she would fight back. And as a child she had been excessively obedient, but then she had grown out of it. So I wasn't convinced that she remained in character. Of course, her being almost persuaded did add to the drama. It would have done so more had it been believable. In spite of features, which to me seemed faults, overall it was a good read.
3
I liked it! There were slow parts, and it is a rather depressing book, but McCourt does a wonderful drop at lightening the mood.
3
Nhung nam cuoi doi, Lev Tolstoy da roi bo cuoc song cua mot dai Ba Tuoc giau co day danh vong, chuyen ra o mot minh trong thai ap nho vung nong thon va song nhu nguoi hanh huong ngheo kho nhat. Trong buc thu dai viet cho vo khuoc tu su tro ve, ong noi "...su tro ve cua toi bay gio hoan toan khong the duoc nua...Cuoc song khong phai la tro dua, chung ta khong co quyen tu y vut bo no di va do no theo chieu dai thoi gian cung khong hop ly. Co the la nhung thang cuoi cung trong doi chung ta lai quan trong hon tat ca nhung nam da qua va phai song nhung thang cuoi cung do cho tot dep...". Tai nha ga xep mien Trung Nga, vao mot dem lanh gia thang 11 ong da thuc hien cuoc dao thoat cuoi cung trong cong cuoc tim kiem loi dap cho cac cau hoi giay vo ong suot nhung nam cuoi cua cuoc doi. Chac gi nhung cau tra loi da de chiu hon cau hoi? Dieu nay chi minh Lev Tolstoy biet. Su dan vat trong qua trinh di tim chuoi nhung cau tra loi cho cuoc doi minh duoc ong bieu dat day cay dang va chan thuc trong "Tu thu". Tan bi kich cua mot tam hon manh me va tham thuy, day sang tao va chan chuong, vua phan dau tien toi su tu hoan thien (self - perfection) vua ngap tran su nghi ngai hoang mang... Ngay phan mo dau, ta co the duoc su xung dot manh me giua Duc tin va Ly tri trong con nguoi ong. Tiep sau "Mot tranh luan ve duc tin tai Kremli" va "Nhung nguoi dam thoai" (The Interculor) - ma ong dua ra nhung thao luan ve duc tin giua nhung ke co duc tin va nhung ke vo than, toi "Tu thu" ong da tien mot buoc dai hon han. Ay la phu dinh hoan toan Duc Tin, bang nhung tu ngu danh thep, nhung mau chuyen gian di nhung chac nich da gat bo hoan toan nhung giao ly Chinh thong duoc truyen day tu thoi au tho va khang dinh cai noi chon ma ong von nghi la chua dung Duc tin ay thuc ra da trong rong tu lau va nhung cu chi hanh le hoan toan la vo nghia. Chinh su xung dot manh me giua Duc tin va Ly tri trong con su tu cua van hoc Nga da khien ong bi giao hoi Nga khai tru va coi nhu "mot ke ta dao, xac xuoc va noi loan chong lai Duc chua troi" (ngay 22 thang 2 nam 1901). Va cho den cuoi doi, hanh dong roi bo to am quy toc cua ong cung duoc coi nhu mot hanh vi noi loan, canh sat da bam sat ong, bao chi xon xao, chinh quyen luon san sang doi pho va Nga hoang da cu Toa thanh giao chu Parpheni toi gap ong yeu cau ong hoa giai voi Chinh giao nhung that bai. Cau hoi ve Duc Tin, ve moi quan he giua con nguoi voi dang vo han, y nghia cuoc song cua chinh minh khong ngung am anh Lev Tolstoy va tiep tuc the hien su giang co o doan cuoi tac pham. Rot cuoc, ngon lua thuc su cua Duc Tin nam o dau? O Thuong De vo han hay o trong chinh moi con nguoi? Lev Tolstoy khao khat di tim mot cuoc song co Duc Tin, mot Duc Tin thuan khiet, khong vu loi, mot Duc Tin tu minh tim thay, de co the tu tra loi phan nao cau hoi can thiet phai dat ra. Va ong da tim cho toi tan giay phut cuoi cung cua cuoc doi... Loi thu toi thu nhat: toi chua bao gio co niem tin vao ton giao mot cach nghiem tuc Loi thu toi thu hai: toi da song nhu mot nguoi dien suot nhung nam thang tuoi tre. "Bay gio thi toi thay ro rang khong co su khac biet nao giua chung toi va nhung nguoi (dien) dang song trong mot nha thuong dien; vao thoi ay, toi chi mo ho thoang thay dieu nay, va, giong nhu tat ca moi nguoi dien, toi nghi rang tru toi ra, tat ca nhung nguoi khac deu dien ca." Lev Tolstoy goi nhung nam thang song khat khao cong hien cho dam me quyen luc, danh vong, su giau co, tinh kieu ngao, su dam dang va tham chi la ca khoang thoi gian ben gia dinh..., la nhung nam thang dien ro va doi tra. (Du trong nhung nam nay ong da cho ra doi nhung tac pham duoc coi la kiet tac nhu Chien tranh & hoa binh, Anna Karenina...). Cho den khi ong phat hien ra ong bi "benh", va nhung cau hoi quay ve giang xe dau oc ong. Phai chang tat ca su giau sang va danh vong kia chi la nhung ao anh lua doi cua cuoc doi, va rang suot nhung nam qua ong khong thuc su co uoc vong gi? Loi thu toi thu ba... Loi thu toi thu tu... Loi thu toi thu nam... Xung dot dien ra lien tiep, nhung cau hoi nhay mua, nhung gia dinh khap khoi cuoi noi, cac bac hien nhan nhu Socrates, Solomon, Schopenhauer cung tham chien. Va ket qua la "thay vi mot cau tra loi, tat ca nhung gi ma nguoi ta co the dat toi, la chinh cac cau hoi tuong tu, duoc dat ra trong mot hinh thuc roi ram phuc tap." Giong nhu mot ke bi lac trong rung, mot lan nua, Lev Tolstoy cay dang nhan ra "Toi da khong the bi danh lua. Moi su deu la hu vo, Hanh phuc thay cho ke nao chua tung duoc sinh ra; cai chet thi tot hon cuoc song; chung ta phai loai bo su song ra khoi chinh minh."
3
A story that I did not want to end. Great story, made me laugh, tear up, and taught me many lessons. Atticus is a true gentleman that knows himself and I learned a lot from his character. Extremely humble and wise from all his readings... He is a man who knows who he is and does not stray away from that at all cost yet at the same time submits when appropriate. Atticus is someone I am still figuring out as I process this story - while pride would have got any normal man this man stayed calm and almost acted as a equal to his children... didn't lord over them. Some of the lessons still haven't become real to me so I will continue to ponder - processing the mocking bird title and the conclusion of it that scout said when she understood a ending circumstance, "Well, it'd be sort of like shootin' a mockingbird, wouldn't it? Something Atticus said at the end also rings true to me. We are all essential kind... most are when you finally see them. There are so many of us not truly living as who we really are and most of this book to me is about a man (Atticus) that knows who he is and therefore is the bravest man ever known according to his children because of his gentleman (manly) like self. If others would truly know thyself they would also be this gentleman or lady they were truly called to be. possibly a guide to recognize who you really are in an old fashion classy style using racism and the groups that are examples of people lost that try to tear down the reality of goodness in ones soul... thus will kill those who have found life if they don't conform to the groups... I dare you to move. Temet nosce
4
Oh Kitty Wright. What can I say about this character... she has a lot of sides to her... and I think I liked this book more than the first. I had to keep reading... harder to put the book down. Anyways once again closeness to detail.. at points felt like I was reading a semi different version to Gone With the Wind and Scarlett mixed. Good book... can't wait to read book 3 of the Saga.
3
I am a history buff and can be very critical of those who right historical romances. What I liked about Love and War was the authors careful consideration to history and facts. I have done research on some of the battles that she listed in the book... and this being a free book from Amazon was a great way to introduce me to the author. You are swept up in the constant troubles of Kitty Wright... who was the southern belle who wasn't like all the other girls... and the fact that she has love triangles, drama, and action... I enjoyed the book very much... so much so that I bought 2 and 3 to continue on with their story.
3
This was a free book I actually grabbed because a friend's picture was on the Cover as the hero... Brad. Anyways I liked the book. I felt that at times I had problems really connecting with what was going on... although I was able to pick up very fast what was going on when (SPOILER) she loses her virginity after being married for 7 years to the lead guy. And then the guy was trying to get her pregnant. I got that pretty fast... but I will admit at first I thought he was trying to get her pregnant to bring up some scandal to get them into society.
2
I liked the story line. I kept wondering how Jane Feather was going to pull it off, I mean you have a main character Clarissa who is claiming she is a whore... when really she is of noble blood. She constantly kept the lead character in the loop... gosh she was good at making up lies... but good story... can't wait to read #2... which I found out I already had prior to buying this book lol. :D
3
Although a good book... I was a little lost in the beginning. Took me a while to get into it. It does have some interesting twists... that I was not expecting.
2
Not bad--- felt that as a History buff there were some questionable uses of medical terminology and wording. But still a good book! Very twisty!
3
I like this author. She got my attention early on and kept me going the whole time. My only concern which goes for a lot of authors in Historical Romance is that use of Language. By this I mean sometimes they are so into the writing that they might miss when they make references or at least use words that of of this time.
4
I read this book and liked that he likes Anna who just happens to be a well educated housekeeper. I mean she is honest and knows what she wants... which is to protect her sister.
2
This book is twists and turns...but in a good way. A good read. :)
3
The story is about Ian the Duke or Portmaine who finds that he has inherited an earldom in Scotland. All is not as it seems when he decides instead of going through the season with his betrothed Felicity. He goes to Scotland to inspect his lands to find illegitimate heirs, disinherited males, a dowager Countess who doesn't like to let others rule what she has ruled for years, and three sisters. Brandy the oldest of the sisters is not yet 19...she is blossoming into a woman... but she doesn't want to. This book has action, romance, and drama. This was one of my first romance novels I have read and it is one of my favorite. I recommend this :)
4
The Fact of the matter with this book (SPOILER) Some one comes up with a copy of Lincoln's lost journal and is told they write the journal entries. He bounces back and forth going through Lincoln's history where he makes arguments as well as shows pictures of Lincoln and life throughout the years. The way in which he does this it makes a possible account that is surprisingly close to history. Thus why I had to double check... what would Lincoln think about this account of his life? I have to wonder lol.
3
I loved this book. I loved the movie... which for the most part they kept pretty close to the book. I liked the Myrna column which I want to check into some of those ideas myself. All in all interesting read. :)
3
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1
Bud, not Buddy is for my Book Report (or Home Reading Report) Review to come once I finish my HRR. :> SUMMARY!! Ten year old Bud, not Buddy, Caldwell, is on a search for his father. Four years ago, his mother passed away, and Bud was sent to the Home, an orphanage, bringing his only belongings, a suitcase of his precious things that includes rocks with numbers and their states, flyers about his suspected father, Herman E. Calloway where he plays a big fiddle with his famous band, the Dusky Devastators of Depression, and Grand Rapids! When the Home sent Bud to a foster home, taken cared by the Amoses, the couple's child Todd threw a fight against him and Bud fought back to defend himself. When the Amoses arrived, Todd lied about the situation and as punishment Bud is locked up in the shed of the house and was told that they will take him back to the Home. Bud tried to escape after seeing a shotgun, and to his horror he was attacked by hornets hiding in the shed. Fortunately, he was able to escape, and Bud decided that it would not be the best idea to go to the Home now. The next day Bud received breakfast from the Mission through the help of kind strangers. He visited the library and discovers the Mrs. Hill, the librarian, is on a matrimonial leave and is in Chicago. Bud found out that it takes fifty-five hours to travel to Chicago. The next day Bud is awoken by a fellow mate, Bugs, who is named Bugs because once a cockroach went inside his ear. Bugs told him that he is going to the West, and the two swore to be brothers forever. After receiving breakfast from the Mission, both learned that you have to go to Hooperville which is outside Flint to get into the train to Chicago. When they reached their destination they realized that it is actually Hooverville, and it is a cardboard jungle. Both were given food and both washed the dishes with other kids. Bud attracted Deza Malone, a girl waiting for her father to come home, and the two share a kiss. The next day the cops appeared and told the people that they are not allowed to go on board the train; however, a lot of people managed to ride on the train. The friendship of Bud and Bugs was broken apart when Bugs left Bud and went to the train by himself. The next day Bud decided to search for his father. He went to the library to calculate the distance of Flint and Grand Rapids, which is twenty-four hours. While walking to his destination he is spotted by a man who decided to help Bud. He is Mister Lefty Lewis, an old man. When Bud told Lewis that Herman is his father, he sent a telegram to Herman, which made Bud nervous. Bud woke up the next day in Mrs. Sleet's house, the daughter of Lewis. He was given a delicious breakfast (the best one) and Lewis and he went off to Log Cabin in Grand Rapids where Herman plays the fiddle. For the first time Bud finally saw his father however Herman gives the opposite feedback Bud expected. The members of the band warmly greeted him, and they treated him to dinner at the Sweat Pea, the finest restaurant in town. Bud met Miss Thomas, the vocal stylist of the band, and together with the band members, all of them share a bond. While listening to the music produced Bud helps the band by cleaning the Log Cabin. Herman still gave negative attitude to him. Bud decided that this attitude needed to stop and to prove Herman that he is his father Bud showed him the rocks he kept after seeing Herman's belongings which included the same types of rocks. Miss Thomas asked the name of Bud's mother and Bud told her that his mother's name is Angela Janett Caldwell. This shocked everyone, including Herman, who cried after. It has come to the conclusion that Herman is not Bud's father but grandfather. Because of Herman's parental habits Angela ran away from home more than ten years ago. Herman is in despair that Angela has died. The band invited him join the band and since everybody in the band has a codename the band came up with the idea of Sleepy LaBone. The band also gives him a saxophone. It is a happy ending for Bud.
3
HHhH charms with its brilliance and capivates with its whim. The atrocities committed by Heydrich and those under his command are well known but surprisingly little is known about the brave men and women whose mission it was to end his reign of terror. What is especially impressive about HHhH is how Binet tries to tell this remarkable story. All too often historical fiction and even historical work is tarnished by convenient untruths and grandiose embellishment. Against this, HHhH is refreshing with its attempt to encourage the reader to reconstruct the truth surrounding the assassination attempt on Heydrich, even though our protagonist effectively deconstructs everything that he encounters in order to allow the reader to do so. Yet there are times where our protagonist cannot help himself and indulges in the dramatic flourish that he rails against. It is at these moments where the reader can appreciate the difficulty that storytellers face in capturing a true account of events Personally I would be more inclined to dabble into historical fiction if its storytelling style continues along this new exciting path set down by Binet.
4
Septimus was my favorite character, followed by Thomasina and Lady Crooms. In that order. My least favorite by a land slide was Bernard. I found the scenes set in 1809 extremely interesting and the scenes set in present day extremely dull. Ugh. Now I have to have a test on this play and write an essay explaining the rice pudding quote.
2
I didn't come into this book expecting much, mostly because I was pretty underwhelmed by "The Constant Princess," which was the only Phillipa Gregory book I had read. I am happy to say that this book was amazing. I really loved the writing and the story was so interesting! There was non-stop political intrigue it was almost overwhelming. Luckily, I love political intrigue. I also loved the protagonist, Elizabeth Woodsville, and I had a love/hate relationship with Edward. So much happened in this book, I felt like I read a novel's worth of plot just in the first 100 pages alone. I tried to put off finishing this book because I didn't want it to end! I'm dying to read another book in this series, I can't wait.
4
4.5 stars. I began this book with high expectations, I mean, it won the Pulitzer Prize! It has to be good then, right? Thankfully, it was. The abrupt chapters and switching povs was off-putting at first, but it grows on you and really works later on in adding tension and suspense. The first half of the book started slow, I had to push myself to read through the beginning. The book picks up though, as you begin to read further and begin to understand what this book actually is: It's a book about war and I thought it was incredibly interesting to have a point of view from the French resistance and a point of view from a German boy brainwashed and forced to fight a war. Yes there is a "villain" in this book, but it was mostly just a story about living through a war. I think the book becomes incredibly enjoyable when you accept that the story is just about the lives of certain characters and how everything can be connected. I felt like the book was specifically written to be poignant but I wasn't entirely convinced. This book wasn't perfect, but I read 400 pages in one day and stayed up until 2am to finish it and I felt utterly affected by it at the end and that says something. (It doesn't hurt that I was listening to some brilliant music and became swept up into a wistful state, which certainly just enhanced my experience while reading this book).
4
2.5 stars....umm wait...the ending...WHERE IS IT?
2
I loved this play. The characters were irritable, you already know what will happen before you even read the book, and you will want to punch a puppy(maybe?) while reading this book, but I loved it. The sad thing is that people are still like this today, just maybe not about witches...
4
I love this book. I need to go buy it now. This book is about the horrors of the Holocaust yes, but it also shows how even when it seems like no one has their humanity anymore there are,and always will be, people who have hearts and show compassion. Who are human. This book is filled with sadness yet also with hope. With loss but also with happiness. "Look to the helpers, in times of tragedies, you will always find people who are helping." It amazes me, how Ilse and the other girls have practically nothing, yet they constantly give to Gerda. Like Ilse had that one raspberry she found, and instead of eating it she gave it to Gerda. Also, Frau Kugler. Amazing how much compassion and heart she had. Seriously. It amazes and inspires me to see how much humanity people had during times of despair. I phrased my feelings horribly but I think if you read this book, then you'll understand
4
2.5 stars. The beginning was pretty confusing, and it took me a while to get used to the italic writing. I wish the author just decided on one point of view, instead, this book is written in both first person and in third person. Honestly the synopsis just explains the whole book. The book wasn't really what I was expecting, Arthur didn't even die until the middle of the book and those "seven years of hardship" were literally just skimmed over. I just skimmed the ending because I didn't feel like reading pages worth of italics.
2
4.5 stars. Man, can this guy write.
3
3.5 stars. What I liked about this book particularly was the psychology and Kaysen's scenes with her fellow patients.
3
I truly enjoyed this book. Tina Fey is funny, but that's nothing new.
3
I swear this took me like a month to read...still, it was seriously amazing. Heathcliff is so unlikable but you just can't help empathizing with him
4
I loved it. I was not expecting those plot twists. This book sucked me in and it did not let me go until I finished it. Also, for this being a classic, the writing was really easy to understand.
4
It's 3 in the morning and I'm happy/sad crying. I love this book.
4
How do I even begin to describe this book? I love it so much. I love Markus Zusak's writing style. This book, if I had to describe it in one word, is charming. The writing is charming, the characters are charming, the story is charming. The book is charming. This book is the kind that you just can't rush through. I admit, sometimes I start skimming through books. I tried to do it with this book. Big mistake. First, what was I thinking trying to skim parts of this? No. This book requires you to take your time and read it at the book's pace. You can't rush it. You have to read each and every word because every single word is important. But you will enjoy it immensely. The characters truly shine in this story. No matter how unlikable they are (or seem to be). I loved every. single. one. My favorites just might be Rudy and Ilsa(a.k.a the mayor's wife). Near the end of the book I started bawling. I was crying so hard. And I loved it. I loved that this book evoked that emotion out of me. In fact, I was so overwhelmed that I just had to put the book down and cry. I had to stop reading, put my head down, and just cry. I would then compose myself and start again - only to read the next sentence or two and just burst out in tears again. Part of it because the sentence made me cry. And part of it because I was still overwhelmed and the sentence pushed me over the edge (so to speak) again. This is a book that will make me reel. I'll need days to recover from this book.
4
R.I.P. Ms. Harper Lee, Feb. 19, 2016. Thank you for writing one of the great American novels.
3
For me, this just didn't live up to the hype. I had read Fingersmith and really enjoyed it. And it had a big twist. With the Paying Guests I kept waiting for something to happen. I had so many scenarios in my head and was wondering if I guessed right. But nothing happened. I was expecting a bigger payoff for 500+ pages.
2
Not very well written. Entirely predictable plot. It wasn't bad, it just really wasn't very interesting.
1
What an interesting childhood! I think it explains where her unusual sense of humor originates. Fun read.
2
I should rate this book with more stars, but it made me cry so hard I'm deducting stars. Not fair, I know. I knew reading a book where the lead character is a Jew during WWII would be devastating. And it was. I just can't handle it. I am a wimp. It is hard to believe what was done to millions of people. And it's harder to believe that in this day and age people are still being horribly abused due to their religion, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, etc. I want to read this and believe it was a horrific time in world history that won't be repeated. Unfortunately that is not true. I'm glad there are writers like Julie Orringer who won't allow these stories to be forgotten. If you choose to read this book, have tissues on stand by for the last 100 pages. An entire box of tissues.
2
** spoiler alert ** Well, I didn't love it. I am a big fan of Kate Atkinson and was so looking forward to this book. Read so many rave reviews. And I liked a lot of it. Ursula, the main character, dies and lives again, over and over. Certain event occur again and again. She is able to change her present because of her "deja vu". Interesting premise. And it was well done. I guess for me I just got bogged down in WWII. I felt the chapters lasted as long as the war, not that I was around at that time. But too much Hitler, too much bombing. Too many bodies blown to bits. From the ending, I guess the ultimate for Ursula was that he brother Teddy live through the war? There were parts of the story I would have like to have been longer instead of WWII and Hitler. I really didn't like any of the bits in Germany with Eva and Hitler. That's just me. Of course Hitler is very volatile subject. I just didn't find those chapters very interesting. So I reluctantly give this book 3 stars. I don't like any author to be unchallenged, but yet, I would love more Jackson Brodie.
2
This book was a lot of fun. I had been a little reluctant to read it and I don't know why. I've been a Tina Fey fan for a long time. I guess I was afraid this book wouldn't be as funny as I wanted it to be. But it is funny, and it's smart and feminist. Tina represents herself well and I'm an even bigger fan now. I do recommend this if you are already a fan. If you aren't, I don't see this winning you over. It's right in keeping with her well known public persona.
3
I have to preface my review by saying that I accepted Pete Townshend as my musical savior when I was but 11 years old. So this is a biased review. His music quite literally has changed my life. With that said, I have been eagerly awaiting this book. Yet almost afraid to read it. Bottom line: I don't love it. I just wanted more. But I don't know that he could give me what I want. Which is everything. I guess that is my main issue. Even with a 500 page book, I felt he glossed over times that I really thought would get more coverage. Still, I feel I both know him much better, and yet still don't know him at all. He says he wanted the book to both entertain and convince. So in that respect I think he was successful. I do this this is essential reading for major Who fans. This is not for the casual fan. There really isn't enough rock and roll decadence to engage the music fan who is looking for dirt. I guess the best way to get to know Pete Townshend, or the way I choose to get to know Pete Townshend, is to listen the music. Because at his best, there is no one better.
3
I stumbled on this book completely by accident, and feel all the better for doing so. Large parts of the text were written a century or more ago, yet Muir's writing resonates with a modernity and freshness that made this book a joy and a pleasure.
4
This book was amazing. It was emotional, it was uplifting, it was inspiring, but most of all the ending was something you never would have expected.
4
I fist watched the movie then i read the book. I loved both. Reading this was so like my own life it was uncanny. There are so many women out there that can relate to this story and it kinda gives you a little hope. Thinking that if she did it and made it through ok so can you! The story was down to earth and real that's what i liked about it. I recommend this book to any young lady and the older ladies that just want to curl up with a good book that can take you back to yesturday.
4
I felt like this book was the result of a precocious middle-schooler having done lots if research on a very interesting topic, and then just spewing verbatim from their collected (but not well organized) index cards. Not a good read, despite the compelling subject matter. I feel sorry that the editors allowed this book to go to press as it did, and that the author thought it was a work completed. It just wasn't.
0
I SO enjoyed the fact that I needed to keep flipping back to the family tree at the front of the book, despite the fact that it broke the momentum of my reading! It was a welcome return to a visual representation of the many (& in some cases, complicated) connections that were revealed by each character's telling of their own perspectives, experiences, and place in time. Truly enjoyed this book, and highly recommend it.
3
lqwq`@ Hyth l ywjd mkn wl zmn, Hyth tnthy bk kl lbdyt, Hyth ytdkhl lmDy blHDr wlkhyl blwq`. hy lyst rwy@ km kl lrwyt bl nSun ykhtzl fy Tyth kl 'Snf lm's@ wl`dhb, lkhwf wlr`b, lZlm wlDThd... mSTf~ khlyf@ SHb lrwy@ wlshkhSy@ lry'ysy@ fyh swry ljnsy@ msyHy kthwlyky fy lhwy@ wmlHd fy lm`tqd yblG mn l`mr 30 `m b`d 6 '`wm 'nh~ drsth fy frns wHSl `l~ shhd@ fy lkhrj lsynmy'y, wyD` Swb `ynh lrjw` l~ wTnh swry whw yw'mn b'n lwTn ybn~ bsw`d 'bny'h, trkan wry'h lkthyr mn mt` lHy@ fy frns.... fy lmTr ttlqfh 'ydy l'mn lswry ltbd' fSwl lm`n@, fy Grf ltHqyq lmZlm@ ywjh lh thm@ lntm ljm`@ lkhwn lmslmyn, lymkth fy sjn SHrwy 12 `man dwn `lm 'Hd wdwn mHkm@.... y'khdhk fy jwl@ `br lzmn tr~ fyh 'slyb lt`dhyb wlqtl lty ymrsh 'zlm lnZm bHq lsjn lsysyyn, tr~ m`h lZrwf lSHy@, l'mrD lm`dy@, l 'dwy@ wl `lj, l zyrt wl 'khbr, shH lT`m wrdy'@ 'Snfh, lmlbs lmhtry'@ wlty ylbsh lsjn l`d@ snyyn, lbrd lqrs fy lsht wql@ l'GTy@, lHr lqtl fy lSyf wl`wSf lrmly@ lty tDrbh lSHr ltj`l kl m fy dkhl lsjn mmzwjan blrml... w'nt m` lktb btfSyl Hy@ ywm bywm tdrk 'n km hw mryD hdh lnZm wkm hy qdhr@ `qly@ 'zlmh wDbth.. b`d sn@ wnSf `l~ lthwr@ lswry@ wm trh m` ktb lqwq`@ tdrk tmman 'n lqhr wldhl l ymkn 'n ySn` nZman qwyan, wmtdd lsjwn bTwlh w`rDh wmtly'h b'bn lwTn mn sjn sysyyn l ymknh 'n ykbH jmH lHry@, b`d kl snyyn lZlm wl`dhb tSbH lsjwn jm`t tkhrj 'fwjan mn lGDb lsh`by ldhy nfjr fy wjh hdh lnZm lkhl wln yhd' Ht~ ysqT. 'D` hn b`D fqrt lqwq`@ lty yZhr mn khllh qdhr@ lhrmy@ l`skry@ lty tsyTr `l~ tfSyl lnZm tt`b rjly lysr~ lty tHml kml jsdy. "lw bdlt lymn~ blysr~, hl syntbh lrjl dhw lwjh lmHtqn? wdh ntbh mdh syf`l?. ttkhdr lysr~, lm '`d 'stTy` lHtml, 'Gmr.. 'bdl!!.. lm yHSl shy, lm yntbh 'Hd, 'sh`r blntSr!.. "b`d snyn Twyl@ mn lsjn mstqblan, s'ktshf 'nh fy lSr` l'bdy byn lsjyn wlsjn, kl ntSrt lsjyn stkwn mn hdh l`yr!!. mndh tlk llHZt `lmwny 'n 'qwl: "y sydy".. hdhh lklm@ l tstkhdm hn km byn rjlyn mhdhbyn, hdhh lklm@ tnTq hn why tHml kl m`ny ldhlW wl`bwdy@. Hkny r'sy mn lqf, wkm bf`l kl nsn yHkh r'sh, mddt ydy `fwyan wHkkt!! wsm`t Swtan r`dan: wlk y jm`@ .... shwfw lklb shwfw !! `m yHk rsh kmn....!! shwww...! `m yHk rsh?!!..... wsHbtny l'ydy khrj lrtl, ttqdhfny Sf`an wlkman, wlk `rSt... wlk Hqyryn... `m tshtGlw Dd lry'ys!!... wlk swWk zlm@... swk mlzm jysh... wbtshtGl Ddh?!!... wlk y `ml... y jwsys!... wlk lry'ys khln nshb` khbz... whlq jyyn 'ntw y klb tshtGlw Ddh?!... y `ml 'mryk... y `ml sry'yl... y wld lshrmwT@... hlq `m ttrjw?!!... brh kntw `mlyn Hlkn rjl... y jbn.... hlq `m tSrkh wlk Hqyr!!!... 'n 'w'mn bqwl n lnsn l ymwt df`@ wHd@, klm mt qryb 'w Sdyq 'w wHd mn m`rfh... fn ljz ldhy kn yHtlh hdh lSdyq 'w lqryb... ymwt fy nfs hdh lnsn!... wm` l'ym wttb` slsl@ lmwt... tkthr l'jz lty tmwt dkhln... tkbr lmsH@ lty yHtlh lmwt... w 'n 'Hml mqbr@ kbyr@ dkhly, tftH hdhh lqbwr 'bwbh lylan... ynZr lyW nzlw'h.. yHdthwnny wy`tbwnny.
4
hdhh tjrty lthny@ m` ywsf zydn b`d rwyth lry'`@ `zzyl wlty tdwr 'Hdthh fy lqrn lthlth myldy wttHdth `n lkhlft lty HSlt tlk lftr@ byn 'sqf@ lkny's l`Zm~ khSwSan knys@ l'skndry@ mn jh@ wlqsTnTyny@ mn jh@ 'khr~, wblmkn `tbr fkr@ tlk lrwy@ 'Hd~ 'fkr ktbh ljdyd. yTrH lktb fy hdh lktb ldhy ysmyh llhwt l`rby w'Swl l`nf ldyny ms'l@ Zhrt jly@ fy l'wsT lmsyHy@ fy lqrn lthlth myldy w'STlH `l~ tsmyth llhwt lmsyHy w'qrb t`ryf lhdh lmSTlH hw `lm ybHth fy mhy@ wTby`@ llh w'shthr hdh l`lm wtws` fyh kbr lbTrk@ wlqsws@ b`d 'n 'khtlfw Hwl mhy@ lmsyH w'Htdm lnqsh byn mn yqwl `nh bshr wmn ySfh b'nh 'lh, wm Zhr b`d dhlk lb lbn rwH lqds. mqbl ljdl ldhy HSl byn lTwy'f wltjht lmsyHy@ lmkhtlf@, Zhr fy lqrn l'wl hjry fy l'slm m kn ysm~ b`lm lklm w lmtklmyn, Hyth Zhr 'kthrhm fy mnTq@ bld lshm wlhll lkhSyb 'mthl lm`tzl@ wl'sh`r@ wlqdry@, wb`D lshkhwS wl'frd 'mthl m`bd ljhny wGyln ldmshqy, wklhm khDw fy msy'l flsfy@ ttmHwr Hwl qDy `qy'dy@ mthl lqD wlqdr wlSft llhy@ lty dhukrt fy lqran w'mkny@ t'wylh wlmnzl@ lwsT~ m byn lkfr wl'ymn, wtjdr lshr@ 'nh fy b`D l'Hyn knt tlk lqDy dht nkh@ sysy@ tqwm bl'ss `l~ mnhD@ Hkm l'myr 'w lslTn ldhy ystkhdm lmfhym ldyny@ fy sbyl Df@ lqds@ l~ `rshh wHkmh. b`d 'n ykhwD lktb fy tfSyl llhwt lmsyHy wyshrH 'hm mfSl `lm lklm fy lslm, yshyr l~ ltshbk ldhy HSl m byn lflsft lmsyHy@ wlslmy@ fy mnTq@ bld lshm wlhll lkhSyb Ht~ ymkn lqwl 'n tlk lmnTq@ knt mnbran llflsft lmsyHy@ `l~ mdr 6 qrwn b`d Zhwr lmsyH wlflsft lslmy@ b`d dkhwl lslm lyh... 'y blmkn tsmyth bld lhrTq@ wlzndq@. whm mSTlHn dhw m`n~ wHd l'wl ykhtS blmsyHy@ wlakhr blslm. 'yDan lm yns~ lktb 'n yshyr l~ 'SHb lrsl@ lsmwy@ l'wl~ whm lyhwd wlkn l mts` lDf@ kl l'fkr lty jy't fy lktb, ldhlk 'nSH bqrth.
3
ttHdth lrwy@ `n rhb mSry 'smh "hyb" hyb lrhb whyb lTbyb whyb lGryb, ldhy `sh fy lqrn lkhms myldy wkn shhdan `l~ lmnqsht wlkhlft l`qy'dy@ ld~ lknys@ wlmsyHyyn fy tlk lftr@. hyb lrhb lmSry wld fy "'khmym" wkhrj mnh l~ l'skndry@ b`d 'n st`nt 'mh lmsyHy@ bb`D mtTrfy lknys@ lqtl 'bh lwthny, hn ylqy lktb mzydan mn lDw `l~ lftr@ lty bd' fyh shyw` ldyn@ lmsyHy@ fy mSr wnHsr ldyn@ lwthny@ lty knt tu`tbr ldyn@ lrsmy@ llmbrTwry@ lrwmny@ Ht~ `m 380 Hyth 'SbHt lmsyHy@ hy ldyn@ lrsmy@ b`d dhlk ltrykh. fb`d m knt t`nyh lmsyHy@ mn DThd dyny tmrs@ lmbrTwry@ lrwmny@ `l~ kl 'tb` lmsyH, nqlbt lay@ w'SbH lDThd yumrs bsm lknys@ wmwjhan lldyn@ lwthny@ wkl mn ytHdth fy `lwm lflsf@ lryDyt wlflk bm`zl `n ldyn, Hyth dhkr lrhyb hyb wkhll lmd@ lty qDh fy lskndry@ Hdth@ mqtl lfylswf@ "hybty" b`d 'n qmt knys@ lskndry@ bthmh blsHr wllHd wlhrTq@ w'd~ tHryD lknys@ `lyh l~ qym b`D lGwG mn 'tb` lknys@ blhjwm `lyh why khrj@ b`rbth mn Hd~ ndwth Hyth qmw bjrh mn sh`rh thm nz` mlbsh wjrh `ry@ tmm bHbl mlfwf `l~ ydh fy shwr` lskndry@ Ht~ tslWkh jldh, w'lqwh fwq kwm@ mn l'khshb w'sh`lw fyh lnyrn. knt ltlk lHdth@ 'thr kbyr fy nfs lrhb hyb, 'd~ bh l~ trk lskndry@ fwran wlsfr l~ lqds ly`ysh krhb bjnb knys@ lqym@, `sh fy Swm`th `ddan mn lsnyn lhdy'@ wlrtyb@ kn khllh qd `urf bmzwlth llTb wfn lm`lj@ w'SbH lrhbn wlkhn@ wlns ytrddwn `lyh lTlb l`lj ldhy lm ykn ytqD~ 'jran `lyh. khll lmd@ lty qDh hyb fy lqds wlty kn yqSdh lHjj mn kl 'nH lbld, ltq~ blqsW nsTwr wldhy 'SbH fy m b`d 'sqf wbTryrk lqsTnTyn@ Hyth tw'dy khlfth l`qy'dy@ m` 'sqf lskndry@ l~ `zlh wkhl`h mn mnSbh wltshhyr bh mn qibl lmjm` lmsyHy. wtjdr lshr@ l~ 'n l'sqf nsTwr kn yrfD kf@ 'nw` lDThd ldhy ymrs Dd ldyn@ lwthny@, wkn SHb fkr yHwl SlH l`qyd@ lmsyHy@ lty knt tthw~ km kn yr~. yHdthn hyb 'yDan `n lftr@ l'khyr@ mn `mrh wlty qDh fy dyr tb` lknys@ 'nTky@ Hyth d`h lyh lqsW nsTwr, yq` hdh ldyr l~ lshml mn mdyn@ Hlb.. fy hdh ldyr yq` lrhb hyb fy Grm w`shq "mrt" ljmyl@ lft@ l`dhb@. lrwy@ ry'`@ bkl m tHmlh lklm@ mn m`n~, wl'rw` mn kl dhlk hw m ymkn 'n tqdmh lrwy@ mn lmH@ trykhy@ lftr@ lqrn lkhms myldy mn trykh lmbrTwry@ lrwmny@ wllhwt lmsyHy.
4
lktb ysrd bshkl sry` wmkhtSr l`dyd mn lHqy'q ltrykhy@ lldwl@ lslmy@ fy ftr@ lkhlf lrshdyn wldwl@ l'mwy@ wldwl@ l`bsy@, tkhtlf lHqy'q lty ydhkrh lktb `n m kn yrddh lshywkh `l~ msm`n mn `dl wmsw@ knt tswd lmjtm` lslmy andhk.. lktb ydhkr b`D mn lmSdr lty stnd `lyh fy dhkr tlk lwqy'` ltrykhy@ mthl trykh lTbry wlsywTy wbn kthyr, w'`tqd 'nh lymkn l'Hd 'n yshkk wynsf bshkl kly m j fy ktb ltrykh hdhh khSwSan w'nh t`tbr mrj` ry'ysy@ `nd 'hl lsn@, m` qn`ty ltm@ b'nh l ymkn ljzm bHdwth kl m j fy hdhh lktb 'yDan.. wlkn tkrr lwqy'` wl'Hdth lmtshbh wlty tshyr l~ ntshr lfsd wlqtl bshkl mmnhj fy Zl lkthyr mn lkhlf l'mwyyn wl`bsyyn yj`ln nmyl l~ lqtn` bHdwth lkthyr mm dhkrh hdh lktb.. lq`d@ tqwl 'n lbshr hm lbshr wl 'Hd m`Swm `n lkhT' l rswl llh, wkhlft lSHb@ jmy`h b`d wf@ lrswl knt khlft sysy@ `l~ lTryq@ lty yjb 'n ytm fyh Hkm lr`y@. ldhlk f`ndm yntqd 'Hdhm 'f`l b`D lSHb@ stndan l~ mSdr ry'ysy@ fy ltrykh `nd lmslmyn fnh bdhlk lntqd l yntqS mn ldyn shyy'an bl hw bdhlk ybr' lslm mmn 'tkhdh nfsh wkylan llh fy l'rD w'SbH yHkm wyqtl bsm ldyn whw fy lHqyq@ yf`l kl dhlk lymrr systh lqdhr@ `l~ lsh`wb lmZlwm@ l 'kthr. bmknk 'n l tSdq kl m dhkr fy lktb wlkn kn `l~ yqyn 'n trykh ldwl@ lslmy@ lm ykn dwman nS`an blbyD, bl Ht~ ymknk 'n tkwn `l~ yqyn 'kbr b'n `dd mn lkhlf l'mwyyn wl`bsyyn kn 'kthr m ytmyzwn bh hw Hrwb lkhrjyn `n lT`@ wlby`@ wljwry wl`byd wlm ykn hnk 'y `lq@ trbT khlfthm bjwhr ldyn.
2
Hsyn lbrGwthy bn jm`@ byrzyt Tlban w'stdhan, nfsh ljm`@ lty nhyt fyh drsty, wkm sykwn jmylan lw 'nny ltqyt bh 'thn ldrs@, lkn ll'sf `nd dkhwly ljm`@ kn qd Gdr. mn wjh@ nZry wHt~ tlms rwH lrwy@ `lyk 'n tqr'h bfkr mjnwn, lshkhSyt lry'ysy@ mjnwn@ wlktb whw ytHdth `n nfsh yHwl lwSwl l~ l`mq ldhy yqb` bh lmjnwn, wldhlk Ht~ tsh`r bsHr lrwy@ `lyk 'n tkwn Gyr mryDan bd l`ql, fkm yqwl lktb lmjnwn Sf@ nTlqh `l~ mn l nfhmhm, y`ny dhlk 'nh Ht~ tfhm lmjnwn `lyk 'n tkwn mjnwn mthlh. wldhlk fmn y`ysh `l~ lnmT lm'lwf wlsy'd kmn y`ysh `l~ sTH lmkn w sTH lHy@, wHt~ tsh`r b`mq lHy@ wlmkn `lyk 'n t`ysh bnmT tfkyr mkhtlf l~ Hd ljnwn.
4