![]() ![]() I also began to appreciate more fantastic cities, such as Stevenson and Machen's London and Leiber's Lankhmar. In childhood, my favorite Arabian Night's tales were the ones that took place in Baghdad, and from early adolescence I loved Sherlock Holmes' London, D'Artagnan's Paris and Nero Wolfe's New York. Hugo's novel had been on my lengthy “must read” list for years, but what finally moved it to the top was my growing fascination with cities in literature. It is also about the “genius loci” of Paris, the maternal spirit that offers sanctuary and support to its most unfortunate children, many of them literally orphans (Gringoire, Quasimodo, Esmeralda, the Frollos), be they ugly or beautiful, virtuous or evil, bringing a measure of comfort to their difficult and and often tragic lives. First of all, it is about the great cathedral that dominates and defines the city, the setting for much of the novel's action and most of its crucial events. ![]() ![]() It is a shame that this book is so seldom referred to in English by its given name, for it is about more than the history of one hunchback, however moving that history may be. Best of all, it gives us one of literature's most loving and detailed depictions of a city, rivaled only by Joyce's Dublin in Ulysses. ![]() Although it lacks the depth and humanity of Les Miserables, it possesses a grandeur of architectonic structure and an Olympian compassion all its own. I recently read Victor Hugo's Notre Dame de Paris for the first time, and was delighted and moved by the experience. ![]()
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The nevermoor series5/10/2023 ![]() ![]() There was something so frightening, so giddily uncomfortable about knowing that Hannibal "The Cannibal" was loose on an unsuspecting world. I've always preferred a novel that concludes with a few loose ends because, in life, not all problems get tied up nice and neat. That's the way I liked it: a little of the unknown, a lot of the unsaid. I could only imagine the ghastly horrors Lecter was inflicting. Hannibal Lecter escapes his maximum security encumbrances and has gone off in search of havoc to wreak. At the end of The Silence of the Lambs, brilliant psychopath Dr. After I put that book down I did not think to ask what Hannibal was going to do next. It stood on its own, finished and complete. Thomas Harris' latest novel is being hailed as the long awaited sequel to The Silence of the Lambs, but I have never thought that novel actually needed one. ![]() Edward II by Christopher Marlowe5/10/2023 ![]() ![]() This scene is essentially repeated with Edward as the victim at the end of the play when he is dressed in tatters in the dungeon, stripped of his crown. A priest's vestments hold symbolic importance, and to lay hands upon them is a form of sacrilege that to the Bishop of Canterbury, as well as Elizabethan audiences, represents an act of violence against the Church itself. ![]() For example, when the Bishop of Coventry angers him for having signed the order banishing Gaveston from court the first time, Edward punishes the holy man by stripping away his vestments. In many cases, the intended function of these items is perverted by the king, in his mania for entertainment and self-indulgence. Images of the external marks of status appear over and over again throughout Edward II, such as the crown, battle ensigns (flags), ceremonial robes, jewelry, hats, and so on. Also, whether it's purely linguistic or in the form of actual items on stage, imagery can serve to remind the audience of the settings and paraphernalia that accompany a person's status. ![]() The images conveyed in the language of a play usually suggest or subtly foreshadow the general themes of the play. ![]() Koirien Kalevala by Mauri Kunnas5/10/2023 ![]() ![]() Pretty much the definitive retelling of the Finnish Epic, Kalevala - featuring man's best friend, dog. My main complaint is that the binding of the Otava volume that is currently in print (ISBN 9511124420) is not terribly strong and might not withstand too frequent reading by your child. There's considerable inventiveness in Kunnas' "canine versions" of some of Akseli Gallen-Kallela's classic paintings. Kunnas' art has a great deal of detail, allowing children to discover something new each time they read. The womanizing of the smith is of course not part of the book. ![]() ![]() There are some changes to make this more suitable for small children - the attempted rape of Aino by Vainamoinen and her suicide is reversed, with Aino pursuing the unwilling old wizard. Kunnas depicts most of the Kalevala's plot where its characters seek the Sampo, though it opens with the confrontation between Joukahainen and Vainamoinen. The English translation is by Tim Steffa. THE CANINE KALEVALA is a retelling of the Finnish national epic by children's author Mauri Kunnas featuring, as so often, dogs and cats in the roles. ![]() The 48 laws of power barnes and noble5/10/2023 ![]() ![]() No one will know what you’re really up to, and without that knowledge, they won’t be able to create any reliable defense. You can use tactics like feigning indifference, sending unclear signals, talking about goals, and emphasizing truth and honesty as important. Keep people on their toes by never revealing your true intentions. Friends can be great, but they can also become envious and betray you if you let your guard down. It may seem paradoxical, but you should fear your friends more than your enemies. Law 2: Never put too much trust in friends, learn how to use enemies You want to do is to make the people above you appear more brilliant than they are. That will only engender fear and insecurity. Never try to outsmart your master or display too many of your talents. Emotions cloud reason, prevent you from seeing things objectively, and hinder clear responses. Mastering your emotions, patience, and understanding human motivations are the most important facilitators of power. It’s an inevitable part of life, so better to be adept at it. If nothing else, you’ll learn about how some people you encounter think about the world.Īccess My Searchable Collection of 100+ Book Notes Key Takeaways Why care about power? ![]() ![]() If you are hoping to understand people and ascend in the world, this book is a good starting place. ![]() The 48 Laws of Power is a candid and frightening examination of power and its many dynamics. ![]() Colleen hoover reminders of him5/10/2023 ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Kenna must find a way to absolve the mistakes of her past in order to build a future out of hope and healing. The two form a connection despite the pressure surrounding them, but as their romance grows, so does the risk. A troubled young mother yearns for a shot at redemption in this heartbreaking yet hopeful story from 1 New York Timesbestselling author Colleen Hoover. But if anyone were to discover how Ledger is slowly becoming an important part of Kenna’s life, both would risk losing the trust of everyone important to them. Kenna didn’t even know she was pregnant until after she was sent to prison for murdering her boyfriend, Scotty. Colleen Hoover’s It Ends with Us, a 2016 publication and certified BookTok hit, is the 4 book. 18, 2022 After being released from prison, a young woman tries to reconnect with her 5-year-old daughter despite having killed the girl’s father. Montlake, 15.95 trade paper (360p) ISBN 978-1-5420-2560-7. The only person who hasn’t closed the door on her completely is Ledger Ward, a local bar owner and one of the few remaining links to Kenna’s daughter. REMINDERS OF HIM by Colleen Hoover RELEASE DATE: Jan. Everyone in her daughter’s life is determined to shut Kenna out, no matter how hard she works to prove herself. But the bridges Kenna burned are proving impossible to rebuild. ![]() A troubled young mother yearns for a shot at redemption in this heartbreaking yet hopeful story from #1 New York Timesbestselling author Colleen Hoover.Īfter serving five years in prison for a tragic mistake, Kenna Rowan returns to the town where it all went wrong, hoping to reunite with her four-year-old daughter. ![]() ![]() However, it has certainly detracted from my ability to talk with friends and colleagues about what current books they should sample. That shift of focus has been important to my continuing education in the breadth and history of this genre we all love. DeAndrea, Lyndsay Faye, Benjamin Black, and others. While recent works by Laura Lippman, John Straley, Megan Abbott, Matthew Pearl, Edward Marston, Lori Rader-Day, and Dan Fesperman all still await my attention, I have been poring through vintage books by George Harmon Coxe, Thomas Polsky, and Erle Stanley Gardner, and re-reading yarns by William L. Thanks to my work for CrimeReads, as well as for Down & Out: The Magazine, during the last eight months I’ve had my nose in at least as many older crime and mystery novels as in new ones. ![]() ![]() ![]() This has been an unusual reading year for me thus far. ![]() The Do-Over by T.L. Swan5/9/2023 ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Hayden is the one who is sliding under my skin, and maybe friendship isn't enough. Be the best damn friend she ever had, hold her hand, make her laugh, and spoon with her in bed. I'm going to slide right in under her friend zone. Nothing is working, and now, I've been friend zoned.īut the good thing about me is that I'm an incredible problem solver, and I've come up with a diabolical plan. There's just one small problem with the divine Miss Hayden. Not my usual type but perhaps the perfect woman. She sleeps in the bed opposite me, and I openly admit to staring at her more than I sleep. Not a bad plan, I think.Ī crowded hostel room, body odor, and beer bongs-there are no words for the fresh hell I've landed in.īut amid the chaos, I meet my new roommate, Hayden Whitmore. One year of backpacking around Europe: a new identity, no contacts, and no money. This is the story of Christopher, the playboy younger brother, as he embarks on a new adventure to find himself and meets the sweet farm girl Hayden along the way. In search of a deeper me, I take a sabbatical from my privileged life. The Do-Over is the fourth book in the Miles High Club series by T.L. I'm wealthy, powerful, and able to get any woman I want. In this sexy installment of the Miles High Club series from bestselling author T L Swan, a billionaire playboy goes incognito on a backpacking trip in Europe. hi does anyone have the MILES HIGH CLUB series by TL SWAN Recent posts: Demon Dawn (The Resurrection Chronicles Book. ![]() Pindar the complete odes5/9/2023 ![]() The extreme piety with regard to the gods Zeus, Apollo, Aphrodite, Hera, and the Muses is singularly apparent throughout. ![]() The Isthmian, Nemean, and Pythian games were also highly regarded in ancient times, and odes to victors in those games make up a large part of these surviving pieces. His last, a Nemean ode, was composed in 444 B.C.Īlthough the Olympic games are today the most famous of Greek athletic contests, they were not the only ones of importance. His first extant ode, Pythian number 10, was written in 498 B.C. Pindar was born in Boeotia around 518 B.C., and, according to tradition, died at Argos in 443 B.C. Pindar's renown as a poet was richly deserved, and he was extremely well paid for his work. ![]() Pindar knew these athletes and their noble families, as he was a member of the nobility - he had a personal link to the traditions that were highly cherished by Dorian Greeks. Those myths were the religious foundation for the athletic festivities. These odes, the only complete surviving pieces by Pindar, are marvels of sustained imagination, packed with dense parallels between the athletic victor, his illustrious aristocratic ancestors, and the myths of Olympian gods and heroes like Jason, Heracles, and Perseus. ![]() He is best known today for his odes to the victors of athletic contests, including those at famed Olympia. Pindar was one of the greatest lyric poets of ancient Greece. ![]() The accidental by ali smith5/9/2023 ![]() Not only are a couple of characters unsympathetic but the changes of viewpoint initially jar and for a long time the lack of justification in the text irritated me. (This does not illumine Amber’s behaviour overmuch.) The unravelling of the Smart family’s life under Amber’s influence is the meat of the book. Each section is preceded, and hence followed, by a framing narrative in the first person from Amber’s viewpoint. Thankfully, she – or Smith as the author – grows out of this by The End. Astrid’s narration is initially irritating as she has a habit of using ie (or even id est) in circumstances which do not warrant it. ![]() The novel is split into three sections, The Beginning, The Middle and The End in all of which each family member has a narrative strand. Reasonably successful writer Eve Smart, her philandering lecturer husband Michael and their family are renting a house in Norfolk when they are intruded upon by a female stranger called Amber, who proceeds to inveigle her way into their home, befriend Eve’s twelve year old daughter Astrid and seduce her teenage son Magnus. ![]() |