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dely's books and thoughts 2016
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37)
Non hai mai capito niente by Marco Freccero 3,5/5No English edition.
This is a collection of short stories by an emerging Italian author that has sent me a free copy for an honest review.
The stories deal with problems like losing a job, family problems, loneliness... The stories feel real and the characters seem very common people that we could meet during everyday life.
It was good, I liked these stories though they don't have a real end and usually this is something I can't stand. Though the stories deal with sad situations, at the end of it I wasn't sad or upset; on the contrary, I felt calm and relaxed. Maybe because there is a positive feeling, that we shall never stop dreaming and that if there is a problem, we have to face it instead of despairing.
My only Italian review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
38)
Pelle di leopardo by Tiziano Terzani 3/5There isn't an English edition because this Italian edition has two books. One is Giai Phong! The Fall And Liberation Of Saigon and the other is a diary that the author held while he was in Vietnam from 1972-1973.
In this book he makes a very detailed analysis of the weeks/months before the liberation of Vietnam, and then he talks about what happened in three months after the fall of Saigon. It's very interesting but I rated it with 3 stars because I had several problems to remember all the Vietnamese names, not only of the people, but also of the towns and street names. As said, it's a very detailed book! As always with the books by Terzani, there are of course also his thoughts and his interesting and thought provoking opinions.
39)
L'arte di collezionare mosche 4/5English edition: The Fly Trap by Fredrik Sjöberg
This book doesn't talk only about flies and how to catch them (and also the parts that talk about flies are easy to understand also for readers who aren't entomologists).
The author talks about his life and his passion for hoverflies, but these topics are only to start talking about Swedish entomologists, scientists, but also authors and explorers. These people aren't famous, at least outside Sweden or for people who aren't into entomology, so I was even more glad to read about them. He talks above all about his idol, the entomologist René Malaise and his trips to Kamchatka and Burma. But he gives also hints to August Strindberg or Ester Blenda Nordström. Sjöberg talks also about art and literature. Of course all the hints to it are related to hoverflies or entomologists.
The book is very flowing, funny and the author uses a lot of irony. I've learned a lot about hoverflies and also about Swedish scientists, and the book is also full of interesting reflections about life, human beings and their limits, the importance of slowness, and much more.
I really recommend it!
Here my (only) Italian review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
40)
Cardiologia by Marco Freccero 4/5Sorry, no English edition.
A few days ago I've read the first book (Non hai mai capito niente) of this trilogy by the same author. I received also this one, the second book, for free in exchange of an honest review.
I liked also these stories and they deal again with common people who have to deal with problems like losing their job or having a child with health issues. Like in the first book of the trilogy, these people don't give up, they fight and try to go on as good as they can. The difference with the first book is that in these stories these people are bound by love, a strong and unselfish love; love for a husband or wife, for their children or parents, but also for colleagues or siblings. Sadly there isn't an English edition.
My only Italian review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
41)
La danza di Śiva 3/5English edition: The Dance of Siva: Essays on Indian Art and Culture by Ananda K. Coomaraswamy
All in all it is an interesting book but I already knew many things because I've read about them in other books and also in a more flowing and easier language. The author also uses a too difficult language. It was really a hard read. The essays are short and full of informations so I had the impression that there was too much in a few pages, and not explained in a deep way. By sure, if someone doesn't already know Hindu mythology or terminology, he/she could have some problems to fully understand. There are chapters about Indian art: dance, theater, music, paintings, sculptures. But there are also chapters about the economical progress of India; a comparison between Western and Indian women; about varna dharma; a chapter where the author compares Nietzsche's Übermensch with a jivanmukta, etc. All the essays have been written by the author during the first years of the 20th century so they are also pretty "old" and I know that the condition of women changed both in the West and in the East. Of course there are interesting informations, but I had really a hard time reading this book.
My only Italian review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
42)
La sposa bambina 2/5English edition: The Toss of a Lemon by Padma Viswanathan
Didn't like it though the topic could have been interesting (three generations of a Brahmanic family and their customs and traditions). It was so boring, I wasn't involved with the story and I couldn't feel for any of the characters.
My only Italian review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
43)
San Michele Arcangelo. Patrono della Chiesa universale by Marcello StanzioneThere isn't an English edition of this book, but it's a book that talks about the Archangel Saint Michael. I didn't rate it because it wasn't what I was looking for.
My only Italian review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
44)
Winston, un gatto in missione segreta by Frauke Scheunemann 3/5There isn't an English edition of this book. I've read it for my cat challenge knowing that it's more a story for children, but I however enjoyed it.
It talks about the friendship between a girl and a cat. Because of an "accident" (a lightning) the girl's souls enters the cat's body and viceversa. They understand each other so they can communicate. Seen that the girl's mother was in troubles, they decide to become secret agents to help her.
The main topics of this book are friendship, but also honesty, prejudices and about how to take challenges. It's a lovely story for children also because it can teach them right values.
My only Italian review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
45)
La follia del mondo by Marco Freccero 4,5/5There isn't an English edition of this book. It's a collection of short stories and the third book of a trilogy. I received also this one for free in exchange of an honest review. I have to say that I like the short stories by this author. He isn't only able to write, he is also able to look into people.
I've written only an Italian review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
46)
L'ora prima dell'alba 3/5English edition: The Cat's Table by Michael Ondaatje
Despite the slow start, I'm happy I've read it. The whole book has a slow pace but going on with the reading it started being interesting.
My English review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
47)
Il banchiere anarchico by Fernando Pessoa 3/5I couldn't find an English edition. The title of this book would be "The Anarchist Banker".
It was interesting and in it Pessoa explains how we can reach an anarchic society. I wasn't able to understand if he really believes in it or if he mocks Anarchists showing that it's impossible to have a society based on Anarchy.
Only Italian review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
48)
Lettere contro la guerra 5/5English edition: Letters Against the War by Tiziano Terzani
This is a must read. These letters have been written by the author after 9/11. Though he was over sixty, he had to understand what was going on so he goes to Pakistan in order to follow better the situation, and he also managed to go to Kabul. As usual, he doesn't behave like a common journalist, but he stays away from them because he wants to be free to move and to talk with common people (also because there was a delegacy from Washington that told journalists what to write and what to publish and Terzani has always been against this kind of journalism).
More than newspaper articles, these are letters the author writes to talk with the people. To say them that humanity has taken the wrong path, we have to stop and change before it's too late; that violence leads only to more violence, that we can't fight a war with another war. But there is also a detailed analysis of the reasons behind the attack, about Islam, some history about Afghanistan, etc.
My review, both Italian and English (well, in Italian I've added only quotes from the book): https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
49)
L'armata a cavallo 1/5English edition: Red Cavalry by Isaac Babel
It's a very short book (my edition had 130 pages) and the various chapters are like short stories of the Russian-Polish war (or at least I think so). There is no development in the story, there are only events explained in a very detailed (and boring) way. But also the events don't start or end, the reader is in the middle of an event. There is also no characterization of the characters, they come and go, and I wasn't able to remember their names or who they were. Everything was so confusing.
50)
Il mondo di Sofia 2/5English edition: Sophie's World by Jostein Gaarder
This book has been written to approach teens to philosophy. It's a kind of mistery but also an easy to understand treatise of philosophy. We go from Socrates to existentialism and the most important philosophers are in the book. It's a good way to start understanding Western philosophy or also a way to refresh our memory if we studied it at school and don't remember everything very well.
I don't know if it's appropriate for teens because there is really a lot though explained in a pretty easy way.
I didn't like it that much. It was boring and slow for me.
Only Italian review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
51)
Shammy racconta e altre storie... by Elena Battaglia 3/5There isn't an English edition of this book. It has been written by a vet that lives here nearby and I bought the book to help the cat shelter of my town.
It's a very short book and the narrator is Shammy, a red Persian cat, that tells in a funny way his days with the other cats and dogs of the house. It was a cute, funny and moving story.
Only Italian review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
52)
I quattro accordi: Un libro di saggezza tolteca 2/5English edition: The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom by Miguel Ruiz
Yay! My last book of this year and also the last I needed to complete my yearly challenge!
Only 2 stars because it's a self-help and I do not get along very well with this kind of books.
Only Italian review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
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Books mentioned in this topic
I quattro accordi: Un libro di saggezza tolteca (other topics)The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom (other topics)
Shammy racconta e altre storie... (other topics)
Sophie’s World (other topics)
Il mondo di Sofia (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Miguel Ruiz (other topics)Elena Battaglia (other topics)
Jostein Gaarder (other topics)
Isaac Babel (other topics)
Tiziano Terzani (other topics)
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The book talks about the colonization of the Philippines by the Spaniards and how life was in those centuries. Above all it talks about how everything was under the control and rule of Catholic religious orders. The original work is perhaps the most important book for the Philippines, but sadly I downloaded an abridged edition.
My English review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...