book reviews
Reviews of books by relationship gurus, dating experts, and cautionary tale-tellers.
Deconstructing Dostoevsky's Notes From The Underground
It is perhaps no surprise that Fyodor Dostoevsky is considered one of the greatest psychological writers of all time, if you look at his work in the fields of psychology, philosophy and literature. The Russian writer forced us to confront the more uncomfortable tendencies of modernity, satirising not only modern society but also its most dangerous tendencies. The Underground and Man's Notes from the Underground is an insightful and illuminating look at the kind of problems that modern Russian society inevitably creates, and the consequences of those problems.
By Musonius Latoyah3 years ago in Humans
Little House in the Highlands
Who has read the children's book series by Laura Ingalls Wilder? I have read them as a child and now even as an adult and I enjoy them very much. The books by her are very much different yet the same as the 'Little House' television show back in the 1970's on NBC. The program was based on the series of books by Laura especially the one entitled 'On the Banks of Plum Creek' and some of the volumes in what are referred to as 'The Laura Years'.
By Mark Graham3 years ago in Humans
‘The Discomfort of Evening’: A Disturbing but Compelling Read
The Discomfort of Evening is a novel like no other. In many ways, it is evocative of the traditional literary fiction genre. Told through the perspective of Jas, a 10-year-old girl — it is highly character-driven.
By Violet Daniels 3 years ago in Humans
Gail Scott's Heroine
Gender is an aspect of our society that as an impact on many things, from our interpersonal relations to how we perceive others upon first meeting them. Although it is a social construct, something fabricated (Tripp 1), gender and the theory that surround and support it has an effect on the social expectations we have for us and others. The gender dynamics that have followed it have also impacted our society, dividing it even more by dictating the way one should behave based mostly on their gender alone, rather than based on personal interests or personality. Indeed, gender dynamics dictate personality, it “constructs us” (Tripp 7). Such gender ideas also helped create the patriarchal society we live in today, and the ideals we have for both women and men (gender non-conforming people being excluded by such ideals because of the nature of gender ideals and the nature of gender non-conformity not being compatible, as one is the antithesis of the other). The breaking away from set gender roles, especially women gender roles, has led to the birth of feminism, and the fight for an equality revoked by the masculine so-called superiority (Tripp 7). But feminism is not without its flaws, either, and has itself led to some binaries and oppositions. Can women be feminine and still feminists, or must they conform to the masculine gender roles to be taken seriously? Can women still be feminists if they work in public service and are not considered “successful”? Can women still be feminists if they look down upon other women? Such struggles, which are still present but were even more back in the 1970’s and 1980’s, are well explored in Gail Scott’s Heroine. Indeed, the novel, especially the chapter “Car Wrecks and Bleeding Hearts,” explores the struggles women face regarding the approach to take for their feminism through the perspective of the main character, a self-proclaimed feminist also named Gail. In the chapter, Gail Scott, the author, frames her character’s narrative and struggles in her perception of femininity and feminism around the women that she encounters. The women service workers, whom her character resents and undermines, help explore her views on women working in more masculine public spheres. Gail herself, and her perception she has of herself, her success and her more masculine behaviour and surroundings, setting her apart from everyone else (in her mind) reinforces the way her feminism is tailored to encourage conforming to masculine gender roles rather than setting herself free from them. Finally, Marie, a central character to the novel, represents everything that Gail, the character, does not grasp about the gender dynamics that surround her, from her feminine nature to her assurance and agency and success, referencing once again the struggles women have faced regarding the duality between femininity and feminism.
By Charles-Antoine Brunet3 years ago in Humans
Soaked Pages
It was third period in the tenth grade and my Spanish teacher had just cut the lights off and turned on a movie for us to watch. While the other girls in the class were attempting to cuddle up next to their boyfriends and play footsies under the extra tiny desks hoping to go unnoticed, I reached into my backpack and pulled out a book I had been hiding from my Mom. We grew up in strict home and the one thing my Mom was sure of was that she was going to teach us to stay away from sex and anything sexual so we did not get pregnant at a young age like she did. I am not sure she understood that making sex so taboo only made us more curious at that age, but it did. I propped the book open under my backpack and started reading it while the movie played in a language I didn't care to learn. Every time I turned a page, I could feel butterflies in my stomach and my palms would start to sweat because I was anticipating the next event. The descriptions and the details down to the way the moonlight hit certain parts of the bodies of the couples while making love or the placement of freckles on the main characters face were tiny examples of how captivating this story was. At this point in my life I was no longer a virgin so it wasn't a matter of being fully curious but it was more so a desire to feel the level of ecstasy as it was described in this book that I just couldn't seem to put down.
By Tionna Demps4 years ago in Humans
Persistence Of Desire by John Updike
Love Is Not Meant To Be Forced John Updike’s short story ‘The Persistence of Desire’ tells a story of a man named Clyde who returns to his hometown in Massachusets, for a doctor’s appointment, and while doing so he runs into his former lover Janet. Clyde is conflicted by his desire and his present life. ‘The Persistence of Desire’ is a story based on what could have been if Clyde had taken a different path. John Updike’s short story is written to introduce that love can not be forced and some things are best to be left behind. He achieves this justification by introducing Clyde the protagonist as a character who is dwelling on the past and as a person who desires someone who no longer feels the same affection for him.
By Sthefani Ren4 years ago in Humans
Every day by David Levithan
Purpose Too many times we question ourselves and we ask what is our purpose? ‘Evey day’ by David Levithan explores an intriguing and beautiful soul that lives a different body every single day and a different life. This extraordinary soul goes by the name ‘A’ he lives every day with care and kindness. Everybody he encounters he adapts to their life and goes through the day by living the life of someone else. ‘A’ tries not to alter or interrupt anyone’s life until he meets Rhiannon the girl he is madly in love with. Levithan writes to us to explore the life of someone who must find purpose within every day passing by.
By Sthefani Ren4 years ago in Humans
"The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time"-book reviews
“The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time” is a mystery novel written by the British writer Mark Haddon. This book tells the story of a strange child in the eyes of others. He is lonely, sensitive, proud and fragile. In the process of exploring the truth, he shows extraordinary intelligence and courage. When we are thinking of Neruodiversity, we think of the variation of the way that we think and see things with our brain. Christopher is a very serious child, as he said himself: once he has a real interest in something, he will turn a blind eye to everything around him, even his father's call for dinner. He is so serious and serious about the things around him. He doesn't like strangers. He doesn't like yellow and brown. He uses the number of red cars and yellow cars to distinguish whether it's a lucky day. He observes things carefully and knows how dad goes upstairs and how the engine sounds when the car starts. He likes to find rules, and he likes to do things according to the rules and go to a stranger. The place where he was born is to find rules, like mathematics and astronomy. Christopher views and sees things kind of different than normal people and I think that is neruodiversity of a human being. The book perfectly describes neruodiversity on Christopher because his thoughts and point of views are very unique and his spiritual world is diverse and various.
By Yiming Liu4 years ago in Humans
Haruki Murakami and his magical world of literature
Let me start off by saying, that this is in no shape or form, a critical or in depth review of Murakami’s works, after all, who am I to judge? Not even the judges of the Nobel prize for literature dare to say they have understood Murakami’s world of storytelling enough to give him their recognition after all these years, for goodness’s sakes! All jokes aside, it seems obvious to say , that the way Murakami chooses to portray his characters and his ability to draw the readers into the worlds that he has created through “1Q84”, “Kafka on the Shore”, “ Norwegian Woods”, and the most recent masterpiece, “ Killing Commendatore” , has helped him become the industry giant as he is at the current stage within the literary world.
By Random Chattering4 years ago in Humans