tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8226479883763860212024-03-05T17:40:00.018+01:00In My BookOpinions and Musings on Books and Other MiscellaneaArenelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08646965847129179304noreply@blogger.comBlogger280125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-822647988376386021.post-29333646245751376822017-05-30T13:39:00.000+02:002017-05-30T14:16:50.945+02:00Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPMIb__hSF84iRRenAX3d3Y5IDEe70kbOfriYCrF22t0SM3fXcZlfPy_6hXxA_OZkvGLR9gJuXt0ZnlGFO5FTLn64SOCXNDG6TDag_KsJaI00SYQYONCTloR3-SrVyLA1nCGiVE1bXMUk/s1600/8537274.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPMIb__hSF84iRRenAX3d3Y5IDEe70kbOfriYCrF22t0SM3fXcZlfPy_6hXxA_OZkvGLR9gJuXt0ZnlGFO5FTLn64SOCXNDG6TDag_KsJaI00SYQYONCTloR3-SrVyLA1nCGiVE1bXMUk/s1600/8537274.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
This is the fourth book on the <a href="http://irrelevant-scribble.blogspot.cz/p/the-well-educated-mind-challenge.html" target="_blank">TWEM list</a>, the first one I have read before, and the first one I actually enjoyed instead of endured. I remember ADORING P&P before, I didn't see any fault in it at all. However, during this reading I was a bit more critical and tried to not let fangirling blur my understanding. This helped me see that JA is actually lame at dialogues when the discourse changes from bantering/gossip to real feelings. More on this later. However, I still thoroughly enjoyed the novel and here are the TWEM questions:<br />
<br />
<h4>
Is it a fable or a chronicle?</h4>
P&P is a chronicle, and reality is shown in much detail: letters, walks, dances - all the social minutiae is described in a very particular manner. Life in JA's society is guarded by very strict rules, ad so is life in the novel. On the other hand, the train of thoughts in Elizabeth's head is also shown quite realistically.<br />
<br />
<h4>
What does Elizabeth want? What's in her way? What does she do to overcome the obstacles?</h4>
Elizabeth wants to be married, but happily married, to a person she loves and respects. Her prospects are hindered by low income and social status of her family, as well as their indecorum. She probably sees marriage as a possibility to move away from the confines of home and to broaden her horizons. She tries to improve her "marriageability" by studying (piano, reading) and by attempting to keep her family from embarrassing themselves, which usually fails.<br />
<br />
<h4>
Who is telling the story?</h4>
The novel is written in third-person limited, as apart from several asides, we mostly perceive what's happening from Elizabeth's perspective and through her reactions. She can't know everything and that leads to some mistakes and misconceptions. The reader is led astray as well.<br />
<br />
<h4>
Where is the story set?</h4>
The story setting of rural England almost feels like a decoration to the characters' turmoils. We don't see much of the cities or people except for the main characters, and the beautiful shrubs are only there to frame lovers;' confessions on long walks. Nature doesn't affect people's lives, with exception of different seasons bringing on seasonal social engagements.<br />
<br />
<h4>
What style does JA employ?</h4>
JA writes in long, windy sentences full of well-picked words and irony. The dialogues are mostly small talk or gossip or banter, and in the most intense moments JA infuriatingly switches from direct speech to general descriptions: "he expressed himself on the occasion as sensibly and as warmly as a man violently in love can be supposed to do" (p.352) - very touching indeed, JA! Why don't you use your imagination and put it in his own words?<br />
<br />
<h4>
Images and metaphors</h4>
I guess the image of Darcy takes a lot from "a knight in "shining armor that must prove himself and earn the approval of is lady; although his brooding countenance is decidedly Gothic. I guess Pemberley can be seen as an image of all a lady can want, the shining gate of marriage indeed.<br />
<br />
<h4>
Beginnings and endings</h4>
The well-beloved first phrase of the novel states from the beginning that the story will be that of class, society and matrimony. It should be taken as a hint that the book is not a mere generic love story. The ending is a happy resolution: everybody is settled and there's nothing else to be said.<br />
<br />
<h4>
Do you sympathize with the characters?</h4>
I do sympathize with Elizabeth's situation when she's painfully embarrassed of her family. I can't not admire her for being very protective of them in spite of seeing their true worth. I can also admire her ready wit and ability to think constructively and behave reasonably when others would whine uselessly. What is irritating is her readiness to judge others based on hearsay and her unwillingness to give them the credit of doubt. This has proved to be her biggest hindrance.<br />
<br />
<h4>
Does technique hint at argument?</h4>
As JA lets us follow Elizabeth's changing opinions, I guess one of the points of the novel is to show how our beliefs and preconceptions determine how we see the world. The focus on societal mechanics also shows how much our thinking is a product of our surroundings.<br />
<br />
<h4>
Is the novel self-reflective?</h4>
Not per se, but the abundance of letters does show that writing might be the most convenient form of expressing feelings. Reading is claimed to sharpen the understanding.<br />
<br />
<h4>
Did the writer's times affect her?</h4>
Yes! All the decorum in the novel is absolutely a product of JA's times. The main plot of the novel (that of a marriage) would not be so tangled if not hindered by different societal norms. The whole marrying thing is necessary not always because of love, but because that's the only way to financial freedom for a lady ("[Marriage] was the only honorable provision for well-educated young women of small fortune, and however uncertain of giving happiness, must be their pleasantest preservative from want." (p.119)). This gives a whole new facet of urgency to the marriage business.<br />
<br />
<h4>
Is there an argument in the book?</h4>
I think the argument is that there's danger in forming your opinion of somebody based on appearances and gossip. Also that there's no biggest happiness and gratification for a lady as a happy marriage.<br />
<br />
<h4>
Do you agree?</h4>
There's no doubt as to the first argument, and I do try not to fall prey to first impressions myself to avoid this fallacy. As to the second, although I agree that marrying someone you love and respect is a great joy, my times prevent me from seeing it as the ultimate goal.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Read more and share your thoughts at http://irrelevant-scribble.blogspot.cz/ !</div>Arenelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08646965847129179304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-822647988376386021.post-26994731582974208582017-05-21T21:10:00.000+02:002017-05-21T21:10:40.722+02:00Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
This is a book I thought for a long time I HAD read, and for some reason, I was sure that it's an easy read. Ha-ha-ha. No, I mean, it IS funny sometimes, but plowing through some dense 18-century satire is not an easy feat. Most of all, I'm just glad I'm in the 19th century now, with books that are easier to enjoy. But first, the inquiry stages.<br />
<h2>
Fable or a chronicle?</h2>
<div>
The author plays with a chronicle style - although everything happening to Gulliver is surreal and allegorical, he gives such minutiae of his travels as locations, days, measurements, etc. that it totally reads as a real account.</div>
<h2>
What does Gulliver want?</h2>
<div>
Most of the time he wants to explore and learn, but when things get tough, he starts earning to return home. In the end, all he wants is to stay away from the humans, in the blissful country of the Houyhnhnms.</div>
<h2>
Who's telling the story?</h2>
<div>
The story is told in the first person - G. is telling his own perception of what's been happening to him. It's rather well done, as at first, after encountering something new, it's all guesswork, both for him and the reader. Later, he learns a language or finds somebody to explain and all gets clear.</div>
<h2>
Where is the story set?</h2>
<div>
It's set in the blank spots on the map, and there were quite a few of them in the age of exploration. Easy to imagine that they were hiding all sorts of weird and wonderful countries.</div>
<h2>
What style is employed?</h2>
<div>
It's a business-meaning, precise style of a travelogue.</div>
<h2>
Images and metaphors</h2>
<div>
Oh, plenty of those here. Pretty much everybody and everything symbolizes something in the political world in Swift's times.</div>
<h2>
Beginnings and endings</h2>
<div>
Every story begins with G., restless at home and eager for adventure, sailing off and ends with him coming back home, changed and reacting to the people around him in a new way.</div>
<h2>
Do you sympathize with G. and why?</h2>
<div>
I do sympathize with G. most of the time - his thirst for knowledge, aptness with languages, eagerness to learn and understand, determination - all that is very likable. Sometimes he can be really full of himself though. And the way he treated his family - I'm surprised his wife hasn't killed him yet.</div>
<h2>
Did the writer's times affect him?</h2>
<div>
Oh, yes! As it's satire, it's pretty difficult to get what exactly Swift is making fun of without knowing the political context. Swift has also probably read a lot of utopias and travelogues, as well as political writings, as the book resembles the three. I can't help noticing how even the species intended to have a "utopian" society still have social classes (like colors on H.s). Seems like imagining no such division would be too forward in Swift's times.</div>
<h2>
Is there an argument?</h2>
<div>
Lilliputs seem to be mocking England, it's political climate and relationships with France; the third journey points out how ridiculously useless and disconnected from real life science is; part 4 is a treatise on human nature and simple, "natural" living. in the end, it seems to conclude that human race is generally disgusting.</div>
<h2>
Do you agree?</h2>
<div>
I agree with many arguments about the ridiculousness of politics, wars, and some laws. Hell, as somebody stuck in academia, I see some of the crazy research from part 3 closely resembling what's happening in the real life)) Is was really funny. However, I can's agree that humans are the inherently evil and disgusting Yahoos. Hey, maybe we're not as cool as the sentient horses, but we're not that bad!</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Read more and share your thoughts at http://irrelevant-scribble.blogspot.cz/ !</div>Arenelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08646965847129179304noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-822647988376386021.post-51090122306781785022017-04-29T18:35:00.000+02:002017-04-30T16:44:47.579+02:00Dewey's Readathon: Check-Ins<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/pdd9b47x67M/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pdd9b47x67M?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<br />
<h2>
Hour 5</h2>
I've finished my first book - <i>Gulliver's Travels</i>. It means I've only read 58 pages, but man are they dense! I've also taken a 40-min nap (power naps are very effective for me!), drank one coffee, had dinner of spaghetti with pesto and olives and snacked on 2 bananas and some bake rolls. Now I'm switching to <i>The Moon is a Harsh Mistress</i> and we'll see how this one goes!<br />
<br />
<h2>
Hour 8</h2>
I've had camembert and grapes for snacks and read about 60 pages of <i>The Moon is a Harsh Mistress </i>- and I'm still wondering how it could have won Hugo. It reads as an amateurish fiction at best, with a lot of wordy, pointless dialogues and a LOT of explaining (mansplaining included). And yes, don't even get me started on how it treats women - it's horrific. So I think I'll switch to something else for now - maybe <i>A Short History of Nearly Everything</i>? It's a pretty easy read, science notwithstanding. Done some yoga stretches, so feeling good in general, but might have to rest my eyes sometime soon.<br />
<h2>
Hour 12: Mid-Event Survey</h2>
<b>1. What are you reading right now?</b><br />
<div>
Spent a couple of ours having fun with <i>A Short History of Nearly Everything</i> but now am getting sleepy so am switching to comics - <i>Saga 7</i>, here I come!</div>
<div>
<br />
<b>2. How many books have you read so far?</b></div>
<div>
Finished one, been reading three in total.</div>
<div>
<b><br />3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon?</b></div>
<div>
<i>Saga 7</i>!! Love-love-love it to bits</div>
<div>
<br />
<b>4. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those?</b></div>
<div>
Just for food, for a short nap and for yoga - I'm shunning any social interactions that may sway me from reading :)</div>
<div>
<br />
<b>5. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far?</b></div>
<div>
How easy it is to stay motivated when you're doing something you really love :)<br />
<br />
<h2>
Finish Line and Closing Survey</h2>
</div>
<div>
I've made it! I slept from 3.30 am to 7.30 am and then read until the finish line at 2 pm before dropping asleep)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>1. Which hour was most daunting for you?</b></div>
<div>
The last one, because the effect of morning coffee was ending, and 4-hour sleep catching up with me</div>
<div>
<br /><b>2. Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a reader engaged for next year?</b></div>
<div>
Saga comics! I left it for the night to keep me from falling asleep and OMG it did...</div>
<div>
<br /><b>4. What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon?</b></div>
<div>
I liked how fun and crowded it was on Twitter :)</div>
<div>
<br /><b>5. How many books did you read?</b></div>
<div>
I've finished three books and made a dent in 2 more</div>
<div>
<br /><b>6. What were the names of the books you read?</b><br /><i>Gulliver's Travels</i> by Jonathan Swift - finished!</div>
<div>
<i>Saga 7</i> by Brian K. Vaughan - finished!</div>
<div>
<i>Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them</i> by J.K. Rowling - finished!</div>
<div>
<i>The Moon is a Harsh Mistress</i> by Robert A. Heinlein - meh</div>
<div>
<i>A Short History of Nearly Everything</i> by Bill Bryson - fun!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>7. Which book did you enjoy most?</b><br />Saga! Have I mentioned I love it? Love it! Although it breaks my heart with every volume, and this time more than ever...</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>8. Which did you enjoy least?</b></div>
<div>
<i>The Moon is a Harsh Mistress</i> by Robert A. Heinlein - 100 pages in and will somebody please explain to me how the hell is it Hugo-worthy?</div>
<div>
<br /><b>9. How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time?</b></div>
<div>
YES!! The role of ever-munching red-eyed sofa reader :)</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Read more and share your thoughts at http://irrelevant-scribble.blogspot.cz/ !</div>Arenelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08646965847129179304noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-822647988376386021.post-41798784836112779002017-04-29T13:45:00.000+02:002017-04-29T13:45:31.741+02:00Dewey's Readathon Opening Survey<div>
It's here!!! I'm so excited!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<b>1) What fine part of the world are you reading from today?</b><div>
Brno, Czech Republic. It's 2 p.m. to 2 p.m. in this place, so I definitely plan to nap a bit at night!</div>
<div>
<br /><b>2) Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to?</b></div>
<div>
Finishing <i>Gulliver's Travels</i>! I like finishing things.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>3) Which snack are you most looking forward to?</b></div>
<div>
I found blueberries on discount today, and I LOVE them! I'll keep them for the night, to brighten the most difficult hours if the readathon!</div>
<div>
<br /><b>4) Tell us a little something about yourself!</b></div>
<div>
I'm a Ph.D. student of computer science and weirdly enough also an enthusiastic fiction reader. I love fantasy, sci-fi and classics, but try to read from a wide range of genres.</div>
<div>
<br /><b>5) If you participated in the last read-a-thon, what’s one thing you’ll do different today? If this is your first read-a-thon, what are you most looking forward to?</b></div>
<div>
I was very happy with my 4-hour sleeping last time which allowed me to finish strong. I'm planning to do the same this time) Also, I'm planning to do yoga stretches every two hours to avoid back pain.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Good luck to everybody!</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Read more and share your thoughts at http://irrelevant-scribble.blogspot.cz/ !</div>Arenelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08646965847129179304noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-822647988376386021.post-26501828082347585222017-04-27T08:58:00.000+02:002017-04-27T08:58:22.585+02:00My Dewey's Readathon TBR PileNo plans for the weekend, so I hope I'll be able to read for the whole duration of the <a href="http://www.24hourreadathon.com/" target="_blank">Readathon</a>, unless I fall asleep, of course :) Here's the pile I will be choosing from:<br />
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The only reason it's so big is because there's no telling what mood will hit me, so I have all sorts of things there :) Hopefully, I'll have enough concentration to finish <i>Gulliver's Travels</i>, which is a <a href="http://irrelevant-scribble.blogspot.cz/p/the-well-educated-mind-challenge.html" target="_blank">TWEM</a> title and long due. In that case, I'll be able to start <i>Pride and Prejudice</i> which simply can't go wrong :) <i>A Short History of Nearly Everything</i> is borrowed, so I'd like to make a dent in it too. The battered thing on the top is my e-reader, which hosts <i>The Moon is a Harsh Mistress</i>, which I have started but which is yet to impress me enough so that I believe it has really earned its Hugo. Well, and <i>Fantastic Beasts</i> will be for those night hours when I struggle to even keep my eyes open!</div>
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I'll be posting on <a href="https://twitter.com/InMyBookBlog" target="_blank">Twitter</a> and maybe several updates here.</div>
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Good luck to everybody participating, and let's have fun!</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Read more and share your thoughts at http://irrelevant-scribble.blogspot.cz/ !</div>Arenelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08646965847129179304noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-822647988376386021.post-36043896754219757912017-03-28T12:50:00.000+02:002017-03-28T12:51:31.037+02:00The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan: Logic and Rhetoric Stage Inquiry<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
I've decided that I don't want to invest my time into reading the second part (Christiana's journey), as I've had enough preaching already in the first part. Bunyan is immensely irritating, and I think that reading the first part is more than enough to form an opinion of his novel.<br />
<br />
I'm not sure why this novel has become so popular, but I admit that maybe I'm not seeing the appeal it might have to a religious person. Being a non-believer, I'm in no place to judge. So bear with me as I share my ignorant opinions here and correct me if I'm wrong :)<br />
<br />
<h2>
Is it a "fable" or a "chronicle"?</h2>
<i>The Progress</i> is a fable. Christian's sally is an allegory of a christian's spiritual journey to salvation<br />
<br />
<h2>
What does Christian want? What's in the way? What's he doing to overcome it?</h2>
Ch. wants to get to the Celestial City (reach salvation). In his way stand the usual temptations and difficulties facing a christian through life. Ch. overcomes the obstacles by reading scripture, following good advice and with some help from fellow pilgrims.<br />
<br />
<h2>
Who is telling the story?</h2>
Bunyan himself tells the story as if he's seen it in a dream. The novel is in 3d person omniscient - B. knows what all his characters think and explains the meaning of the terrain they cross to the reader.<br />
<br />
<h2>
Where is the story set?</h2>
The story is set on a fictional allegorical landscape. Locations represent either states of mind (Despond), temptations (Vanity Fair) or life lessons (forking paths, statues, etc.)<br />
<br />
<h2>
What style is it written in?</h2>
Lengthy sentenses with a lot of logical constructs (therefore, etc.) The dialogues are in the form of a debate or a lecture; sometimes Bunyan goes as far as to provide lists of "what is correct"<br />
<br />
<h2>
Images and metaphors</h2>
Is there anything but? The burden is an important metaphor representing sin. The path is an image of life. When it's forking, a choice must be made. Sometimes it's harsh to follow, sometimes pleasant, as life is.<br />
<br />
<h2>
Beginning and ending</h2>
B. begins and ends with pointing out to the reader that the story is his dream. He also reminds the reader of that regularly throughout the story. I think that's his way of underlining the allegorical and maybe even divine-inspired nature of the story. The ending is a resolution: Ch. reaches salvation.<br />
<br />
<br />
<h2>
Do you sympathize with the characters? Which ones? Why?</h2>
I sympathize with Ch. in the beginning of his journey, when he's desperate and lost and has no idea what to do. Every time he's unsure of himself or afraid, I can sympathize because I often feel like that about the future too. However, in the end Ch. turns into an overly-confident, preaching, gossipy and judgemental prick. See how he treated Talkative and Ignorant on the way? He's passed his judgement on them based on hearsay only and rudely dismisses them. This a truly shitty behavior.<br />
<br />
<h2>
Does technique hint at argument?</h2>
I think that the form of a similitude underlines the philosophical nature of the book. That author presents it as a dream ay hint that he wants to say it was "sent" to him and is thus undisputable.<br />
<br />
<h2>
Is the novel self-reflective?</h2>
A scroll with some divine writing helps Ch. a lot along the way. I think B. may hope that his book will be of similar help to somebody.<br />
<br />
<h2>
Is there an argument in this book?</h2>
That the life of a christian is full of challenges, but if he's adamant in his intentions and follows the scripture to a t, he'll find salvation.<br />
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<h2>
Do you agree?</h2>
The picture Bunyan paints of the world is too brutal, unpardoning and unfair. I can't agree that a small misstep deserves a beating and that people with different world views should be shunned and despised. I don't need eternal glory if it means I have to be a boring prick. Maybe the novel worked in Bunyan's day, but it looks hopelessly outdated now.<br />
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All in all, reading <i>The Progress</i> this was not a pleasant experience. I hate being preached at, and Bunyan does it with teeth-wrenching boredom and self-righteousness. I gave it two stars only for the battle with Apollyon (still not sure what he was meant to represent). Now that was rather cool!<br />
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">Read more and share your thoughts at http://irrelevant-scribble.blogspot.cz/ !</div>Arenelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08646965847129179304noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-822647988376386021.post-74696602596036886642017-03-04T21:54:00.000+01:002017-03-04T21:55:46.435+01:00Don Quixote by Cervantes: Rhetoric-Stage Reading and Musings<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Today I continue the analysis of D.Q. with the help of the rhetoric-stage questions in TWEM book. Again, analysis does not flow easily for me, but I've done my best :)<br />
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<h2>
Do you sympathize with the characters? Which ones? Why?</h2>
I really relate to D.Q.'s desire to live his favorite books. Is there a bookworm who doesn't? Although his aspirations turn to delusions, his reason for committing all the outrages is very understandable. I also feel like S.P. pretty often - the urge to stop somebody talking about advanced moral matters by a down-to-earth sarcastic remark. And it pains me to miss lunch too! :)<br />
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<h2>
Is the novel self-reflective?</h2>
Yes, and it's one of the central points of the novel. It explores how fiction can affect people, what happens to a book before (like writing a preface) and after the publication (public finds errors, imitators steal the idea). It poses questions of trustfulness of sources (Cide is "only an Arab", can he we believe what he writes?). It also looks at how the lives of people are changed once they become popular through books. Differences in the worthiness of books of different genres are underlined (novels vs. accounts of real events) and it's acknowledged that even literature for pleasure has a right to exist if well-written (book-burning scene).<br />
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<h2>
Is there an argument in this book?</h2>
Cervantes states himself in the preface and in the end that the purpose of D.Q. is to mock and condemn chivalrous romances, but I don't think that's the real point of the book. First, the novel is much bigger than would be necessary for this one argument, and second, it defies this argument by being too true to the original that it's supposed to ridicule. I tend to think that what Cervantes wants to say is that books have real power, but this power is not rooted in reality, so too much immersion into books can disconnect you from the real world. And, after all, there is no getting away from the real world.<br />
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I'm really glad that TWEM list made me read this. As I've mentioned, I enjoyed it much more than I'd expected. Somehow, someway, the novel does not feel outdated at all (well except for the humor), and the characters really come to life on its pages. I'm not surprised at its immense popularity now, as it's a true classic. So if you're afraid of its size (you can easily kill somebody with the tome by just dropping it on them), don't be! Although it does take a lot of time to get through it, it's still very accessible, and you would not regret the effort!<br />
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One down, 30 more to go! Now on to Bunyan!<div class="blogger-post-footer">Read more and share your thoughts at http://irrelevant-scribble.blogspot.cz/ !</div>Arenelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08646965847129179304noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-822647988376386021.post-17100862150709656372017-02-28T20:57:00.004+01:002017-03-04T21:54:54.218+01:00Don Quixote by Cervantes: Grammar and Logic-Stage Reading<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicmWbU_4WaCYxXB0Vkn-6DQBY95_7EuBqeINJ1qM4tSgUebNvy5_2cb09FT1rnZSPVkgKUQkmpqsZHXdUO8pJf3OyKfmFcv-Gv2QYB9BtGPL1hDZWp_wRhmUZA39HwARge1Hq3jGHVvzA/s1600/13688.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicmWbU_4WaCYxXB0Vkn-6DQBY95_7EuBqeINJ1qM4tSgUebNvy5_2cb09FT1rnZSPVkgKUQkmpqsZHXdUO8pJf3OyKfmFcv-Gv2QYB9BtGPL1hDZWp_wRhmUZA39HwARge1Hq3jGHVvzA/s320/13688.jpg" width="204" /></a></div>
Yay, I've finished my first Well-Educated Mind title! What a huge thing it was, I'm really proud of myself. Although long, it turned out to be much less scary than I'd thought. I'd feared it would be primitive, repetitive and didactic, but instead, it was engaging, touching and sometimes (not in the intended places) even funny. Especially the second part impressed me by being a full-blown grown-up novel with character development and what not.<br />
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I didn't find it problematic to keep notes while reading, but answering the logic-stage questions felt a little awkward and a bit like high-school literature classes. However, I've made an effort to relax and not sweat about these answers too much. It's the first book, after all, I can't be a perfect critic yet) So here are my thoughts, and logic-stage analysis will follow in the next post. If you have some thoughts, please share :)<br />
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<h2>
A Story of the Adventures and Mishaps of Don Quixote,</h2>
<h3>
who, driven by a desire to revive the order of knights-errant, of which he's read so much and to honor his lady Dulcinea (a simple peasant girl not acquainted with him in reality), ventures out to battle evil together with his faithful and wordy squire Sancho Panza. After a series of unfortunate adventures and following a disappointing defeat, he comes to his senses and dies having renounced his "madness".</h3>
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<h2>
Is it a "fable" or a "chronicle"?</h2>
The novel is obviously a fable. First, Cervantes never hides that it's him behind the story, inserting his comments from time to time. Second, the coincidences in the story are so wild that nobody would believe they could really happen. Cervantes invents a chronicler, Cide Hamete, do deepen his make-belief, but it's for the reader's fun, no to enforce the plausibility. I think that Cervantes write in the fable style to underline parallels between the knightly romances and the adventures of D.Q., who is trying to imitate them. The similarity of both worlds helps deepen the contrast with reality, which hits D.Q. often and hard.<br />
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<h2>
What does D.Q. want? What's in the way? What's he doing to overcome it?</h2>
D.Q. desperately wants to be part of the magical world that he finds in his books. His aspirations are doomed, first, because hey, reality! and second, because some of his friends plot to bring him home against his will in order to "cure" him. In his mind, however, all these obstacles take the form of the vague "magicians" that pester him and keep him from glory. To achieve his heart's desire, D.Q. keeps to all the rules of chivalry to a "t" and strives to always behave valiantly and to seek adventures.<br />
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<h2>
Who is telling the story?</h2>
The story is told from the omniscient point of view. This allows the author to jump between the main characters and explain to the reader what these characters themselves don't understand, but totally undermines any pretense at a chronicle. Cervantes starts telling the story himself, then invents the Arabic historian who had put it all down and whose work Cervantes is only translating. Cervantes allows himself to comment in Cide and the book when he feels like it, and Cide adds his comments too. A lot of sub-stories are told by different side characters, also from the omniscient point of view.<br />
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<h2>
Where is the story set?</h2>
In Cervantes's time Spain. Real events like the eviction of the Moriscos and wars are mentioned. The real world is cruel and unwelcoming towards D.Q., mostly because he denies it. Nature alone is kind and welcoming for the knight.<br />
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<h2>
What style is it written in?</h2>
D.Q. is written in lengthy and windy sentences with a lot of clauses, providing a lot of details and embellishments. Dialogues are much better written than the descriptions, and main characters have very recognizable voices (D.Q.'s educated speech, Sancho's proverbs).<br />
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<h2>
Images and metaphors</h2>
The magicians that are always pestering D.Q. (at least in his mind) stand for the real life that comes crushing all of D.Q.'s fantasies. The cave of Montesinos of a metaphor for the whole journey of D.Q. He asks repeatedly (the monkey and the stone head) if what he's witnessed in the cave is read or not, and the answer both times is that some of it was real and some of it not. As this one adventure, all of his adventures are an amalgam of reality and imagination. D.Q. and S.P. stand for different social classes and behave accordingly. Inns represent normality and society. S.P. is always for them (in spite of the thrashings) but D.Q. prefers to sleep in the forest. The famous windmills that D.Q. battled are also symbols of the dream-crushing reality.<br />
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<h2>
Beginning and ending</h2>
The beginning introduces D.Q. as Alonso Quixana and in the end, he returns to positioning himself as such after his adventures are finished. It's as if he was reborn as Don Quixote the knight in the beginning of the novel and dies in the end because he loses his identity.<br />
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">Read more and share your thoughts at http://irrelevant-scribble.blogspot.cz/ !</div>Arenelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08646965847129179304noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-822647988376386021.post-73483606323599105912016-12-17T11:13:00.000+01:002016-12-17T11:13:10.706+01:00Adulting: How to Become a Grown-up in 468 Easy(ish) Steps by Kelly Williams Brown (Review)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhgsItHQ_tebLK70hMTRgxeWqS3AJFgwj1hBjXU1tXOpMzIeuaCUkPG_n16_Uy7B2JNoMspnM_-lusfgq3s6GvGIZyZdkQRkBsNkOk0tcGXCQ5xsR_aSivdI5NJHq-kkKXhyphenhyphenOwCtwO7a8/s1600/15791144.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="adulting review" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhgsItHQ_tebLK70hMTRgxeWqS3AJFgwj1hBjXU1tXOpMzIeuaCUkPG_n16_Uy7B2JNoMspnM_-lusfgq3s6GvGIZyZdkQRkBsNkOk0tcGXCQ5xsR_aSivdI5NJHq-kkKXhyphenhyphenOwCtwO7a8/s320/15791144.jpg" title="" width="211" /></a></div>
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<b>Title:</b> Adulting: How to Become a Grown-up in 468 Easy(ish) Steps</div>
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<b>Author:</b> <span itemprop="author" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person">
<span itemprop="name">Kelly Williams Brown</span></span></div>
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<b>First Published:</b> 2013</div>
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<b>Add it:</b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15791144-adulting" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>, <a href="http://amzn.to/2gO1CN4" target="_blank">Amazon</a>, <a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/book/9781455516902" target="_blank">Book Depository</a></div>
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<b>Rating:</b> ★★★★☆</div>
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If you are an adult, I bet that sometimes (or often as in my case) you lament the amount of shit you have to take care of on a daily basis. Remember how easy it was when you were a kid? You do your homework, help about the house, read a poem... And this is enough for people to accept you as an accomplished human being. Not so easy now, not so easy! </div>
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On the other hand, as <span itemprop="author" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person"><span itemprop="name">Kelly Williams Brow</span></span> rightly points out, the feeling of accomplishment after you've nailed a complicated adult situation is worth straining your will. From house maintenance to job interviews to handling a breakup - <i>Adulting</i> covers a lot of issues that you have no idea about until they manifest themselves in your live and you're like WHAT?</div>
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The book is a bit too US centered so you may just skip the tax returns and retirement plans is they don't apply to you, but the general idea is still valid - you should totally take care of this shit or else it will take care of your undoing. Overall, after reading this I don't feel overwhelmed, rather reassured. I mean, it's totally doable, so chances are I can manage too.</div>
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<b>In my book:</b> An encouraging read for those who despair over dish washing, car maintenance or handling social events with grace.</div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Read more and share your thoughts at http://irrelevant-scribble.blogspot.cz/ !</div>Arenelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08646965847129179304noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-822647988376386021.post-68493127452859881482016-12-15T10:46:00.000+01:002016-12-15T23:28:43.652+01:00Alif the Unseen by G.Willow Wilson (Review)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0oaLHAuoS-6MuE-rMjVcDxHivOpwc0hZ6H1Lu1o_H2FUZQtYcQnT5CabwpGKZyjFzzk6vlg8TV1GoVY5VVigDv54jX0urDISOpV6vQSzb1wWQsrGidRywi_IOsShrGQeiE21iP9F0j-4/s1600/16280868.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0oaLHAuoS-6MuE-rMjVcDxHivOpwc0hZ6H1Lu1o_H2FUZQtYcQnT5CabwpGKZyjFzzk6vlg8TV1GoVY5VVigDv54jX0urDISOpV6vQSzb1wWQsrGidRywi_IOsShrGQeiE21iP9F0j-4/s320/16280868.jpg" width="210" /></a></div>
<b>Title:</b> Alif the Unseen<br />
<b>Author:</b> G.Willow Wilson<br />
<b>First published:</b> 2012<br />
<b>Add it:</b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13239822-alif-the-unseen">Goodreads</a>, <a href="http://amzn.to/2hevHnh">Amazon</a>, <a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/book/9781782391470">Book Depository</a><br />
<b>Rating:</b> ★★★★☆<br />
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Since I started learning Arabic in summer, I'm trying to also learn more about the Middle East, because frankly speaking, my ignorance is vast and unpardonable. <i>Alif the Unseen</i> combines all the stuff that I love so much in books - computer sci-fi and urban fantasy - set on a backdrop of one of the rich oil cities in the Middle East. And the setting is not just a prop - the background defines the characters and the storyline, and the reader learns so much while not being explicitly lectured.<br />
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Alif is a young and poor computer genius who earns money by providing online anonymity to everyone who needs it. As social unrest breaks into Arab Spring revolutions across the region, the government becomes less and less happy with Alif, and BIG PROBLEMS are looming in front of him. Alif, of course, is more concerned about his girl issue, because, well, hormones. When shit hits the fan, he has to make some tough decisions and seek help in unimaginable places. But I won't tell you more of the plot, do yourself a favor and read the book :)<br />
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I loved how <i>Alif the Unseen </i>tackles the social and religious aspects of life in the nameless City - without any kind of judgment, very matter-of-factly. The wild mix of characters lets the reader observe a lot of facets of life in a Muslim police state and make her own opinions on them. There is also a very powerful message that however different people are, they can work together if they respect each other, and this is the only way to get things changed for the best.<br />
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My only problem with the book was how programming issues are tackled (professional deformation, you know :)) and that sometimes the action just stops so that the characters have time to philosophize about IMPORTANT STUFF. But, you know, these are minor problems in an overall great book.<br />
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<b>In my book: </b>An exciting sci-fi + fantasy read that also gives you tons of interesting insights of the Middle East life.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Read more and share your thoughts at http://irrelevant-scribble.blogspot.cz/ !</div>Arenelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08646965847129179304noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-822647988376386021.post-87667415221082935922016-12-13T10:20:00.000+01:002016-12-13T10:20:03.196+01:00Mom & Me & Mom by Maya Angelou (Review)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghrxlfHwJxsELnxnxzndcrPTv9-N9y_9tPg8OsNDzhISKV4y9nnZz6aIfEmIenHe17TZWfm_7yC6WE3Ovf5D4MCPmHlieMVQi4c9BMcZrXSKhzhpi-BdqHSJFxJ1vDvKpQrqP0DgawCcE/s1600/21360244.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghrxlfHwJxsELnxnxzndcrPTv9-N9y_9tPg8OsNDzhISKV4y9nnZz6aIfEmIenHe17TZWfm_7yC6WE3Ovf5D4MCPmHlieMVQi4c9BMcZrXSKhzhpi-BdqHSJFxJ1vDvKpQrqP0DgawCcE/s320/21360244.jpg" width="203" /></a></div>
<b>Title:</b> Mom & Me & Mom<br />
<b>Author:</b> Maya Angelou<br />
<b>First published:</b> 2013<br />
<b>Add it:</b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21360244-mom-and-me-and-mom" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>, <a href="http://amzn.to/2heuQTq" target="_blank">Amazon</a>, <a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/book/9781844089154" target="_blank">Book Depository</a><br />
<b>Rating:</b> ★★☆☆☆<br />
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This is the last pick for <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/179584-our-shared-shelf" target="_blank">Our Shared Shelf</a> reading group organized by Emma Watson. I've enjoyed reading along with the community because it has made me pick a lot of books that I wouldn't even consider reading otherwise. That said, it was a 50/50 hit/miss for me: some books I loved and some hated, but it was a great journey nevertheless.<br />
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<i>Mom & Me & Mom</i> was one of the books I didn't enjoy. The writing is overly simplistic and disconnected - jumping from story to story skipping whole years. A lot of stuff got glossed over - like, who mentions being raped in childhood and then just goes further without elaborating?? It's kinda important, you know?<br />
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I'm aware that Angelou has other autobiographies and perhaps for readers who are familiar with them or who at least know who she is, the book would have made more sense. I have never heard about Angelou before and I still feel like I don't know her, even after reading her autobiography. Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think that's how autobiographies SHOULD work.<br />
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<b>In my book: </b>A confusing read.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Read more and share your thoughts at http://irrelevant-scribble.blogspot.cz/ !</div>Arenelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08646965847129179304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-822647988376386021.post-64400387862646236112016-12-12T11:05:00.000+01:002016-12-12T11:05:10.532+01:00It's Monday! What Are You Reading? December 12th<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmd1W6wOOJ2GV1hTPC7bu0668_n2HD6TNhrqabps93joBraq81qvDHNOuHN_nFIiIt7hYsfeRaUdQMXgM3WSxumykdUDZqkZrN2FHDBkmfKfGKOMJ7fdzaByxnp4RTNxcQQi71vST6Y3M/s1600/61.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmd1W6wOOJ2GV1hTPC7bu0668_n2HD6TNhrqabps93joBraq81qvDHNOuHN_nFIiIt7hYsfeRaUdQMXgM3WSxumykdUDZqkZrN2FHDBkmfKfGKOMJ7fdzaByxnp4RTNxcQQi71vST6Y3M/s320/61.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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In an effort to staying more organized in my reading, I've decided to join the Monday party of updates hosted at <a href="http://bookdate.blogspot.cz/" target="_blank">Book Date</a>. Monday update posts are my favorite in a blog update feed - I love peeking at what everybody around is reading - it's like creepily trying to read the title of a book your fellow morning commuter is engrossed with.<br />
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What I Read Last Week:</h4>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjsGr8LBJBjy7RN-pTeD9-vtPqK1R8YKsCUJpV5BQuskY00IBavGFumDcMN9rTGf3YM9c01KZDerqryoYPvxQn5XHdtYWu99DdbGwBNFdPfYjbsnZHb_RfDh1f6068spHhzZ5xMN596DQ/s1600/51893.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjsGr8LBJBjy7RN-pTeD9-vtPqK1R8YKsCUJpV5BQuskY00IBavGFumDcMN9rTGf3YM9c01KZDerqryoYPvxQn5XHdtYWu99DdbGwBNFdPfYjbsnZHb_RfDh1f6068spHhzZ5xMN596DQ/s320/51893.jpg" width="210" /></a></div>
<b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51893.Thus_Spoke_Zarathustra" target="_blank"><i>Thus Spoke Zarathustra</i> by Friedrich Nietzsche</a></b><div>
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I've struggled through 50 pages of the book and then gave up. More on that failure later :)</div>
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<b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15791144-adulting" target="_blank"><i>Adulting: How to Become a Grown-up in 468 Easy(ish) Steps</i> by Kelly Williams Brown</a></b><div>
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A very matter-of-fact and encouraging read. I was inspired to pick it up because I was moving to another flat and pretty depressed with this whole boring and difficult adult thing. </div>
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What I Am Reading Now:</h4>
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<b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13688.Don_Quixote" target="_blank"><i>Don Quixote</i> by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra</a></b><div>
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For my <a href="http://irrelevant-scribble.blogspot.cz/p/the-well-educated-mind-challenge.html" target="_blank">WEM project</a>. The book is very big and heavy so I only read it at home, which greatly slows the process, as I'm constantly on the move. I'm about 1/5 through now and although it is funny and clever at times, it's very tiring to read because of wordiness and repetitiveness.</div>
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<b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30200112-secondhand-time" target="_blank"><i>Secondhand Time: The Last of the Soviets </i>by Svetlana Alexievich</a></b><div>
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This is a heartbreaking but essential read. Very difficult to read emotionally but very worth it too.</div>
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<b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/359194.The_Lucifer_Effect" target="_blank"><i>The Lucifer Effect: Understanding How Good People Turn Evil</i> by Philip G. Zimbardo</a></b><div>
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The book is very interesting and educative, but the author is not a master of concise writing, so it's taking more time than I've expected. Still, I'm nearing the end of the book already :)</div>
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And what are YOU reading this Monday? Join in the fun!</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Read more and share your thoughts at http://irrelevant-scribble.blogspot.cz/ !</div>Arenelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08646965847129179304noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-822647988376386021.post-15941472725993728272016-12-11T10:02:00.000+01:002016-12-11T10:02:08.155+01:00The Modigliani Scandal by Ken Follett (Review)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU8cWxtCoCGjxAxlJ7YHfLIulmmOK8nzMfTJVOYQ8pHD1ZbEKvSdg7oQOwE8_QHWpMYfNtOxVf4xV-RqaQY2dcqTZhFNXO5yk_qUnr6iUb68PG9YcRL0yZ1FQtrIFI2XFXyKgaRXnJ3lc/s1600/18588783.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU8cWxtCoCGjxAxlJ7YHfLIulmmOK8nzMfTJVOYQ8pHD1ZbEKvSdg7oQOwE8_QHWpMYfNtOxVf4xV-RqaQY2dcqTZhFNXO5yk_qUnr6iUb68PG9YcRL0yZ1FQtrIFI2XFXyKgaRXnJ3lc/s320/18588783.jpg" width="208" /></a></div>
<b>Title:</b> The Modigliani Scandal<br />
<b>Author:</b> Ken Follett<br />
<b>First published:</b> 1976<br />
<b>Add it:</b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18588783-the-modigliani-scandal" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>, <a href="http://amzn.to/2hfm2PQ" target="_blank">Amazon</a>, <a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/book/9780451147967" target="_blank">Book Depository</a><br />
<b>Rating:</b> ★★☆☆☆<br />
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It was my first Ken Follett, and I was so prepared to love it - I know people who are HUGE fans. But before committing to some of his giants, I've decided to read something smaller (besides it was a bargain on Book Depository). Well, maybe this was my mistake - to start with a less known and praised work. I did not like <i>The Modigliani Scandal</i>.<br />
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I feel shortness might actually be one of the main sources of problems in the novel. The characters feel like props and the plot goes fast and is not very elaborated. Most of the key shocking revelations I have guessed in advance and characters behaved pretty predictably.<br />
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I love the art world atmosphere and it was nice to glance a bit behind the scenes of the art world, yet some of the plot twists depended on people behaving highly unprofessionally and I'm wondering now if this is even slightly close to the true situation. But then the book is rather old, so it's very possible that security standards have changed a lot since then.<br />
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<b>In my book: </b>A fast-paced but not very elaborate or complicated novel.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Read more and share your thoughts at http://irrelevant-scribble.blogspot.cz/ !</div>Arenelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08646965847129179304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-822647988376386021.post-43882047763422732622016-12-10T09:41:00.000+01:002016-12-10T10:01:55.916+01:00Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli (Review)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgUhTKzDYL3yMC-sU0p1rcN84MCnphZ6aiVjY1eRNmvIyyFT3dffrRZu-kqqa2UlYUBZlga1hz8nqGVrWsyTWAxUL7Zx5WIrW87L81z_Da0CqV5wWIEUQlk6a2Pz0j4-cK2gbNihkLSRU/s1600/26795341.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="simon vs. the homo sapiens agenda by becky albertalli review cover" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgUhTKzDYL3yMC-sU0p1rcN84MCnphZ6aiVjY1eRNmvIyyFT3dffrRZu-kqqa2UlYUBZlga1hz8nqGVrWsyTWAxUL7Zx5WIrW87L81z_Da0CqV5wWIEUQlk6a2Pz0j4-cK2gbNihkLSRU/s320/26795341.jpg" title="" width="212" /></a></div>
<b>Title:</b> Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda<br />
<b>Author:</b> Becky Albertalli<br />
<b>First published:</b> 2015<br />
<b>Add it:</b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26795341-simon-vs-the-homo-sapiens-agenda" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>, <a href="http://amzn.to/2gLjLIU" target="_blank">Amazon</a>, <a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/book/9780062348685" target="_blank">Book Depository</a><br />
<b>Rating:</b> ★★★★☆<br />
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Weirdly, I like books about high school. They are so angsty and emotional and sometimes calling for facepalms every second page. But hey, we all remember we WERE that crazy at this young age. Anyway, these books usually end with the main character growing somewhat and hopefully figuring his or her shit out. This is more difficult to achieve for this book's protagonist, as he's not out yet, blackmailed about his orientation, and oh yes - in love with an anonymous dude online that might just be from his school.<br />
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Simon's life situation pretty much sucks, but he always stays funny, committed to remaining a decent human being and even sometimes considerate of others - unthinkable for a high-schooler! Characters are what make the book so fluffy - most of them are instantly likable (apart from some occasional unnamed jerks) and accepting and even reasonable in situations when it matters. I think it's one problem I had with this books - I mean, come on, why does everything need to go smoothly?<br />
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Nevertheless, I was left with a happy feeling of satisfaction at the ending, and am glad I've bought the book. It's a fast and funny read, and Facebook scavenger hunt MUST be a real thing! Seriously, let's all play that :)<br />
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<b>In my book: </b>A cute little book which tells you that sometimes it doesn't suck to be a teenager that much :)<div class="blogger-post-footer">Read more and share your thoughts at http://irrelevant-scribble.blogspot.cz/ !</div>Arenelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08646965847129179304noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-822647988376386021.post-20651272138601774892016-10-28T20:27:00.000+02:002016-10-28T20:27:39.596+02:00The Twelve by Justin Cronin (Review)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh04pK_ovBReCNxsSR42vkiMmULTSXtCMs3RFBroe2YDelJT2OGlHEGQwegiuVhQRpyWQkuJiUx1Vi14d8MSOCY5kk3Icu74a3YW6jKglMFLWYAcxuIlOg53YIMOElSN9_Gzwm8zV3Ej2s/s1600/16090340.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh04pK_ovBReCNxsSR42vkiMmULTSXtCMs3RFBroe2YDelJT2OGlHEGQwegiuVhQRpyWQkuJiUx1Vi14d8MSOCY5kk3Icu74a3YW6jKglMFLWYAcxuIlOg53YIMOElSN9_Gzwm8zV3Ej2s/s320/16090340.jpg" width="210" /></a></div>
<b>Title:</b> The Twelve<br />
<b>Author:</b> Justin Cronin<br />
<b>First published:</b> 2012<br />
<b>Add it:</b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17684385-the-twelve" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>, <a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/book/9780553840742" target="_blank">Book Depository</a><br />
<b>Rating:</b> ★★★★☆<br />
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Do you have a topic that makes you instantly suspicious of a book? For me it's vampires! I immediately start figuring out if it's YA and if the vampires happen to be hot and sparkly. You can tell I'm not a fan of the humiliating transformation these terrifying creatures of the night have undergone in modern culture.<br />
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But Cronin's vampires are properly and dignifyingly scary! It's the second book in the series, but probably I liked it even more than the first. There are old acquaintances and new characters, both so real that you feel like you can hear their thoughts and feel what they feel. More is told about the first days after the infection spread and we also see more ways in which groups of people have learned to survive as a society.<br />
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The whole plot feels like a blur of disjoint puzzle pieces, which, as you read on, start to fit into the whole picture with the most satisfying clicks. I'm very intrigued about the third book now. Although I don't remember <i>The Passage</i> (the first in the series) very clearly, I think there was not much information about "patient zero", and he should be the main character of the last book of the trilogy!<br />
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<b>In my book: </b>An awesomely written, gripping vampire apocalypse!<div class="blogger-post-footer">Read more and share your thoughts at http://irrelevant-scribble.blogspot.cz/ !</div>Arenelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08646965847129179304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-822647988376386021.post-73613920384659537342016-10-23T14:23:00.001+02:002016-10-24T10:53:03.420+02:00Dewey's End of Readathon Survey<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I've done it!! I've read for about 13.5 hours in the past 24 hours, which is pretty awesome! I'm not a very fast reader, so it amounts only to 622 pages, but hey, the font was small! :D Check out my progress notes on the bookmark to the right! And here goes the end of the event survey!<br />
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<b>Which hour was most daunting for you?</b><br />
Hour 3, I guess. I always get very sleepy after lunch, and I only had 5 hours of sleep the night before. So I indulged :)<br />
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<b>Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year?</b></div>
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The second book that I've started today - <i>Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda</i> - is a very funny and easy read, and you also root for the main character</div>
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<b>Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next season?</b><br />
I wish it was not on the weekend after the new Civilization release because keeping my laptop shut down was especially difficult today ;-P But readathon happens about 12 times more often than new Civ games so I guess the chances of this ever happening again are thin))</div>
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<b>What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon?</b><br />
Drinking mate tea! Much better than coffee in the long run!</div>
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<b>How many books did you read? What were the names of the books you read?</b><br />
I read the last 2/3 of <i>The Twelve</i> by Justing Cronin and the first half of the abovementioned <i>Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda</i></div>
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<b>Which book did you enjoy most? Which did you enjoy least?</b></div>
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I guess <i>The Twelve </i>was a bit too intense for a whole-day immersion. Simon is more enjoyable so far, I'll probably continue reading it even though the event has ended))</div>
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<b>How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time?</b></div>
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Very likely! The event was a blast, especially the twitter discussions and the challenges! Can't thank the organizers enough for putting this together! You're the best!</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Read more and share your thoughts at http://irrelevant-scribble.blogspot.cz/ !</div>Arenelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08646965847129179304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-822647988376386021.post-64189187561409002082016-10-22T13:55:00.000+02:002016-10-24T10:53:08.179+02:00Dewey's Opening Questions<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm so excited about the start of readathon!! Hour zero is 10 mins away and here I am taking part in the opening meme: </div>
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<b>1) What fine part of the world are you reading from today?</b><br />
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Czech Republic!</div>
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<b>2) Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to?</b></div>
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Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda</div>
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<b>3) Which snack are you most looking forward to?</b></div>
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Kinder surprises! Chocolate - yum!</div>
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<b>4) Tell us a little something about yourself!</b></div>
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I'm a Ph.D. student in speech recognition, travel enthusiast, and book lover!</div>
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<b>5) If you participated in the last read-a-thon, what’s one thing you’ll do different today? If this is your first read-a-thon, what are you most looking forward to?</b></div>
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I did participate once but life got in the way. The one thing I'll do differently today is switching off Facebook, hehe:)</div>
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Good luck to all of us!</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Read more and share your thoughts at http://irrelevant-scribble.blogspot.cz/ !</div>Arenelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08646965847129179304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-822647988376386021.post-64398735741538293862016-10-19T23:22:00.000+02:002016-10-24T10:53:28.167+02:00Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon Sign-Up.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As nothing particularly exciting is going to happen around here this weekend, I plan to SIT AND READ with <a href="http://www.24hourreadathon.com/">Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon</a>! Seriously, I think this is the first time I might actually be able to fully participate in this famous and awesome readathon. I'm excited, and I plan to get prepared well: cook the food, shut down facebook and get some good sleep the night before.<br />
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Here's a picture of books I'll have to choose from this weekend:<br />
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I have the WEM monster by Cervantes, from which I hope to read some chapters, the gripping Cronin masterpiece that I'm already half-way through and hope to finish, and three rather thin books to keep things lively around here. I'm especially excited about <i>Simon</i>, I've read great reviews! Where to you think I should start?<br />
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I plan to update my reading progress on <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/6537209-ekaterina-egorova" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>, which is also shared on <a href="https://twitter.com/InMyBookBlog" target="_blank">Twitter</a>. And maybe I'll do some hourly challenges here if my internet connection behaves. And we'll see how many hours out of 24 I'm able to read)) I'm excited!!<br />
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Drop me a link to where you'll be updating if you're planning to participate too!<div class="blogger-post-footer">Read more and share your thoughts at http://irrelevant-scribble.blogspot.cz/ !</div>Arenelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08646965847129179304noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-822647988376386021.post-37244576813415097042016-10-16T12:26:00.002+02:002016-10-16T12:26:24.487+02:00The Circle by Dave Eggers (Review)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizId2hjPUa_0MSA-2bgSxraGVJg5Rzmasey7OU5MRI83qZuN83Mh4yF0lA_e1qUhqVi5QBznIPkkkFj32sV2766slgVPnXYxKaUCyHyBaLwu8YVgkwOT_4_v8Bx5UmFAfwmNe5bC7L5Yk/s1600/18302455.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizId2hjPUa_0MSA-2bgSxraGVJg5Rzmasey7OU5MRI83qZuN83Mh4yF0lA_e1qUhqVi5QBznIPkkkFj32sV2766slgVPnXYxKaUCyHyBaLwu8YVgkwOT_4_v8Bx5UmFAfwmNe5bC7L5Yk/s320/18302455.jpg" width="224" /></a></div>
<b>Title:</b> The Circle<br />
<b>Author:</b> Dave Eggers<br />
<b>First published:</b> 2013<br />
<b>Add it:</b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18302455-the-circle">Goodreads</a>, <a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/book/9780241970379">Book Depository</a><br />
<b>Rating:</b> ★★★★☆<br />
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Are you afraid of Google? If you think of it, the amount of information it knows about you is pretty unsettling. But the majority of people are OK with that because it makes their lives easier in so many ways. I personally am one of them. But what if people continue being OK with everything it introduces and as a result, they end up abandoning their right to privacy completely for the sake of safety and transparency? It's a 21st century kind of Utopia, and one very easy to imagine.<br />
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The book starts with Maya's first day on a shining high-tech campus of a huge search engine / social network / everything company called the Circle. She can't be happier to land the job, although the demands are pretty high. She integrates more and more into company's life while disintegrating from her friends and family. Eventually, she becomes the center of the big changes in the company's policies and services.<br />
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I really enjoyed the writing. Well, maybe "enjoyed" is a wrong word, let's say it was very appropriate. It was unstoppable and hectic, as constant updates and notifications are. You can feel how excruciating being always online and worrying about it can be. Everything is happening in the real world and then of course the immediate flow of comments and likes comes. You can feel the irritation growing inside you as you are always told what's happening on the virtual plane too. And it is really great writing, because this is exactly how the characters' brains work - always paying attention to the flow of reactions on the Internet.<br />
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I liked how Eggers explored a lot of possible consequences of every new technology, it is all very believable. Sometimes what was happening was a tad bit over the top though, so no fifth star here, but a great read nonetheless.<br />
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<b>In my book: </b>A perfect read for both technology junkies and those who are wary of this whole new online thing.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Read more and share your thoughts at http://irrelevant-scribble.blogspot.cz/ !</div>Arenelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08646965847129179304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-822647988376386021.post-36266916911334738512016-10-08T18:06:00.000+02:002016-10-08T18:06:33.782+02:00All That Is Solid Melts into Air by Darragh McKeon (Review)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-3ws3sUOBM2nWC5dxZUlDqHTe4q3LvWlIXsuu4Us0Nn2WKcjWN5iZ80lE9v-G3aXAILLQxPm8ecX7m7370o9u3ryrmxqXqcAS5txpqHJSUSdD8hmoC1GK2FyT-l0ufwpRxfeW-IKDrV8/s1600/18505785.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-3ws3sUOBM2nWC5dxZUlDqHTe4q3LvWlIXsuu4Us0Nn2WKcjWN5iZ80lE9v-G3aXAILLQxPm8ecX7m7370o9u3ryrmxqXqcAS5txpqHJSUSdD8hmoC1GK2FyT-l0ufwpRxfeW-IKDrV8/s320/18505785.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<b>Title:</b> All That Is Solid Melts into Air<br />
<b>Author:</b> Darragh McKeon<br />
<b>First published:</b> 2014<br />
<b>Add it:</b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18505785-all-that-is-solid-melts-into-air" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>, <a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/book/9780062246875" target="_blank">Book Depository</a><br />
<b>Rating:</b> ★★★★★<br />
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I've just returned from an Italian holiday! Love this country: food and Renaissance are both amazing! Before the journey, I had thought for quite some time about what I wanted to read on the trains, and had decided on probably the least holiday-themed book ever. But somehow, it fitted perfectly. The thing is, I went on this trip with my mom, and we always have these heated discussions about politics and Soviet Union. She's often resentful of me being so negative about the whole period. I guess she's nostalgic of the era of her crazy young life, or maybe the propaganda is so ingrained into your brain that you can't easily get rid of it. I try to listen to her, but I can't but remember all the facts that I've read and that are painting a very different picture than what she remembers. The picture this book paints, for example, is not pretty. It is true and painful and urgent and shows exactly what was wrong with the social system in Soviet Union at the time of the Chernobyl catastrophe.<br />
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I'm usually skeptical about non-soviet authors writing about soviet times. True, there is such thing as research, but I didn't believe you could write based on research as believably as if you'd lived it. Well, this book proves me wrong. Every little detail rings true, beginning with the mundane stuff like living arrangements to the unsaid fears deep in the people's minds. The writing is very vivid and precise, and it lulls you into the atmosphere of the book so that it's very difficult to put down.<br />
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I admit I didn't know much about Chernobyl meltdown before reading this book, just the basics. As it turns out, the catastrophe was much more horrible than I could have imagined. And the most horrifying thing is not radiation itself, it's how the system prevented any kind of effective counter-actions. There was even no backup plan or emergency procedure, because preparing them would mean admitting the plant could fail, and that's just unthinkable, right? If you just imagine how many lives could have been spared if they actually counted for something! Medical advice was ignored to honor subordination and save the face of the officials and the nation and people were treated.. well, in the same way as people were always treated in Soviet Union.<br />
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<b>In my book: </b>A very powerful book that shows the big picture of the catastrophe and the small, individual picture of the lives of the people caught in its whirlwind. Really stunning!<div class="blogger-post-footer">Read more and share your thoughts at http://irrelevant-scribble.blogspot.cz/ !</div>Arenelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08646965847129179304noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-822647988376386021.post-53786666727217471032016-09-24T00:36:00.001+02:002016-09-24T00:36:25.934+02:00The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin (Review)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIi0qVApGLv3YTiG05do_wXztMcCxeZYVQCAZVqwDoQc7lhNq_I9BxNq_6kRZTsxJTtOTSNoy2WEaLW51VUWu4ymQRYrlsJV038L5IOxMSbtfyb4xqejFkiGo3x3Euk2eNDMjMieK3plY/s1600/24040475.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIi0qVApGLv3YTiG05do_wXztMcCxeZYVQCAZVqwDoQc7lhNq_I9BxNq_6kRZTsxJTtOTSNoy2WEaLW51VUWu4ymQRYrlsJV038L5IOxMSbtfyb4xqejFkiGo3x3Euk2eNDMjMieK3plY/s320/24040475.jpg" width="201" /></a></div>
<b>Title:</b> The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry<br />
<b>Author:</b> Gabrielle Zevin<br />
<b>First published:</b> 2014<br />
<b>Add it:</b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24040475-the-storied-life-of-a-j-fikry">Goodreads</a>, Book Depository<br />
<b>Rating:</b> ★★☆☆☆<br />
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To put it shortly - I was not impressed. And I really expected to be! I like sweet, touching, feel-good books about how people become their better selves through a series of unlikely events. And I thought that <i>The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry</i> would be something like <i><a href="http://irrelevant-scribble.blogspot.cz/2015/07/the-unlikely-pilgrimage-of-harold-fry.html">The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry</a></i>. It aspired to but it wasn't even close.<br />
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So the story tells about the life of the titular A.J. Fikry, a bookshop owner, who is going through a tough period in his life after his wife's death. Everything changes when he finds a girl left in his bookshop the night before her mother commits suicide. Then, of course, he can't bear to part with the girl, adopts her and she grows up in a bookshop and becomes a wonderful nerd, just like her new father. So what can go wrong with such a sweet plot? Well, everything.<br />
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The writing is kinda sketchy and pretty obvious. You cannot help rolling your eyes at some social situations, wondering how dumb everybody must be to behave like that. Things happen episodically and fast, and I guess we should be thankful for that because not everybody has enough patience to read 200 more pages of awkward, non-charming courting full of sloppy literary references. Some moments are so intentionally tear-jerking that I got really pissed off. I mean, I like to cry over a book, but only because it's naturally and beautifully sad, not because the author had decided to cram a lot of tragic stuff and stupid pathos on three pages.<br />
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There are a couple of nice twists in the plot, and that's why it's still two stars, but overall the time you'll spend following the 2-dimensional characters is just not worth it.<br />
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<b>In my book: </b>A notoriously unsuccessful attempt for a touching and sweet novel.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Read more and share your thoughts at http://irrelevant-scribble.blogspot.cz/ !</div>Arenelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08646965847129179304noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-822647988376386021.post-62763846441534909392016-09-22T08:23:00.002+02:002016-09-22T08:29:41.044+02:00TWEM Starting LineThis post marks the starting line of my reading from the <a href="http://irrelevant-scribble.blogspot.cz/p/the-well-educated-mind-challenge.html" target="_blank">lists</a> in <i>The Well-Educated Mind</i> by Susan Wise Bauer. The first three books arrived yesterday, and I've already started <i>Don Quixote</i>. It's huge. I didn't expect it to be so huge! But I'm not too intimidated because it should be funny and also I know that with the notes I can keep it all together.<br />
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Wish me luck and join me in reading TWEM books! And tell me, were you intimidated when beginning with TWEM, if you're doing/have done the lists? I mean, those are not very easy to read titles!<div class="blogger-post-footer">Read more and share your thoughts at http://irrelevant-scribble.blogspot.cz/ !</div>Arenelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08646965847129179304noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-822647988376386021.post-19433451514980700782016-09-20T19:03:00.000+02:002016-09-20T19:03:07.355+02:00Lock In by John Scalzi (Review)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjzixDH9vMhSp0LDIaw0zVr5zC1pV5HD_C0B3owGdOwqSrbFNIsqT8gjppOOQwA4vp1-GuVgxX_vBOJLN5g1MyOKwQiTnsPpGPopLPBbXewujX5A3vpvZizKrYtOn6eSFQNOJraQ64_6Q/s1600/21418013.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjzixDH9vMhSp0LDIaw0zVr5zC1pV5HD_C0B3owGdOwqSrbFNIsqT8gjppOOQwA4vp1-GuVgxX_vBOJLN5g1MyOKwQiTnsPpGPopLPBbXewujX5A3vpvZizKrYtOn6eSFQNOJraQ64_6Q/s320/21418013.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
<b>Title:</b> Lock In<br />
<b>Author:</b> John Scalzi<br />
<b>First published:</b> 2014<br />
<b>Add it:</b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21418013-lock-in">Goodreads</a>, <a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/book/9780575134355">Book Depository</a><br />
<b>Rating:</b> ★★★★★<br />
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I'm a sucker for science fiction that is clever and consistent, and after introducing just one (albeit major) change into our lives, goes all the way through with it to imagine where the ripples on the water would go. In <i>Lock In</i> the world is suffering from an aftermath of a global virus which causes about 1% of the people that has survived it to get "locked in" into their brain without being able to move.<br />
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There are millions of people in this state all over the world, and the world has adapted to them: they have a virtual space to hang out into, they can buy special robots in which they can put their minds and function close to normal, they can even occasionally hitch-hike in minds of special facilitators. And when one of these facilitators is caught at a crime scene, nobody is sure if he was with a client in his head and if he's guilty.<br />
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<i>Lock In</i> dives into so many interesting social and political problems, and yet manages to stay a gripping and action-packed detective novel, where a charming dynamic duo of FBI agents will do their best to solve the crime while keeping you at the edge of your seat. I read the book in one day, and it was a gorgeous day full of intrigue!<br />
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<b>In my book: </b><i>Lock In </i>lives up to all the hype it's getting! One of the best books of the year, for sure!<div class="blogger-post-footer">Read more and share your thoughts at http://irrelevant-scribble.blogspot.cz/ !</div>Arenelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08646965847129179304noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-822647988376386021.post-87771954375639484942016-09-19T20:20:00.000+02:002016-09-19T20:20:36.076+02:00The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon (Review)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjGI7dotqiPjBoA3TkEKN5EPgDK3Gj6IWyNxlXDuzrndk-ik6s1CuS9GDjnDbC6QIgvOZlw3R7rOxJxxEkE-KTZB4M_G08oP26Z6XFj7GKFihgLCdCMpW0y38xA-L9jCUEbR9Jm99GIVA/s1600/152878.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjGI7dotqiPjBoA3TkEKN5EPgDK3Gj6IWyNxlXDuzrndk-ik6s1CuS9GDjnDbC6QIgvOZlw3R7rOxJxxEkE-KTZB4M_G08oP26Z6XFj7GKFihgLCdCMpW0y38xA-L9jCUEbR9Jm99GIVA/s320/152878.jpg" width="195" /></a></div>
<b>Title:</b> The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time<br />
<b>Author:</b> Mark Haddon<br />
<b>First published:</b> 2003<br />
<b>Add it:</b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/152878.The_Curious_Incident_of_the_Dog_in_the_Night_Time" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>, <a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/book/9780099450252" target="_blank">Book Depository</a><br />
<b>Rating:</b> ★★★★★<br />
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This unassuming little book turned out to be much more complex and touching than I had expected it to be. It starts as a detective story: Christopher finds his neighbor's dog killed with a garden fork one night, and being a fan of Sherlock Holmes stories, he decides to find out the truth. Christopher is really good at deducting, so he would be perfect for the job, if only he was not afraid to talk to people because he has Asperger's.<br />
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In the course of his investigation, Christopher encounters various obstacles, like his father telling him to mind his own business, people calling the police, and Bad Days, when he sees 4 yellow cars on a road to school. The investigation is stalled, and then it turns out to be something else completely, and the storyline goes where you don't expect it to go AT ALL. Well, at least it took ME by surprise. Maybe you're less easy to impress :)<br />
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I don't know if the author has some first-hand experience communicating with people who have Asperger's, but it certainly seems so. At the very least the book is very well researched and rings true in every sentence. Christopher's train of thought is totally alien and fascinating, but it also makes a lot of sense if you think about it. I don't wonder someone like him has problems communicating with people, we're indeed weird, unpredictable and too grabby. And the book also shows people who are OK talking to Christopher, and it doesn't take that much - just a little patience and consideration. I surely think that even if Christopher won't be able to become an astronaut as he dreams, at least nothing prevents him from getting a degree and becoming a scientist. I believe in him!<br />
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<b>In my book: </b><i>The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time</i> is a very touching and true-ringing novel, that will not leave you unaffected.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Read more and share your thoughts at http://irrelevant-scribble.blogspot.cz/ !</div>Arenelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08646965847129179304noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-822647988376386021.post-7368119188356583372016-09-18T21:44:00.000+02:002016-09-18T21:44:34.021+02:00The Tolkien Tag 2016<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://theedgeoftheprecipice.blogspot.cz/2016/08/the-tolkien-blog-party-is-on.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinNZ-IGQvoMhQ-5q91fYa7LPNbvk90lo38wj8cU0fbK_BbnCOepbKI296prjiZQfAzCclrs6BoGbGL_uY7FupCE_cVyhOyNC0J-1mcUWSiYBkAQm4Y6YZiZp5-ZzIZeq0BJTtdIAeYwUw/s320/Tolkien+Party+Hobbits+dated.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Let's get the <a href="http://theedgeoftheprecipice.blogspot.cz/2016/08/the-tolkien-blog-party-is-on.html" target="_blank">PARTY</a> started!! A Tolkien Blog Party, no less! And although there's no "of special magnificence" tagline this year, it's still mighty exciting! Thanks for hosting, Hamlette!<br />
<br />So here's to Bilbo and Frodo, and here are my answers to the tag questions:<br /><br />1. How many books by J.R.R. Tolkien have you read?<div>
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<b>Ummm... all of them? Well, maybe except the latest Arthur translation. But I will, you'll see!</b><br /><br />2. Have you seen any movies based on them?</div>
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<b>And again - all of them. Although, as you can probably guess, I was not a big fan of the latest two.</b><br /><br />3. Are there any scenes/moments that make you cry?</div>
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<b>I'm an easy crier, so LotR gets me every time, especially with the ending and all of the deaths. Having a drink and some napkins for a LotR movie night is a must! Don't remember if I cried while reading, though, I haven't done it in a while.</b><br /><br />4. Are there any scenes/moments that make you laugh?</div>
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<b>Oh well all of them with Merry and Pippin. They are just so cute! Gandalf is also one for an occasional good joke.</b><br /><br />5. Have you ever chosen a Middle Earth name for yourself? If so, what is it?</div>
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<b>Well, it's still with me on every web page that requires a login. It's <i class="">Arenel</i> - a slightly modified version of Aredhel Ar-Feiniel, who has a breathtaking story in Silmarillion.</b></div>
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6. Who would you want to party with/marry/fight to the death? (pick three characters)</div>
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<b>I want to party with the hobbits, obviously! They are the best at the business! For marrying none other than Aragorn is an option, I love him deeply! <3 I wouldn't want to fight anybody to death there, they are all so tough! I'm pretty sure it is my death we'll be fighting to, so what's the difference?)</b><br /><br />7. When was the last time you visited Middle Earth, via books or movies?</div>
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<b>I bought a beautiful illustrated version of LotR a couple of years ago, and I read maybe half of the first book then. </b><br /><br />8. Do you consider Gollum to be a villain? Why or why not?</div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>It was obviously Tolkien's intention to convince the reader that he's not evil. So I trust the Professor on that one.</b><br /><br />9. How would you sum up what Tolkien's stories mean to you in one word?</div>
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<b>A safe place that's always there when I need it.</b><br /><br />10. List up to ten of your favorite lines/quotes from the books or movies.</div>
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<b>I'm the worst at remembering quotes, but I did learn some poetry from LotR by heart. Here's my favorite one:</b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; font-style: italic;">I sit beside the fire and think</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; font-style: italic;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; font-style: italic;">of all that I have seen</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; font-style: italic;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; font-style: italic;">of meadow-flowers and butterflies</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; font-style: italic;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; font-style: italic;">in summers that have been;</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; font-style: italic;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; font-style: italic;"> </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; font-style: italic;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; font-style: italic;">Of yellow leaves and gossamer</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; font-style: italic;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; font-style: italic;">in autumns that there were,</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; font-style: italic;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; font-style: italic;">with morning mist and silver sun</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; font-style: italic;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; font-style: italic;">and wind upon my hair.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; font-style: italic;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; font-style: italic;"> </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; font-style: italic;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; font-style: italic;">I sit beside the fire and think</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; font-style: italic;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; font-style: italic;">of how the world will be</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; font-style: italic;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; font-style: italic;">when winter comes without a spring</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; font-style: italic;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; font-style: italic;">that I shall ever see.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; font-style: italic;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; font-style: italic;"> </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; font-style: italic;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; font-style: italic;">For still there are so many things</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; font-style: italic;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; font-style: italic;">that I have never seen:</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; font-style: italic;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; font-style: italic;">in every wood in every spring</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; font-style: italic;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; font-style: italic;">there is a different green.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; font-style: italic;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; font-style: italic;"> </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; font-style: italic;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; font-style: italic;">I sit beside the fire and think</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; font-style: italic;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; font-style: italic;">of people long ago</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; font-style: italic;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; font-style: italic;">and people who will see a world</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; font-style: italic;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; font-style: italic;">that I shall never know.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; font-style: italic;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; font-style: italic;"> </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; font-style: italic;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; font-style: italic;">But all the while I sit and think</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; font-style: italic;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; font-style: italic;">of times there were before,</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; font-style: italic;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; font-style: italic;">I listen for returning feet</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; font-style: italic;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; font-style: italic;">and voices at the door</span></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Read more and share your thoughts at http://irrelevant-scribble.blogspot.cz/ !</div>Arenelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08646965847129179304noreply@blogger.com7