A Reader's reviews
| My Reviews - Page 1 of 2 |
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A Reader posted a review at 2010-10-02 06:28:47 for The Children's Book.
(Language: English)
 
A dense novel but the carefully molded characters kept me reading. The historical references and evident author research were sometimes too lengthy and detailed. It would have worked better with less.
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A Reader posted a review at 2010-10-02 06:24:10 for The Road.
(Language: English)
Stunningly bleak and yet beautiful. Leave yourself time to let your emotions settle after this read.
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A Reader posted a review at 2010-05-20 08:35:34 for All Souls.
(Language: English)
""Oxford is, without a doubt, one of the cities of the world where the least work gets done." So opens this arch portrait of a university town. Deliciously evocative and textured account of Oxford life and it's inhabitants. This is a book about absolutely nothing but at the same time about everything that matters - relationships, connection, thinking, being. At times I struggled with Marias' style, lost my way and had to go back a paragraph or two, but overall looking forward to exploring this author more!
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-09-25 09:30:14 for The Reluctant Fundamentalist.
(Language: English)
Sparse, yet an intelligent and engaging read on the subtleties of East vs West.
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-08-11 11:56:01 for After Photography.
(Language: English)
So this is the modern day equivalent of Susan Sontag's 'On Photography', and it was sorely needed. Entering the realm of digital photography Ritchin explores age-old concepts of photographic objectivity, the way we receive visual information, and authenticity but breaches over to the world of Web 2.0 to question what digital photography means for privacy, collaboration, humanitarian causes, and how we view the world. With echos of 'Snow Crash'(Neal Stephenson), what is most fascinating is the way he explores possible uses of digital media in the future, can digital photography and Web 2.0 help us regain a sense of the actual from deep within a virtual world? In my opinion an important work, he rambles a bit, poses more questions than answers, but look past that an think for yourself. If you like this check out Ritchin's blog http://www.afterphotography.org/ .
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-06-10 04:49:04 for Talking Heads 2.
(Language: English)
Talking Heads 1 was foisted upon me as an A'level student over 10 years ago, this second installment containing a further six monologues impresses just as much. Bennett is a genius in his exploration of the extraordinary and disappointing nature of everyday lives. Full of black humor, but also punctuated with emotions of pity we come to understand the monologue is the only voice these subjects have, and we are their confident. Sometimes this makes for cringeworthy reading, other times it makes us laugh out loud, sometimes it breaks your heart. Bennett has a style that oozes with elegance, understatement and uncanny empathy that makes his characters come to life. A joy to read. More please Mr Bennett!!
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-04-25 01:54:44 for Annie Leibovitz at Work.
(Language: English)
Annie Leibovitz has become one of the most iconic photographers of the century, her body of work recognisable and individual photographs iconic. This book takes you behind the scenes to hear Leibovitch talk about how she got there, her inspirations, the discourse behind each photograph and how it was actually done. Her words in many cases are quite comforting to the aspiring photographer, advising acceptance that a photograph can only be a moment in a life of a person and not capable of 'capturing' that person, that cameras are just tools of the trade and not to get hung up on brands and equipment. My only criticism of this book is that it is not big enough to give justice to the photographs (it is 'nightstand' rather than coffee table sized). Looking at the small reproductions is not quite the same as gazing at the glossy center spreads in Vanity Fair. Still though, what has impressed me most about this book has been the words behind the pictures. I have accumulated quite a few photography books over the past couple of years but this has definitely become one of my most treasured.
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-04-10 01:33:41 for Tender Is the Night.
(Language: English)
Dick Diver and Nicole are likable people coming unglued, seeing their lives destroyed and watching nobody care. Beautiful prose and heartbreaking characterizations, American idealism as a fragile thing and not impervious to the destructive power of money, perception versus reality, superficiality versus excess, strength of character versus fear & weakness, and uncontrollable madness versus self-induced self-destruction. This is one of those books that etches itself into your head and heart, transcending time and place to leave you with quite unforgettable images. I'm sure I will return to this many times. If you haven't read it do, quite simply one of the best books I have ever read.
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-03-04 05:33:13 for On Photography (Penguin Modern Classics).
(Language: English)
On semiotics of photography, I swear this is one of the best cultural theory books I have every read, every sentence makes you think and have that sense of 'knowledge gained and processed' enlightenment.
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-01-26 01:32:10 for The forgotten garden.
(Language: English)
A briliant holiday read. Full of suspense, a rich plot,and great twists. Ok, it's not a work of great literature, but it had me hooked throughout!
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-01-26 01:23:29 for The Edible Woman.
(Language: English)
A satire on modern relationships. Not my favorite Atwood Book but a good commentary on women and their relationships to men, to society, and to food and eating.
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-01-26 01:17:25 for The Age Of Reason.
(Language: English)
"...I don't want any change. I enjoy railing against capitalism, and I don't want it suppressed because I should no longer have any reasons for railing, I enjoy feeling fastidious and aloof. I enjoy saying no, always no, and I should be afraid of any attempt to construct a finally habitable world, because I should merely have to say - Yes; and act like other people." Focusing on 2 days in the summer of 1938, the book puts Mathieu Delarue's character on trial as he tries to find money to pay for his girlfriends abortion and convince himself that he is still free. Really this is a fictional presentation of "Being and Nothingness" thus a good intro to existentialism whilst giving us real characters and a great twist
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-01-25 10:17:57 for Collected Stories.
(Language: English)
Magical
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-11-06 10:41:02 for In Arabian Nights: A Caravan of Moroccan Dreams.
(Language: English)
Wonderful read, loved the stories within stories. Fables are the original psychoanalysis. Misses a star as I think it went on a bit too long.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-08-14 01:19:00 for The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat: And Other Clinical Tales.
(Language: English)
Fascinating study of people with neurological disorders, dispelling myths and shows what you can learn from them.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-08-14 01:13:17 for Brave New World.
(Language: English)
Social commentary masked in science fiction. This futuristic dystopia becomes more relevant with the passing of time.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-08-13 11:02:33 for Penguin Classics Gullivers Travels.
(Language: English)
This is not a book for children. A work of genius ridiculing C18 politics, customs and mankinds failure to reason (harvesting sunbeams from cucumbers!). The depth of ideas and satire is unmatched by any other author I have read, however Swifts writing style is accessible to all (which is why it has mad it to TV, film and children's fairytales - but it is so much more!). Make sure you get a good edition with notes so you don't miss what's going on underneath.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-08-13 01:30:57 for Metamorphosis (Bantam Classics).
(Language: English)
'As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning after disturbing dreams, he found himself transformed in his bed into an enormous insect' has to be one of the best opening lines in the history of literature. Amazing exploration of the internal and external self, alienation, physical disability and how we fear our exposition of our ugly features to those we love and those whose rejection we fear the most.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-08-13 01:16:42 for Shame: A Novel.
(Language: English)
I really do flit between this and Rushie's "Midnight's Children" as my favorite Rushdie novel. Set in an Islamic society, the novel focus' on the theme of shame in it's many forms, and the central characters are drowning in the stuff. Magic Realism permeates and history and fiction dance together to weave an intricate and captivating narrative. At once beautiful, magical, beastly, and monstrous this is a great read.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-08-13 01:03:21 for Tales of Edgar Allan Poe.
(Language: English)
Poe is great to study - he reaches into the cellars, vaults and underground passages of the human min in his intricate dark gothic tales. Favorites: "The Fall of the House of Usher", "The Masque of the Red Death" and "The Tell-Tale Heart". He was a freak (built a coffin with alarm bells incase of the event of being burried alive), and it comes through deliciously well.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-08-13 01:00:44 for Vlad the Drac.
(Language: English)
A vegetarian vampire who eats shoe polish. Classic.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-08-13 12:39:37 for The Complete Borrowers: "The Borrowers"; "The Borrowers Afield"; "The Borrowers Afloat"; "The Borrowers Aloft"; "The Borrowers Avenged"; "Poor Stainless".
(Language: English)
Little people who nick stuff (sorry borrow) and live under the floorboards and down mouse holes etc. Loved these tales when I was a kid - explained so much, still does...where my keys, hairpins, money go!
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-08-13 12:36:49 for Forever... A Novel.
(Language: English)
OMG!! Wasn't this was the dirtiest book ever when you were a teenager! All about "the first time", sorry kids it doesn't happen like that.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-08-13 12:33:48 for Mrs. Pepperpot to the Rescue: And Other Stories (Young Puffin Books).
(Language: English)
Mrs Pepperpot shrinks down to the size of a .... wait for it.....pepperpot!! She always comes out on top though whatever her size (there's a moral in there somewhere...). Classic.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-08-13 12:14:24 for The Wasp Factory: A Novel.
(Language: English)
Deliciously dark examination into the psyche of a childhood psychopath. Although Frank is despicable you can't help but relate to him (does that make me a freak?). A day in the life of Frank revolves around animal slaughter, war games, and thoughtful introspection. One for the boys probably - if you like "Catcher in the Rye" give this a go - delinquency with a twist.
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| My Reviews - Page 1 of 2 |