A couple of days ago I started the book Fahrenheit 451
I know of the book burnings during WW II, and I do think that books can help in forming certain ideas and ideals, but I don’t think books can be that dangerous that they have to be forbidden. The burning of books says more about the ones that order it, then about the books themselves. Why should you be afraid of books when you have nothing to hide, or when you believe in people?
Well, as you notice, books help you ponder about things, big things, small things. Books help you escape from reality and get your imagination going for as long as you like.
I just love books!
Archives for April 2007
burning books
me talk pretty one day – david sedaris
This book contains of short chapters, each telling us a situation or an episode out of Sedaris’ life. Well, you may expect this book autobiographical, because he uses his real name for his character and he tells his stories in such a way, he must have lived them. The episodes are not told chronological but in a way the brain works with memories; then this one jumps up, then another one, totally random. One chapter you learn about how David in his twenties is a cool artist with his own exhibitions, the next chapter David is telling about all the dogs they had at home when he was a child.
my updated blog
As many of you probably have noticed already, I have been busy the last couple of weeks to get all my written book reviews here at my blog. No more links to my other (extern) site anymore, but the complete review immediately for you to read. What a treat!
The easiest way to see what reviews I have written, is going to the page all the titles reviewed or the page all the authors reviewed. You can also click on reviews or find your specific genre in the category cloud.
the virgin suicides – jeffrey eugenides
When you see the title you would think you’re in for a thriller/horror type of story, but you couldn’t be more wrong. It’s a very gripping and disturbing story about five teenage sisters who commit suicide. Heavy stuff? Not really. The way the story is told is very open and factual, even funny at times, by one of the boys (now men) who lived in the street and who were intrigued by the Lisbon girls and their lives.
the hours – michael cunningham
In this book everything is hang up on one term: intertextuality.
Mrs. Dalloway is the subject/object that is the intermediate between three women, three, as it seems at first, totally different and incoherent lives. There is Virginia Woolf, who is writing Mrs Dalloway, struggling with her story. There is Laura Brown, who is reading Mrs Dalloway and Clarissa who is the late ‘90 version of Mrs Dalloway. Every woman has her own struggles and doubts. We, the readers, are given a look in their worlds, their emotions, thoughts and eventually their decisions.
the restaurant at the end of the universe – douglas adams
I was totally impressed by the first book The hitchhiker’s guide to the galaxy. This second book in the series takes of where the first book leaves us. The crew was heading to the restaurant at the end of the universe, because they felt like having not eaten for decades, and that is where they will land, but…there is always a but…only after Marvin the depressed robot is left behind several times, Zaphod is taken on a ride to infinity by his great-grandfather he summoned to get some information and getting more than he has bargained for in the process.
Finally at the restaurant they meet with a cow who wants to be eaten and is making a great effort to show off his gorgeous shoulders and ribs and they meet with the end of the universe. What is left after seeing that? Well, a visit to the ruler of the universe of course, to finally get the big question to the answer 42.
modern baptists – james wilcox
Mr. Pickens has his fair(?) share of bad luck in this book. His delinquent brother F.X. has moved in and goes after the 18-years-old girl, Mr. Pickens has a crush on. Then when he wants F.X. out of HIS house, F.X. says it is his house too. And that is just the beginning, there is much more where that came from.
Everything is going wrong for Mr. Pickens and he can’t do anything about it. People lie and cheat and he is the victim, he is the reluctant center figure in all of this. Together with Burma and Donna Lee he then tries to turn everything around and get the best out of the situations he is forced into.
the little prince – antoine de saint-exupèry
Originally it’s a children’s book, but it is also readable for adults.
The I in the story is stranded with his plane in an African dessert, where he meets the little prince. This little guy has been hopping from planet to planet and from star to star to get the answers to his questions. Every person on each planet/star symbolizes an aspect of the adult world, the culture and society we live in. There is for example the king who wants to rule everything, the businessman who counts the stars and wants to own them to gain from them. This are only two examples of the seven people he meets, but they all are part of the world we as grown humans live in. The little prince and with him the children who read this book have to learn how this world works. For the adults who read this story it’s time to reflect and ponder.
