Margaret M - (having a challenging time
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Books:
best-reads-2024
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| B0DT2DQYJ6
| 3.96
| 113,221
| Sep 06, 2016
| Feb 09, 2017
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it was amazing
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“Women, on the other hand, had to wield their intellects like a scythe, hacking away against the stubborn underbrush of low expectations.” Stop 27 on t “Women, on the other hand, had to wield their intellects like a scythe, hacking away against the stubborn underbrush of low expectations.” Stop 27 on the world tour takes me back to the US for one of the most evocative, powerful and courageous stories I have ever read. This is the story of many African-American women who suffered discrimination not just because of their colour but also because they were women deemed less intellectual than men – according to the men of course. It is absolutely horrendous and sickening, but it happened. The good news!!! It paved the way for many women and mixed race employees to receive equal rights if you believe that has ever happened, but at least we experienced many firsts. Meet Katherine Johnson (Goble), Mary Jackson, and Gloria Champine the female human computers that worked at NASA. “Their dark skin, their gender, their economic status--none of those were acceptable excuses for not giving the fullest rein to their imaginations and ambitions.” These women were to change history. Women who massaged the numbers, swam in the numbers, scrutinised the numbers until their eyes blurred, and the world thanks them for it for their achievements are astounding. Katherine Johnson was a physicist and a mathematician who worked with NASA at the time the US found themselves behind Russia to put a man in space and orbit the earth. America’s continued failure was to hand the USSR a propaganda boost. Along comes Katherine, who is finally introduced to the white male academy where she spent her time calculating trajectories, launch windows and the return paths for many famous space flights, such as Project Mercury (the first man to fly into space), 1969's Apollo 11 (first flight to the Moon) and the Space Shuttle program (the Mars mission). “Even as a professional in an integrated world, I had been the only black woman in enough drawing rooms and boardrooms to have an inkling of the chutzpah it took for an African American woman in a segregated southern workplace to tell her bosses she was sure her calculations would put a man on the Moon. Mary Jackson was also a mathematician and NASA's first black female engineer in 1958, who struggled to obtain her place in white universities to achieve the necessary qualifications for engineering, until she fought for equal rights through the justice system. Mary was later able to influence the hiring and promotion of women in science, engineering and mathematics at NASA. A mathematician, Dorothy Vaughan was the first African-American woman to be promoted as a head of personnel at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, later known as NASA. She was the head of the West Area Computers, leading a group of African-American mathematicians through crucial space projects, and was considered by the others to be the most intelligent. Dorothy managed to learn and then install the first IBM mainframe in NASA after so many failed attempts by the ‘suits’. Foreseeing the impact on the demand for human computing, Dorothy devised an education programme to upskill her team of women on computer programming, which not only secured their employment but elevated their contribution to NASA's continued space programme so that no-one could afford to 'hide' them any longer. “What I changed I could. What I couldn’t I endured”. Review and Comments I read many reviews on Hidden Figures and to be honest was a little sceptical because, like many of my GR friends I am also in favour of historical fiction books over the factual accounts of history, for leisurely reading that is. However, this worked differently for me, I absolutely loved it and was gripped from the first to the last page. The stories of these women were not just relevant then, they are now, and it will resonate with many for years to come about what can be achieved when intolerance, discrimination and racism are countered or eradicated. It shines a light on what can be achieved when you hold up a mirror to inequality, which makes these women beacons of light. I didn’t find the book dry in story telling like others, because although it was written without lots of sentiment and emotion, the stories and injustices and achievements of these 3 women did that for me. I was so blown away by this true story (which I read a week ago) so much so I watched the film last night and scanned the book again. I have a recommendation. Buy the film and the book, then read half the book and watch the film. My reasoning is, the book covers more of the women’s earlier story, and the film brings to life the women in a way the book doesn’t. Combining the two would perhaps make the reading experience feel less of a non-fictional book. A lot of the quotes you read were real and these women did voice them but when you hear it on screen, I felt they were more impactful. It may come across that these women single handedly changed the course of history, which of course they didn’t on their own, e.g. Martin Luther King was prominent at this time. However, their role was so crucial, their discoveries so innovative, their solutions so radical for the times, and their endurance so monumental that they do deserve the recognition this book awards them. The author could have focused on the darkness surrounding racism and discrimination of all kinds, but my main take from the story was one of courage, endurance, hope, and achievement. Some of Americas harshest realities, legalised segregation, and racial discrimination was evident but there is also evidence of the “triumph or meritocracy that our rise and achievements should be a reward for talent and hard work” and that I loved. A story that is as shameful as it is hopeful. A story about ordinary women with an extraordinary legacy which was moving, enlightening, powerful, victorious, and courageous. ...more |
Notes are private!
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Oct 07, 2024
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Oct 07, 2024
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Oct 07, 2024
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| 1524747122
| 9781524747121
| 1524747122
| 4.41
| 52,457
| Sep 06, 2016
| Mar 05, 2019
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it was amazing
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“Don’t let rancor take possession of your soul.” A story of terror, tragedy, loyalty, and reconciliation – with the victims and ‘oneself’. A sweeping “Don’t let rancor take possession of your soul.” A story of terror, tragedy, loyalty, and reconciliation – with the victims and ‘oneself’. A sweeping saga affecting two families that brings to life the era of Basque nationalism, revolutionary socialism and conflicting political loyalties, in Spain. A story that brilliantly depicts the senselessness of violence in the name of ideology, its destructive nature on families and lifelong friendships, and of course the mental anguish of the victims and the guilty as all come to terms with the reality of how they contributed to the Basque cause. My 23rd stop on the world tour is to Spain. “And what for? The answer filled him with bitterness: for nothing. After all that blood, no socialism, no independence, not one fucking thing. In his heart of hearts he firmly believed he was the victim of a fraud.” Basque separatist movement in Spain The Basque movement was an armed and political conflict that took place between 1959 to 2011 and existed between Spain and the Basque National Liberation Movement, in the North east of Spain. Having suffered under the Francoist regime, the Basque region / separatists formed a group Euskadi Ta Askatasuna (ETA) in 1959, that waged a decade long war to secure the right for self-determination in Basque, Spain. This ultimately led to the death of over 800 people, before the movement disbanded in 2011, having achieved very little of their demands. Yet still to this day, some are devoted to the cause while others nurse the wounds of terror. It is easy for the reader to turn their attention to the history books and Wikipedia for a chronology of the political upheaval and events where the ETA and Spanish governing forces were pitted against each other in the name of their own ideology and in trying to carve out land for their people. However, these documentary sources do little to explore the psychological complexity, the powerful effects of a community in support off and against this Basque movement. And so, this wonderful author describes this in a very moving human story that spans decades. The other part to the story….. ‘Homeland’ is not a vitriolic condemnation of the ETA, nor does it defend their cause. Instead, it takes two families that would otherwise have faced the same love, losses and achievements in their lives but for two things. The death of Txato, Bittori’s husband, murdered by the ETA and Joxe Mari’s involvement in ETA, the son of his friends Joxian and Miren. It is the profound consequences, of these two events, on the respective families that is to provide the searing indictment of terrorism in all its ugliness. A remarkable achievement for the book. It is the human part of this story that is to give this book its glory!!!. The characterisation of the book is superb. In particular, I loved that the two mothers in the family were to play the most important roles. It is through their eyes that we begin to appreciate the tragic deaths of some, but also the loss of a different kind – as one son is radicalised to a movement that is to cost him his freedom and the death of a friend. The fear people felt in the region during this period is palpable, some were ostracised for not supporting the movement while others were tainted for their sympathy. Even priests were drawn into the conflict, and it is thought that almost 75% of priests were sympathetic to this cause. The most agonising was the self reflection of the imprisoned Joxe, “overwhelmed by the weight of what he’d done in the name of principles created by others and which he, obediently and naively, bought into.”, then the poignancy of his words as he reflects on what he has done and must do.… “He confirmed it to himself: asking forgiveness takes more courage than firing a weapon, than setting off a bomb. Anyone can do those things. All you have to be is young and credulous, with hot blood. And it isn’t only that you need balls to sincerely make up for, even if it’s only verbally, the atrocities you’ve committed” A very long book that could have been condensed and took quite a while to get going plus the translation was off at times. However, a fantastic but heart-breaking story and a superb book that captures the effects of conflict and the fall out from it – the sacrifice, retribution, forgiveness, hatred, radicalisation, emotional scars and sheer waste of human life. Fabulous, 4.5 going up ...more |
Notes are private!
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Sep 19, 2024
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Sep 19, 2024
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Sep 19, 2024
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Hardcover
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| 4.32
| 164,763
| Mar 05, 2019
| 2020
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it was amazing
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“Fall down eight times, stand up nine. ….. We suffer and suffer and suffer, but we also keep getting up. We keep living”. Such a fitting quote for the
“Fall down eight times, stand up nine. ….. We suffer and suffer and suffer, but we also keep getting up. We keep living”. Such a fitting quote for the Diving Women of Jeju who faced such brutality first from Japanese colonists, then the effects of WWII only to face more devastation with the Korean War and invasion of North Korea. My 16th stop on the World Tour of books, ‘The Island of Sea Women’ is an amazing novel that focuses on the Haenyeo / sea women of South Korea, set against the backdrop of tumultuous years of conflict, colonialism, and subjugation, particularly in the island of Jeju. A very human story, a torturous one, and a very authentic one that has captured the human aspect of the characters alongside the rich culture of the island and the devastating effects of war and conquest in a way that few books have. It achieves this with beautiful storytelling without shying away from the brutal aspects of war and with a real insight into people - their emotions, their relationships and their survival – or what’s left of life. Forgiveness “We’d grown up with the Three Abundances, but we weren’t prepared for the Three-All Strategy – kill all, burn all, loot all – of the scorched earth policy. The impact was hard for us to absorb. You hear about an incident but don’t see a mother, a child, brother. You don’t feel the individual suffering, but we began to hear the stories. A family dragged from its home, The daughter in law made spread her legs so her father in law could mount her. When he couldn’t finish the deed, both were killed. In one village, the girls were kidnapped, gang-raped for two weeks and then executed. It is no surprise that ‘forgiveness becomes central to the story, but not about seeking reconciliation with the people who were guilty of such atrocities but forgiveness among friends and family that tore themselves apart trying to make the right choices for their children, their husbands, and themselves only to find themselves cut off from society, executed or abandoned. What cruelty in those choices. But one message from the book reigns supreme… “To understand everything is to forgive.” Mi-ja and Young-sook (and the women of Jeju) I found this book to be a celebration of the Haenyeo women who held their communities together through all kinds of political, emotional and family wars. Although, thats not all these women could hold - they could hold their breath for exceptionally long periods of time, diving up to 66 feet in all weather conditions while they foraged the sea beds for food to eat and to sell. Yes, they were the ‘Collective’ and their role was head of the family while the men stayed at home looking after the babies. I did say this was a brilliant novel because there’s even more to celebrate about this wonderful female story because at the heart of the novel is the relationship between two wives, daughters and mothers. They were best friends connected by much greater bonds than by just being women and divers - they are like soul mates. As we explore family relationships during such a brutal period in history, we also eagerly anticipate the outcome of a story spanning 70 years to reveal what has become of the relationship between these two iconic women which Lisa Sea sets up so nicely at the beginning of the book. One the orphaned daughter of a Japanese Collaborator who marries a cruel man accused of the same crimes as her father. A man who works for the Japanese government. The other a descendent of a highly respected family of Haenyeo women who take in the young Mi-ja into their families and hearts, and so a beautiful relationship ensues for many decades – only to be followed by years of anger when Mi-ja fails to save the husband and child of her best friend. And so for most of the novel we wish for forgiveness and understanding in their relationship, but rightly Young-sook struggles to comprehend the situation and the choices her friend made. Generations later we learn of the outcome. “They did this to me. They did that to me. A woman who thinks that way will never overcome her anger. You are not being punished for your anger. You're being punished by your anger.” A very poignant message to many, I think. Trivia and historical facts. The Jeju uprising, known in South Korea as the Jeju April 3 incident, was an uprising on Jeju Island that actually took place from April 1948 to May 1949. However, it goes down in history of one of the biggest massacres of people wrongfully accused by the state. No one was allowed to speak about it for fear of facing prison or death, so it is not surprising that the ‘manufactured truth’ went unchallenged for decades. The truth is there was an uprising or in the main a peaceful process. The people of Jeju protested against the amount of food that was being confiscated by soldiers and the state, the amount of money they had to sell their food for was not enough to keep a family alive and they wanted the unification of Korea, that the US and Russia had divided. However, what they were subjected to was inexcusable because even those that didn't participate in any demonstration were slaughtered. However, on November 23, 1998, after the democratization of South Korea, President Kim Dae-jung stated that "the Jeju uprising was a communist rebellion, but there are a lot of people who died under false accusations as innocents, so now we have to reveal the truth and clear their false charges." In October 2003, President Roh Moo-hyun apologised to the populace of Jeju for the brutal suppression of the uprising: "Due to wrongful decisions of the government, many innocent people of Jeju suffered many casualties and destruction of their homes." In March 2009, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission revealed, "At least 20,000 people jailed for taking part in the popular uprisings in Jeju, Yeosu and Suncheon, accused of being communists, were massacred in some 20 prisons across the country," It is estimated that between 60,000 – 80,000 people were massacred. Over 70% of the villages were burned to the ground and at the 71st commemoration of Jeju uprising, April 3, 2019, the South Korean police and defense ministry apologised for the first time over the massacres when it was also revealed that as many as 100,000 people might have died as a result of the uprising. Summary and additional comments I love history despite the horrors that research and reading books like this highlight, but then that is why I am reading them. I applaud authors that share the stories of the unforgotten people, those silenced, murdered and left with scars that run so deep with no sense of real justice. However, this book was so well balanced, enlightening, and a real tribute to the women of Hado. “Every woman who enters the sea carries a coffin on her back,” she warned the gathering. “In this world, in the undersea world, we tow the burdens of a hard life. We are crossing between life and death every day.” I am in awe of these women. Research and studies show that these women can plunge 20 meters and hold their breath for 3 minutes and repeat this for 5-6 hours per day. Wow. In all a fabulous book and one I enjoyed from the first to the last page. A book that will take you through waves of emotions and packed with so much rich culture, historical events and the repercussions of the atrocities committed against a simple rural community. A heavy focus is on relationships and with themes of forgiveness, family and survival, this book is unforgettable too. “To understand everything is to forgive.” ...more |
Notes are private!
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Jun 30, 2024
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Jul 2024
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Jun 30, 2024
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| B0064CMKNS
| 4.07
| 21,946
| Aug 07, 2012
| Aug 07, 2012
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it was amazing
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"Words you see” he said, looking at me again “allow us to make permanent what is essentially transient. Turn a world filled with injustice and hurt in
"Words you see” he said, looking at me again “allow us to make permanent what is essentially transient. Turn a world filled with injustice and hurt into a place that is beautiful and lyrical. Even if only on paper” Hauntingly beautiful and vividly depicted. A powerful, dramatic, sobering, and shocking account of the brutality waged by the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia. An astonishing account of savagery and remembrance because this is in effect Vaddey Ratner’s own story. The disappearance of her father and the displacement of her family during these unforgettable years when Cambodia was turned into the ‘killing fields’. “One group interrogated me, the others murdered my family. There was never any communication between them. It was all a game.” It is right that this book was written about the unspeakable atrocities committed by the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia which accounted for 2 million deaths over a 4 year period from 1975 – 1979, because this is the first hand from a young girl Raami. Royalty in Cambodia, which was not to secure her safety nor the lives of her family. Quite the opposite, because when the family’s identity was finally revealed, the revelation was to cost most of them their lives. Whilst the story is heartbreaking, the storytelling is not bleak. Of course, I was tearful in many parts of the book but then I was carried along with such gorgeous prose which ignited a range of emotions making this such a memorable read. I was 'there' with the author and oh my it did move me so much because most of this is true. Genocide, slaughter of the innocents, brutal, savage, and corrupt. A real tear jerked but such a worthy stop on the fourteenth country on the world tour, with a wonderful quote on love “... love is our one eternity. It reflects itself in joy and grief, in my father's sudden knowledge that he would not live to protect me, and in his determination to leave behind a part of himself - his spirit, his humanity - to illuminate my path, give light to my darkened world.” 'In the Shadow of the Banyan' is a wonderful legacy that a protective father left behind for his young daughter in an attempt to teach her love, understanding and not to be consumed by hate but thrive, love life and embrace it fully. “I told you stories to give you wings, Raami, so that you would never be trapped by anything-your name, your title, the limits of your body, this world's suffering” There are so many words and expressions of wisdom I could have quoted much of the book. A treasure to behold albeit a really heartbreaking one for this author. What terror the world has to endure from nations who think so little of human life - Ukraine, Palestine and on a dark day in Israel's history we have too many innocent lives sacrificed, And of course this book which tells of the horror inflicted by the Khmer Rouge and the needless loss of 2 million Cambodian lives. As for Vaddey Ratner? The author never did find the truth about her father’s death. She remembers the words he Spoke to her knowing he would never see her again. So Vaddey knows nothing about how her father was killed nor does she know where he was buried. Imagine. But at least he gave her the gift of voice, of passion and of survival - more than you can say for the truly ‘lost’ who committed such crimes. And for that they both can be eternally grateful, if not for the sorrowful memories. If you think war is an answer then read this book!!!. Unforgettable and now one of my favourites. ...more |
Notes are private!
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May 07, 2024
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May 07, 2024
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May 07, 2024
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Kindle Edition
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| B08N2P7FZ4
| 4.37
| 166
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| May 06, 2021
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it was amazing
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If you have never heard of the Katyn massacre by Russia, please read on.... Imagine, if you will, 22,000 Polish nationals, half of which are profession If you have never heard of the Katyn massacre by Russia, please read on.... Imagine, if you will, 22,000 Polish nationals, half of which are professional soldiers; the others are reservists, engaged in civilian professions as lawyers, engineers, teachers, politicians, journalists, scientists, writers, doctors, and priests. They are Poland’s elite and a generation of thinkers - the intelligentsia. Now imagine them massacred by the very people they thought would liberate their country. Here are the disturbing facts. On 17 September 1939, just two weeks after Britain and France declared war on Nazi Germany following its invasion of Poland from the west, the Red Army invaded Poland from the east. No declaration of war was made, no hostilities from Poland, but the consequences of the 'Treaty of Non-Aggression' between Germany and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). Thousands of members of the Polish armed forces and Poland’s elite were captured as they retreated from the German onslaught, only to be taken into prison camps across the Soviet Union and the rest is history – the secret 50 year history. They were shot and buried in mass graves, a war crime committed by Stalin’s forces. Transcripts included in the book: This shocking revelation led to one of the most bitterly fought propaganda battles of World War II. While the Nazis sought to divide the Allies with evidence of ‘Stalin’s bestiality’, the Soviets pointed the finger at Hitler’s ‘fascist regime’, claiming the massacre had taken place not in 1940 but 1941. Given the Allied position of dependence on Stalin to win the war against Hitler, neither Britain nor the US challenged the Soviet version of events, and so the lies continued for over 50 years. Germany was to blame - evidence manufactured complete with fake dates and fake monuments. It was not until Mikhail Gorbachev came to power in Russia and sought to heal the relationships with Poland that he finally declared that it was in fact Russia who carried out the bloody deed, in today’s language – genocide. The book contains the crucial execution order of 5 March 1940, signed by Beria, and sent to Stalin for his approval, which emerged only with the final collapse of the Soviet Union in December 1991. This explosive document was contained in a special envelope, along with other secret files that had apparently been passed from one Soviet president to the next ever since the war. On 14 October 1992 it was finally handed, along with other secret documents relating to Katyń to the Polish president, Lech Wałęsa, in Warsaw. After 50 years, Russia owned up to committing the massacre providing the evidence of documents, orders, eye witness accounts and artefacts recovered from the site. These artefacts, letters, photos, as many had suspected confirmed the massacre occurred in 1940 when Russia was in control of the region the men were taken from. An eyewitness account from the book “On arrival, the prisoners were ordered to leave their suitcases, to undress down to their shirts and trousers, and to remove their belts. Each prisoner was led individually, hands tied, down a corridor and across a courtyard to a separate building where he was taken down to a sound-proofed cellar. Here, the guard would open the door and ask, ‘May I?’ to which the response was ‘Come in.’ Inside the room a prosecutor was seated next to Kupry. The prosecutor asked the prisoner for his name and date of birth, then said, ‘You may go.’ At this point there was a noise, a ‘clack’, after which Kupry would call the guards to take the body away and load it onto a truck.” For obvious reasons this was not an easy book to read, digest, and come to terms with. Not just for the shocking brutality, savagery, and evil that was delivered onto a defenceless nation, as it was then, but because it would appear that in today’s world we have all the hallmarks of history repeating itself. Who is left out of Mariupol in Ukraine for example? Where are all the intelligentsia from the Ukrainian territories now occupied by Russia? What has happened to the children that have been taken into Russia?. Is there any truth in the allegations that Russia is using mobile incinerators / crematoriums to destroy evidence of war crimes in Ukraine?. It is also difficult to avoid drawing comparisons to the carnage in Palestine, and in Israel on a dark day in their recent history, and the needless slaughter of innocent people. However, I am here to comment on this book and this distressing part of history, when Poland was at the mercy of state sponsored terrorism. Neither Boris Yeltsin nor his successor, Vladimir Putin, have accepted any equivalence between Nazi crimes and Stalinist repression. From the Russian perspective there were many more Soviet victims of Stalinism, and Russia had lost so many during the war, so this somehow justifies the massacre of 22,000 Poles who had strategic and political importance for Russia. It cannot. What was also difficult about this story was the role the West played in suppressing and not admitting to this story to the point many people around the world have not even heard of it. Either through embarrassment or allowing world politics to stand in the way - it’s all unclear, but the West has been guilty of inaction at a minimum. When the West has a role to play - then do it regardless of whether the aggressor is an ‘Ally’. Whilst it may have been impossible to conduct a proper investigation into the burial site whilst WWII was raging, it should never have taken 50 years for the truth to come out especially when Roosevelt and Churchill had their suspicions, as evidenced in some of their correspondence shown in the book and on other media outlets. It also didn’t help that appropriate and independent forensic investigations were ‘controlled’ or ‘denied’ for many years. This is my fourth stop on the world book tour, and its quite sad that it is about one of the most tragic and shocking events in history, and the casualty along with the 22,000 needless deaths – the truth. I confess to feeling very emotional after reading this book. This great terror and state sponsored lie and massacre was both sickening and heartbreaking. All those families not only deprived of the opportunity to mourn, but also deprived of the truth about the terrible crimes carried out under the majesty of Soviet rule. The Polish intelligentsia was eliminated to paralyse a nation and the eliminate any potential threat of retaliation or offensive that might have taken place against the detestable invasion of their country. The book is incredibly well researched and along with multiple other sources I read over the last few months, ‘surviving Katyn’ confirms these harrowing events in Katyn. I loved that the author let the facts tell the story. I love that the author has brought this story to light through literature. How Jane Rogoyska stayed calm enough to write this is nothing short of miraculous. A fabulous non-fiction book with lots more detail and content about such shocking events that left me speechless. Inexcusable, cynical, sobering, brutal, and evil. ...more |
Notes are private!
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Mar 05, 2024
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Mar 05, 2024
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Mar 05, 2024
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Kindle Edition
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| 0143136542
| 9780143136545
| 0143136542
| 4.15
| 78,981
| 1994
| Dec 14, 2021
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it was amazing
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Third stop on the Book World Tour, is the Dominican Republic, now a playground of the Caribbean, when at once it was its killing fields. “Not only was Third stop on the Book World Tour, is the Dominican Republic, now a playground of the Caribbean, when at once it was its killing fields. “Not only was there nothing in the world we could do to save our men, there was nothing in the world we could do to save ourselves either.” And in a book that will haunt you, we experience the humanity and courage of the Mirabal sisters and the inhumanity of the brutal regime that removed any form of opposition to the dictator that was Leónidas Trujillo Molina. Nicknamed El Jefe, Trujillo was a Dominican military commander, ruler, and murderer. And during his 31 years in power, as a ruler or a state figurehead, he was linked to around 50,000 murders. And his most noticeable opponents, three of the four Mirabal sisters. Minerva Mirabal – murdered. Mate Mirabal – murdered. Patria Mirabal – murdered. I knew nothing of these murders until I researched world books linked to true events. One of the criteria for the book choices, and I have to say this story affected me so much. Not just for the cruelty and injustice but the willingness of those to sacrifice their lives for the betterment of their country. The storytelling was superb and powerful. Each sister takes turn to tell their story which is so painful yet uplifting – strange combination hey. You can hear their voices through the words and from the pages. You applaud their bravery for wanting to change what was vile in their country and feel distraught because from the beginning you know they will die. The book is filling in the blanks to bring to life the selfless acts of these courageous heroines. All too human but oh so brave. Raw, brutal, immersive, heart wrenching, authentic, and deeply moving. The women, courageous, principled, moralistic and determined. (Plot and themes to come) ...more |
Notes are private!
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Mar 03, 2024
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Mar 03, 2024
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Mar 03, 2024
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Hardcover
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| 0330303279
| 9780330303279
| 0330303279
| 4.18
| 740
| Jan 01, 1959
| Jan 01, 1988
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it was amazing
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“Don’t be destitute, but be poor…. Have nothing to give away, but enough to remain alive. That’s the plot. If you are destitute you will end up in the
“Don’t be destitute, but be poor…. Have nothing to give away, but enough to remain alive. That’s the plot. If you are destitute you will end up in the Barbadoes. And if you are poor, they can’t take anything away from you, not even your life.” And many of those lives they did take. A brutal period in Irish history when an estimated 600,000 thousand men, women and children were slaughtered out of an estimated population of 1.4 m. Staggering, horrific, and heartbreaking. However, it was justifiable to a few because they preached all was being done in God’s name. What an opportunity to throw off all habiliments of civilisation and conscience, knowing that what brutality was endured by the Irish people was ‘pleasing to God’. And so, in 1649, God’s work was everywhere, and so too were the dregs of so many tattered Irish souls, belonging to children, women and men. The Plot Dominick is a fictional character in Irish history but what he was subjected to was endured by so many Irish families during Cromwell’s campaign aimed at conquering and wiping out the Irish, which is regarded by many historians and political figures as the most brutal and savage periods in Irish history. Like many families Dominick is faced with death when his wife is tortured and then murdered by Cromwell’s foot soldiers, during the siege of Drogheda. With a campaign aimed at wiping out the population “no nits no lice”, Dominick goes into hiding with the two children that survived the massacre. Accompanied by a priest he helped save, they move from town to town hiding in dense woodland and burnt-out buildings until they reach Connaught – the most barren province in Ireland where they are given land by Murdoc a man sympathetic to their cause and one of the few remaining Catholics with a voice. Hot on their heels is one of Cromwell’s rulers, Sir Charles Coote. You know the history, so be prepared to have your heart broken all over again. Factual Historical Events (Wikipedia) The Cromwellian conquest completed the British colonisation of Ireland, which was merged into the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland in 1653–59. It destroyed the native Irish Catholic land-owning classes and replaced them with colonists with a British identity. Review and Comments My new campaign this year is a world tour of books to fulfil my love of history and wanting to understand even more cultures, key figures, and historical periods. I do read a lot of history books which has and will accompany my fictional journey and world book tour. In this case, I don’t need to supplement my Irish history, as an Irish women, I know only too well what ugliness took place in Ireland. The bitterness caused by the Cromwellian conquest was to become a powerful source of Irish nationalism from the 17th century onwards - the effects of which are still felt today. Many Irish people do not accept the argument presented by some historians that this was a period of ‘conquest and colonisation’ and many countries participated in such practices and was therefore permissible. I agree England was not alone but in no way can this level of savagery be justified. A very moving and heartbreaking story, a light that shines on the ruthless and genocidal campaign undertaken by Cromwell in 1649, and a touching story of survival when people had nothing else left but self-respect and dreams. Dreams that may not have come true for many, but I suspect they will in my lifetime. I couldn’t take my tour without starting in Ireland, especially with St Patricks Day in a few weeks. I will finish my tour here too, although, my final book will be a celebration of Irish humour. I couldn’t do this to myself again. A wonderful story and tribute to all the innocent lives lost in Ireland over the years, from all sides. and to finish with a typical Irish blessing that most family homes will display ☘️☘️☘️☘️☘️ “May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face; The rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again, May God hold you in the palm of His hand.” (and to the non-religious, may your life be happy and peaceful) ...more |
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Feb 28, 2024
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Feb 28, 2024
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Feb 28, 2024
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Paperback
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| 1250178630
| 9781250178633
| 1250178630
| 4.59
| 1,496,438
| Feb 06, 2024
| Feb 06, 2024
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it was amazing
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“The women had a story to tell, even if the world wasn't quite yet ready to hear it, and their story began with three simple words. We were there.” Enl “The women had a story to tell, even if the world wasn't quite yet ready to hear it, and their story began with three simple words. We were there.” Enlightening, informative and a fitting tribute to the female service women and medical staff who served in Vietnam, but whose voice was never heard because ‘no women were there’. Kristin Hannah is an author who always demonstrates the immense healing power through storytelling, where voices are no longer silent, and in this book ‘The Women’, she has written a fabulous heartbreaking story and an eye opening account of events in Vietnam that conquers without coercion and agitates without exaggerating. My own three little words. Superb. Immersive, but shocking. The Plot Many know something of the war in Vietnam, yet many like me knew little of the number of the women in service and the female medical staff who suffered, endured, and lived through that conflict. Frankie brings to life the role and treatment of women, who until later years were barely acknowledged despite the crucial role many played in the war. While the men were branded heroes, the country was dishonourably quiet about the role that their women played. Women who witnessed many of the same horrors, lost their lives, and endured injuries like many men but to American citizens – they weren’t even there. This very human story of Frankie took us on a journey through this distressing period in history, and takes us through the decision to sign up, how her family relationships became strained with the decision, and then the impact on her because of her parent’s lack of support, particularly her fathers. Add to that the loss of the three men in Frankie's life, her brother and her two loves and her re-integration back into society and 'normal' life and we have one of the most memorable historical fiction books I have ever read. Review and Comments 'The Women' is an exquisite novel that will leave imprints on your heart and in your mind a long time after reading, not just about the brutality of war and loss on both sides, but the treatment and deafening silence about the role the women played. The book has an abundance of great characters, particularly Frankie who was portrayed as a very human person. An incredible woman, strong, determined, and courageous with an enormous capacity for love and forgiveness, but who for years suffered from the effects of war and because she ‘was not there’ never received the care and support needed to prevent PTSD. The storyline is superb, and the writing style is stunning. Historical fiction at its best as Kristin Hannah manages to hold a mirror up to society displaying themes of corruption, dishonour, loss, tragedy, PTSD, family relationships, and isolation as women and society struggled to contend and confront the very harsh reality of the story of ‘The Women’ in Vietnam. An awakening for many, then and now. An authentic account of an unforgotten and untold story. Sometimes brutal, sometimes beautiful. And for women who embody the phrase ‘love mattered in a ruined world but so did honour’, we salute you. Poignant, sad, tragic but triumphant and enlightening. Simply brilliant. ...more |
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Feb 19, 2024
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Feb 19, 2024
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Feb 19, 2024
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| B0DLT6BTB4
| 4.38
| 67,238
| Dec 01, 2016
| Dec 01, 2016
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it was amazing
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One of my favourites of 2024!!! Superb From the great dust heap of broken dreams and lives destroyed in WWII comes a compelling and triumphant love st One of my favourites of 2024!!! Superb From the great dust heap of broken dreams and lives destroyed in WWII comes a compelling and triumphant love story that encapsulated strength, survival, hope, and resilience. So much so ‘From Sand and Ash’ will be listed in my top 5 fictional books on WWII. “Life is hell shot with just enough heaven to make the pains of hope all the sharper. Life is impossible. Ugly. Agonizing. Inexplicable. Torture…. This is my offering. These are the lessons I learned, the tiny acts of rebellion that kept me alive, and the love that fed my hope, when I had nothing but hope itself”. What a tragic but very human story. A story with love at the heart but not a gushy love story. Her courage was her victory, his love for her was his salvation. Rebellious, hopeful, and passionate. The Plot “A rejected infant will often die, even if its basic needs are met. A rejected child will spend his whole life trying to please everyone else, and never please himself. A rejected woman will often cheat, just to feel desirable. A rejected man will rarely try again, no matter how lonely he is. A rejected people will convince themselves they deserve it, if only to make sense of a senseless world. I’m convinced there is nothing worse for the human heart than rejection, but over the past year, I have grown accustomed to it.” Rejection was to become the life of Eva Rosselli but this was not to be her legacy. Persecuted for being Jewish, hunted for belonging to a people that the Nazis had vowed to exterminate but loved and adored by one man – a Catholic priest, Eva personifies courage, honour, and passion. The young Angelo Bianco is sent to Italy to become a priest because of an injury that he sustained at birth resulting in his leg being removed. Without having to endure any of the challenges this might present for his family, Angelo is sent off to be a priest. The only real option – according to his family. This is when Angelo meets the younger and beautiful Eve who becomes his family, friend, and even at a young age his rock. However, as the years progress, and the war intensifies in Europe, so too does the love that these two have for each other. However, this is forbidden fruit in every aspect for he is now an ordained priest, and she is Jewish – living in what can be described as an open prison called the ghetto. When the war reaches a pivotal moment, Eva and Angelo must make the ultimate sacrifice for each other. Review and Comments This book sums up the torture, destruction, and torment faced by many families, not just then but since and even in today’s world we are witnessing the sheer destruction and slaughter of the innocent and people suffering from the effects of war they did not seek. Shameful. “Somehow, hope is the only thing resistant to the fear, and it is that hope that makes the next breath possible, the next step, the next tiny act of rebellion, even if that rebellion is simply staying alive.” Let’s hope that one day people will learn from the mistakes of the past. Anyway, a fantastic beautiful but tragic story of survival, love, courage, and determination. Most of all a demonstration of the power of the human spirit and the strength of the human mind. Everything about this book was right. From the storyline, suspense, historical accuracy, the prose, the themes of endurance, survival, religion, politics and love were all so well balanced. I loved the way the personal battle of Angelo was handled between the love he had for his religion and the love of a woman. A must read!!! ...more |
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Feb 16, 2024
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Feb 16, 2024
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Feb 16, 2024
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ebook
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| 1250350921
| 9781250350923
| 1250350921
| 3.99
| 403,968
| Dec 26, 2023
| Dec 26, 2023
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it was amazing
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“Sometimes,” Iris began, “I don’t think we know what we’re made of until the worst moment possible happens. Then we must decide who we truly are and w
“Sometimes,” Iris began, “I don’t think we know what we’re made of until the worst moment possible happens. Then we must decide who we truly are and what is most important to us. I think we’re often surprised by what we become.” And how true is this sentiment? Most of us only know what we truly are when we are tested in the worst and best moments of our lives. It’s so nice when these books cause us to reflect and remind us of what is important. A wonderful fantasy with such an important lens on relationships, survival, becoming what you are, and truth. A great ending to a powerful and brilliantly written duology. A book where I was totally invested in the characters and their story. The Plot So Roman is being held captive and in the early part of the book he isn't aware of it, because his memory was wiped in the ultimate sacrifice he made for love. Trying to pull together some remnants of a life and in an attempt to rediscover who he is, Roman starts writing for a publisher, who in his old life was his enemy. In an attempt to find the love of her life, Iris goes through a door to a mysterious world and unknowingly starts communicating with the missing Roman. Do we ever get a chance to fall in love with the same person twice? It happened here in this delicious little fantasy. “do we live by our past, or do we live by what is to come? Do we choose to waste time looking behind to things that have already happened and cannot be changed, or do we keep our sight forward on what we can see?”. Review and Comments The perfect, ‘divine’ ending to the ‘Divine Rivals’ and the story of Roman and Iris. Whimsical, intense, romantic, and magical with so many meaningful themes about love and relationships, self-discovery and being who you truly are. The perfectly pitched romantic story for me. The relationship felt believable and honest without all the gushy sentiments that put me off romance. In all a wonderful book. A fairy tale with meaning. 4.5 stars rounded up ...more |
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Feb 08, 2024
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Feb 08, 2024
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Feb 08, 2024
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| 0316421995
| 9780316421997
| 0316421995
| 4.01
| 165,657
| Sep 10, 2019
| Sep 10, 2019
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it was amazing
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“If we address stories….. and dust through their layers with meticulous care, we find at some level there is always a doorway. A dividing point betwee
“If we address stories….. and dust through their layers with meticulous care, we find at some level there is always a doorway. A dividing point between here and there, us and them, mundane and magical. It is at the moments when the doors open, when things flow between the worlds, that stories happen.” ‘Ten Thousand Books of January’ opens the door to a gorgeous world of magic and books, of self-discovery and adventure, and of new beginnings and second chances. Stunning, unique, and mysterious. A love letter to words, symbolism, and language. The Plot From the age of seven, January Scaller, is blessed with a curious mind and cursed by an absent father, which is why January finds herself in the guardianship of Cornelius Locke. A man who seeks to curtail her imagination and as his name suggest ‘locks’ January’s mind from exploring those things he cannot or cares not to explain. “Doors, he told her, are change, and change is a dangerous necessity. Doors are revolutions and upheavals, uncertainties, and mysteries, beginnings and endings.” Just before her 17th birthday January discovers the book ‘Ten Thousand Doors’ which ignites a curiosity and a wonderful adventure through the doors of opportunity. As January uncovers the stories and lives of the people from the book, she begins to realise the book and her life are inextricably entwined. Answers only to be found as she passes through the ten thousand doors of answers. Review and Comments What a unique reading experience!!!! I opened the door and entered into the new world of doors and into January’s life. And then I gently close it at the end with a feeling of satisfied closure for the girl who ‘symbolically’ passed through many doors to find answers, learn, challenge and ultimately to find herself. However, there are a few buts, but not many… The story dragged a little at the beginning. It also took a while to realise what was happening with the dual timeline and the part Locke was playing in the whole story. On top of that it was confusing that the book was written by January’s father about her. Yet for the most part the story was about January opening doors for us to enter into her world. I felt the story was sufficiently layered without the need for the strange character Locke. What really worked for me was the use of doors to symbolise the maturity of age and passing from one life experience to another. The doors representing answers whether they caused pain, discomfort, love, or happiness. With a range of poignant themes like race, privilege, isolation, gender, loss and fatherhood, this could have been a heavy book were it not for the beautiful prose and carefully orchestrated voyage of discovery through different worlds and time. Gorgeous and poetic writing, A beautiful and magical story. An odyssey to the last page. A love letter to words, symbolism, and language. What more could you ask for. My own voyage, to travel the world in books in 2024, and each month to read a book containing a month in the title. ...more |
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Jan 29, 2024
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Jan 29, 2024
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Jan 29, 2024
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| 1954118236
| 9781954118232
| 1954118236
| 4.25
| 182,112
| Mar 07, 2023
| Feb 28, 2023
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it was amazing
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“Flowing forward against obstacles was not my whole story. For, like the river, I had also gathered along the way all the tiny pieces connecting me to
“Flowing forward against obstacles was not my whole story. For, like the river, I had also gathered along the way all the tiny pieces connecting me to everything else, and doing this had delivered me here” While some of the storyline and events in the book felt less plausible, I was able to overlook them with this haunting but sad human story of love, survival, courage, family, and impossible choices. The beauty of the book was to be found in the natural landscape and the writing, but most of all within the character of the central female character, Victoria. A very memorable read. The Plot “Just as a single rainstorm can erode the banks and change the course of a river, so can a single circumstance of a girl’s life erase who she was before.”, and this ‘single circumstance’ was when Torie met Wilson Moon, a native American that was to become her first love and enduring soulmate. Rejected by society, Wil was forbidden to have any relationships, work and a life in this mid Colorado town, lola. Not to be dissuaded by the prejudice to be found in others, Torie embarks on an adventure that can only end in tragedy. Review and Comments This wonderful book is brimming with themes that draws the reader in from the beginning and holds you there to the final moments - hopeful, willing, and anxious about the life that should have been. A coming of age story? – Yes, but with themes of motherhood, survival, nature, abandonment, murder, and racism, the tides of time force the young Torie to accept those things she cannot change but also gives her the courage to take fate into her own hands and in search of her son. Moving and evocative. Both heart-warming and heart wrenching. A beauty of a book. Sentimental but not gushing with over dramatic scenes either. A joy to read. ...more |
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Jan 24, 2024
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Jan 24, 2024
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Jan 24, 2024
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| 024125664X
| 9780241256640
| 024125664X
| 4.29
| 4,747,807
| Jan 28, 1813
| 2015
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it was amazing
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”Pride has often been his best friend” Perfection in a book!!! One of the best stories and most wonderfully written books of all time. My favourite Jan ”Pride has often been his best friend” Perfection in a book!!! One of the best stories and most wonderfully written books of all time. My favourite Jane Austen book because of this magnificent character sketch of pride and prejudice, it’s weighty themes and witty dialogue. Lively, spirited, humorous, and romantic. A carefully orchestrated story of love and deception, manners and impropriety, and of course pride and prejudice, all of which secures this book’s place in the Hall of Fame for classic literature and its continued popularity among many. Simply put a masterpiece. A comedy of manners and marriage!!!. The Plot With the opening line "Any man in possession of a large fortune must be in want of a wife”, there is no doubt of Jane Austen’s intent. This is matchmakers’ paradise where wealth, class, marriage, courtship, social standing and the arrogance of the elite are pitched against those who wish to marry into fortune. Except not all young ladies believe wealth is more important than love. The storyline is simple. New arrival Charles Bingley, a rich bachelor from the North of England, rents the Netherfield estate close to the family home of Mr & Mrs Bennett. Keen to have her daughters married to wealthy husbands, Mrs Bennett asks her husband to pay a visit that secures an invitation to the Netherfield ball where the eldest daughter Jane, captures the attention of Charles Bingley. The same cannot be said of Eliza Bennett who elicits one of the most condemning remarks, in the book, from Bingley's friend, the aristocrat Mr Darcy, who does not see her as his equal. At this stage of the book Darcy is described as “haughty, reserved, and fastidious, and his manners, though well bred, were not inviting”. Of himself, he declares… “The more I see of the world, the more am I dissatisfied with it; and everyday confirms my belief of the inconsistencies of all human characters, and of the little dependence that can be placed on the appearance of merit or sense.” Not exactly wrong of the time and characters but this sets the tone and backdrop for more heated exchanges and clashes between wealth and principle. As the exchanges between the two couples intensifies, their respective relationships are tested by the arrival of other possible suitors and a chain of events that sees the Bennett’s good name all but destroyed, until Mr Darcy intervenes. Not out of goodness but as he declares to Lizzy, he only thought of her. Coming out of nowhere, Darcy makes a marriage proposal to Elizabeth which almost seemed like a sport if it were not for the harsh exchange between the two main characters, and is so iconic I can’t remember how long ago I first encountered this memorable exchange. “You are mistaken, Mr. Darcy, if you suppose that the mode of your declaration affected me in any other way, than as it spared the concern which I might have felt in refusing you, had you behaved in a more gentlemanlike manner." Alas, the story does not end there, and all comes good in the end. Review and Comments The themes of marriage, wealth, class, education, male inheritance, and social expectations are no surprise for books written in this period. However, what was so refreshing and captivating about this book is the balance of good versus evil, the steadfast principles held by some in contrast to the immoral behaviours of others. We are treated with a range of fabulous characters and the standout from the book – well it’s the humour!!! with scenes like Mr Collins' absurd, awkward, and fumbling proposal to Elizabeth. However, one of my favourite book lines, was Mr Bennett’s riposte to his hypochondriac wife, “I have the highest respect for your nerves, they are my old friends.” A delightful, charming, easy to read classic with some explosive scenes and despicable characters that encapsulated so many themes. However, it is the two main characters that personfiied the predominant theme of the book - Pride and Prejudice. The unquestionable 'pride' of Darcy who initially failed to appreciate Elizabeth for the intelligent and high-spirited person she was and for failing to contemplate a rejection or her feelings with his insensitive and misjudged marriage proposal. It is almost comical that Darcy goes to length to point out Eliza's inferiority during his offer of marriage, and reminds her that his love for her is "against his will, against his reason, and even against his character". Wow!!! Not without faults, it was Lizzy who then embodied 'prejudice' for misjudging Darcy's and being blinded to his other virtues and goodness because of his class. Yet you can only adore Elizabeth for her freedom of thought, feminism and her ability to pervade her class and offer well voice’s opinions amidst so much snobbery and spite. The way in which the subplots, characters, themes and humour are so intricately woven into this wonderful story is what makes Pride and Prejudice one of my all time favourite books. A true masterpiece that had never aged, in my opinion. Other favourite quotes “Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often used synonymously. A person may be proud without being vain. Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves, vanity to what we would have others think of us.” “Laugh as much as you choose, but you will not laugh me out of my opinion.” “From the very beginning— from the first moment, I may almost say— of my acquaintance with you, your manners, impressing me with the fullest belief of your arrogance, your conceit, and your selfish disdain of the feelings of others, were such as to form the groundwork of disapprobation on which succeeding events have built so immovable a dislike; and I had not known you a month before I felt that you were the last man in the world whom I could ever be prevailed on to marry. Ouch!!! If you haven’t watched the mini series or read the book I would encourage you to do both. It is no accident I chose to read ‘Pride and Prejudice’ as my first book of 2024 and to complete the experience I indulged in the BBC’s TV adaptation of the book for the 20+ time. Having watched different adaptations of the book, for me personally there is and can only be one Mr Darcy and it’s Colin Firth. In fact the whole cast is superb so I highly recommend this mini series over any others. I promise you will get an equally enjoyable but different experience with the book and this mini series. ...more |
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Jan 14, 2024
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Jan 21, 2024
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Jan 14, 2024
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Hardcover
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| 0007321597
| 9780007321599
| 0007321597
| 4.31
| 8,230
| Mar 04, 2010
| May 01, 2010
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it was amazing
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Stop number 25 on the world tour is to Scotland in 1692. A book that is written for the senses, a bewitching tale that is hauntingly accurate for its Stop number 25 on the world tour is to Scotland in 1692. A book that is written for the senses, a bewitching tale that is hauntingly accurate for its depiction of the massacre at Glencoe in Scotland and representative of the times when many women were falsely accused of witchcraft. A story that breathes life into the real and imagined historical figures with a moving account of the effects of the battles and wars committed by those with a lust for power and greed. “The only evil in the world is the one that lies in people—in their pride, and greed, and duty. Remember that”. To top it off, all this takes place in the rustic splendour and untamed beauty of the Scottish Highlands and in the rolling hills and picturesque landscape of the Scottish Lowlands. A country that enjoyed not just diverse landscapes, but this division was to follow into religion and culture with the Highlands characterised as the Gaelic province and ruled by powerful Scottish Clans, while the Lowlands, the Scottish centre was more industrial with stronger ties to England and supporters of William of Orange, who is to play an important role that to my satisfaction he doesn’t dominate the narrative. “Two men, with two different faiths, and look what that does! It splits up the world. It makes nations narrow their eyes at themselves, and seethe.” The Plot The narration of the story occurs between Corrag, who is standing trial for witchcraft, and Charles Leslie who writes to his wife of the events leading up to Corrag’s pending execution – at the stake. It is through these letters to his wife that we are to learn so much of the historical context and in particular the massacre at Glencoe – although we are spared the ‘bloody’ details. Corrag’s dead mother warns her of the pending massacre at Glencoe and against the mighty MacDonald clan. Predictions that will see her accused of witchcraft. However, before her death, Corrag agrees to have her life, her words and her dreams of Scotland documented by Charles. It is through his letters to his wife that we witness the transition of the man who at first feels contempt for the dishevelled and eccentric Corrag to a man who quite openly has a love affair with her soul. “She is gifted with words, and I will not call that witchcraft”. Charles tells his wife as he remembers Corrag’s words on faith… “Maybe say a prayer? As my soul unties itself? We are different, yes–but we both pray, or make wishes, and our prayers may drift in different ways, and roll out like cold breath, but I reckon they meet up in the same place, in the end”. Review and Comments A stunning book for the elegant but unsentimental prose. A triumph for the way in which the author has captured the rugged and majestic landscape of Scotland and woven it into the story. In all this book was meticulously researched and meshed with some fictional parts to embellish a bloody and cruel time in English and Scottish history. I liked that the book was heavily nuanced in parts to disguise the rawness and cruelty of the real facts in history, (because we already know so much of them) but let’s speak of the characters… “… speak of those that died. Speak of all those who ever died--in all the world's history, in its wars, and long-lost days. Speak of those who met their deaths in Glencoe”. It is not surprising that these and similar events have perpetuated a strained relationship between England and Scotland to this day. “A Scot may cut an Englishman down, but he’d give his own life for the Scot by his side, and so it is in England, also. That hasn’t changed in my lifetime. Nor will it. There’s been too much fighting and slyness to ever clean the air of it. He shook his head. Politics…” Fact, fiction and folklore - what a wonderful combination. A stunning and triumphant book for its historical account, the way the author uses the wildness and untamed nature of the landscape to create the imagery of the place and lives of its inhabitants, and of course the portrayal of the real characters in history is also superb. All of this wrapped up in beautiful and powerful prose that is told from the heart by Corrag and Charles. And to one of my favourite sayings (apologies not sure of the source). “When the power of love overcomes the love of power, then the world will finally be at peace.” A fitting tribute to Scotland. I ‘cannae’ see me forgetting Corrag for a while. PS. I am in very good company with so many GR friends loving this. Friends with diverse reading preferences. That is the sign of a cracking book that will stand the test of time. ...more |
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1
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Sep 25, 2024
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Sep 25, 2024
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Apr 30, 2022
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Hardcover
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