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Sarah

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Sarah is Currently Reading

Sarah is currently reading

The Buddha Walks into a Bar . . .: A Guide to Life for a New Generation

by Lodro Rinzler

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(page 24 of 224)
"I'm enjoying this book's take on spirituality and ways in which we can live more fully and become more present in the moment. The first chapter deals with changing how we view our day; whether we perceive it as a battle we must fight or our own playground. So far, I have come across the Shamatha meditation technique and the four dignities of Shambala. The simple, fluid style makes for an easy and enjoyable read" — Dec 02, 2014 10:44AM

Dec 02, 2014 10:36AM

Sarah is currently reading

All Quiet on the Western Front

by Erich Maria Remarque

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Reading for the 2nd time

read in February 2014

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Sarah said: " In these final chapters, Paul is greatly affected by his leave. The hard exterior he maintained to keep himself sane from the horrors of the war starts to crack. He begins to empathize with beings he encounters, mostly his enemies, and wants to know In these final chapters, Paul is greatly affected by his leave. The hard exterior he maintained to keep himself sane from the horrors of the war starts to crack. He begins to empathize with beings he encounters, mostly his enemies, and wants to know more about them; their background, their character, their past life. We can see this when he encounters the Russian prisoners at the camp. He does not see them as different from German men (farmers, workers). He wants to be able to put a name to a face rather than viewing these people as abstract elements of the war that must be eliminated. He humanizes them. This urge to get rid of the abstract, which has allowed the soldiers to carry on, also ties in with the change in attitude towards war and the enemy. No one had ever really been sure why they were fighting (the men in the beer house who drank and smoked with Paul when he was on leave believed they knew more about the war than he) and this becomes more obvious. Both sides seem to be fighting for the same reason, but for their own country, and Albert notes this while Tjaden states that he takes no offense by the French. Paul is left with a deep psychological trauma after killing a (French) soldier in hand to hand combat for the first time. He again ponders on the human, subjective side to this man and feels even more remorseful towards what he did. Paul's initial sangfroid attitude where he avoided his thoughts to be able to cope is no longer, and although his friends reassure him, he no longer understands what he's done. As the war gets progressively worse, we start to lose hope with the characters. This feeling is reinforced when Paul is sent to the war again, even after having suffered an injury. The conditions of the German troops is pitiable, especially compared to that of the enemy, and the morale reflects the soldiers loss of will to fight. We feel the weakness that builds up towards the end of the war as the enemy gradually starts to win. Paul is the last one left out of his comrades; perhaps one of the most painful moments of the novel for me was Kat's death. He was so dear to Paul and his resourcefulness somehow made him immune to death in our minds, so that his death came as a shock, especially in the way he was discovered to be dead. One of the sharpest climaxes of the novel, I believe, was Paul's death itself. Compared to the chaos and clamor surrounding the others' deaths, Paul's was chillingly calm and quiet (hence "All Quiet On The Western Front"), and that is what made it all the most moving, painful, and sad. This novel succeeds in allowing us a look into what the war is like, and, as dismal as it may be, offers a very realistic perspective. ...more "

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(page 185 of 296)
"These chapters vividly capture the horror of the war and the appalling nature of the fighting. The sheer number of soldiers wounded and the way they were described was so graphic that it effectively managed to put us in the soldiers shoes. This is reinforced by the soldiers' feelings and the tense atmosphere. They no longer care about their past lives, now distant memories. All they focus on is survival" — Feb 04, 2014 02:01PM

Dec 02, 2014 10:35AM · see review

Sarah is currently reading

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

by Edward Albee

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(page 98 of 130)
"We explore the characters' flaws more deeply here.Martha is completely insensitive to George and attacks his dignity whereas George, wounded by his wife's insults, retaliates by lashing out at the guests.Nick's materialism and desires are revealed. Honey, in turn, is afraid of having children and so the whole idea of marriage and family is torn apart. Even George doesn't mind inventing the death of his son to hurt M." — Dec 10, 2013 12:03AM

Dec 07, 2013 04:10AM

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