I love books like these that are really done by someone who understands the topic.
This a collection of latin phrases: with translation of each one, asI love books like these that are really done by someone who understands the topic.
This a collection of latin phrases: with translation of each one, as well as a brief background/context explanation. I loved knowing more about some of the most famous phrases and the art accompanying each phrase added a lot to the book....more
this was such an interesting read after reading marquez's "autumn of the patriarch", as this retells the life story of a dictator in such simple few lthis was such an interesting read after reading marquez's "autumn of the patriarch", as this retells the life story of a dictator in such simple few lines and simple art. i guess the object from it was breaking the taboo of talking about the dictator more than being a complete flushed out story about him....more
سيرة ذاتية جميلة لنجيب محفوظ، وفصلها الأول عجبني جدا في توضيح ملامح العام الذي ولد فيه نجيب محفوظ والمناخ السياسي والاجتماعي في مصر في تلك الفترة. السسيرة ذاتية جميلة لنجيب محفوظ، وفصلها الأول عجبني جدا في توضيح ملامح العام الذي ولد فيه نجيب محفوظ والمناخ السياسي والاجتماعي في مصر في تلك الفترة. السيرة كمان فيها كتابات حلوة لنجيب محفوظ لم تنشر من قبل، منها مذكراته اللي كتبه مستوحيا طه حسين. مش سيرة ذاتية بتطلب منك أنك تكون قرأت كل ما كتبه نجيب محفوظ قبل كده، بس معرفتك ببعض كتاباته وأفكاره العامة وأشهر رواياته هتساعد حتما على تقدير الكتاب. عيب الكتب من نظري هو عدم ذكره لزوجة نجيب محفوظ أو بناته مع أنه ذكر أمه وأبوه وأخواته وغيرهم، فاستغربت ذلك الاستبعاد ...more
I mean, we do know that he survives the shipwreck and he sits with Marquez to tell his story, so that takes the edge off the intense story, and it jusI mean, we do know that he survives the shipwreck and he sits with Marquez to tell his story, so that takes the edge off the intense story, and it just becomes a bit repetitive at times when he's telling the tale of his nine days stranded at sea, day by day.
It's an amazing feat. just being able to withstand all of that, but I wish it was interspersed more with what was happening on shore during each day, and what did they tell people and what the efforts were to find him, maybe some interview with family memebers and friends and their theories about what happened to him.
It's a good story about survival, but maybe it was really best as a series of articles in newspapers published at intervals, because when it's collected in a book, it has become overly repetitive....more
This doesn't substitute reading a biography of Leonardo Da Vinci, because it shows snippets of is life and some of his most famous works.
I liked the aThis doesn't substitute reading a biography of Leonardo Da Vinci, because it shows snippets of is life and some of his most famous works.
I liked the art style, but I think I would've apperciated it more had I know more about Da Vinci and his contemporaries. Also, it makes since that he's so closely related to politics, but it took me by surprise, and I'm bad with knowing all of the wars and kinds of europe, so that just flew over my head....more
You can't really read the Epic of Gilgamesh without reading some articles and studies before and after reading it, and this new translation provides tYou can't really read the Epic of Gilgamesh without reading some articles and studies before and after reading it, and this new translation provides that.
The introduction had the right amount of spoilers for a novice like me to the epic while also setting the scene, and essays after the epic did a good job in filling the many gaps left by reading this incomplete poem.
I never knew how incomplete this poem is, and it amazes me that reading it in 2024 means that I'm reading a different version from those who read 10 years ago, not just because of different translations, but even some of th text wasn't even found yet then. so the magic in this poem really lies in the fact that it's changing and evolving. As a poem, it's not really that grand, but reading it and putting it in the context if history proves that it's a feat of different kind.
I'm just glad that I finally read one of the oldest surviving literatures, even though till this day it's an incomplete work of literature....more
This had an intersting premise and I read up to 30%, but it was so messy and the chapters weren't coherent together, it had to bread in one DNF at 30%
This had an intersting premise and I read up to 30%, but it was so messy and the chapters weren't coherent together, it had to bread in one go, not a little bit every day so that you stay focused and that's not how I read nonfiction....more
I really question the sanity of the people who take the figure of a murdering family and make them their town's identity? like making a museum, namingI really question the sanity of the people who take the figure of a murdering family and make them their town's identity? like making a museum, naming places after them, and celebrating a day in their name? what's wrong with people? ...more
I didn't know there was a previous plan by the same group to kidnap Lincoln, which after its failing, the second plan was to kill him.I didn't know there was a previous plan by the same group to kidnap Lincoln, which after its failing, the second plan was to kill him....more
Why would any human do this? Due to the nature of him changing his name every so often, I was puzzled at times by all the names, but this really sent aWhy would any human do this? Due to the nature of him changing his name every so often, I was puzzled at times by all the names, but this really sent a chill down my spine. Such a horrible story of a real devil!...more
An unsolved murder of Mary Rogers in New York City. The author managed to complie the mystery in an interesting way, and I loved the inclusion of EdgarAn unsolved murder of Mary Rogers in New York City. The author managed to complie the mystery in an interesting way, and I loved the inclusion of Edgar Allan Poe's story that was inspired by this crime. I had a lot of theories reading it, and it's sad that it remained unsolved....more
Of the US presidential assasinations, I only knew of Lincoln in more details. This assasination followed that one, and I wasn't interested in a lot ofOf the US presidential assasinations, I only knew of Lincoln in more details. This assasination followed that one, and I wasn't interested in a lot of the political details, because it felt very similar to the Lincoln assasination....more
I'm beginning to see why people are so interested in true crime? this is a crime that wasn't solved and we'll never know if Lizzie was really innocent I'm beginning to see why people are so interested in true crime? this is a crime that wasn't solved and we'll never know if Lizzie was really innocent or guilty, but the author/illustrator did a great job of adapting this journal, telling the tale of Lizzie and her family and their horrible fate....more
I think the author did a good job with condensing the long journals in just 60 pages and managed to give as much details as possible. It's a true crimI think the author did a good job with condensing the long journals in just 60 pages and managed to give as much details as possible. It's a true crime account taken from the journals of one of the gentlemen who lived through the era of Jack the Ripper murders, along with his own speculations....more
It really is interesting to see how victorians went about solving murders. this includes three real cases of victorian murders in a unique black and wIt really is interesting to see how victorians went about solving murders. this includes three real cases of victorian murders in a unique black and white detailed art, and it was so engaging in retelling the three gruesome stories, without it being too gory or unbearable.
I'm interested to read more from him in this series....more
What a wonderful biography. I have to admit this is my first Jane Austen biography, and I think it's also the first biography I've read about an authoWhat a wonderful biography. I have to admit this is my first Jane Austen biography, and I think it's also the first biography I've read about an author and it set the bar very high.
It's a biography about Jane Austen, but it takes an interesting angle, as it looks at the life of Jane Austen through all the houses and homes she lived in, whether they were permanent, rented, as guests, vacation/summer houses, or in her last days, as just some place near the hospital. So we see Jane, and all her family members (which I knew nothing about), we follow her across the country and through her different moods and phases.
The author also makes good use of Jane's letters from each phase she lived at each house, to paint a picture of Jane's innermost thoughts about her life, her family, and her novels. It was shcoking to see how unapperciated she and her novels were at her time, even after the success of her first novels, but it was heartwarming to see how she was supported (especially in the end) by the women in her life.
Her life feels like an amalgamation of her novels/heroines, as each novel really seemed derived from one or more of the people around her, and all their circumstances are ones she's been through or witnessed. It was expecially interesting to see how this author who wrote about love, didn't marry and didn't really see having a husband as something more than having "a home of one's own".
I loved the author's voice, and I would love to read more biographies/non-fiction from her....more
استطاع الكاتب في صفحات قليلة خلق أسطورة وشخصية من العصر الجاهلي، بكتاب ينقسم بين الشعر والتاريخ الإسلامي.
مع اعترافي بعظمة الكتاب، لكنه مش شيء يستهوينياستطاع الكاتب في صفحات قليلة خلق أسطورة وشخصية من العصر الجاهلي، بكتاب ينقسم بين الشعر والتاريخ الإسلامي.
مع اعترافي بعظمة الكتاب، لكنه مش شيء يستهويني. لأنه برغم حبي للحواشي، لكنها زادت عن الحد هنا وكان مستحيلا متابعتها بالترتيب المطلوب، فده خلاني تايهة وبدأت أقرراها متتابعة. والنقطة التانية هي أني مليش اهتمام كبير بشعر الجاهلية وشخصياته، بس بقدر الموهبة الشعرية وموهبة الكتابة الحلوة لما بشوفها وكمان التجديد والإبداع والكتاب ده مثال واضح على كده.
أعتقد أهم حاجة طلعت بيها من الكتاب في نظري هي فكرة التشكيك في وجود مجنون ليلى أو قيس ليل، وإنه ممكن مكنش له وجود، وده بيطرح الفكرة اللي طرحها طه حسين في كتابه بالتشكيك في وجود الكثير من شعراء الجاهلية وأشعارهم....more
فكرة "كيف تحب وطنا لم تعش فيه وهو بالنسبة لك مجرد اسم في جواز السفر ونقطة على خريطة" أو "كيف تحب وطنا لم تعرف" هي المحاور الأساسية للكتاب ده، لمؤلفة عفكرة "كيف تحب وطنا لم تعش فيه وهو بالنسبة لك مجرد اسم في جواز السفر ونقطة على خريطة" أو "كيف تحب وطنا لم تعرف" هي المحاور الأساسية للكتاب ده، لمؤلفة عرفت 3 أوطان وبتتكلم عن كل واحد فيها في فصل قصير واختلاف وجهات النظر باختلاف المراحل العمرية وباختلاف الأوطان دي كلها بحكم كونها كانت جزء من الاتحاد السوفيتي وازا شهدت بنفسها انهيار الاتحاد السوفيتي وتغير مفهوم الوطن بين ليلة وضحاها.
تنقلها في أنحاء روسيا وسيبيريا وبعدها كازاخستان وبعدين موسكو بيخلي عند المؤلفة كذا وطن وكذا منزل وكل واحد فيهم له مكانته الخاصة والمختلفة وذكرياته الغريبة اللي بتسترجعا لما بترجع لكل وطن من دول في بلوغها. بتوضح كمان شكل الحياة تحت الاتحاد السوفيتي قبل انهياره.
بتتكلم عن الوطن وبتربطه بالهجرة والتنقل الكثير اللي بيخلي الشخص معندوش مكان واضح محدد يقدر يقول إنه وطنه. وحاسة أن قراءة الكتاب ده حاليا في ظل حرب روسيا على أوكرانيا له أبعاد تانية، لأن الكاتبة بتتلكم عن الوطنية من المنظور الروسي، اللي بقت مرتبطة في اللاوعي بالتهديد والوعيد.
الكتاب فعلا عجبني وحاسة أني كان ممكن أقرأ كتاب كامل طويل ومفضل من الكاتبة عن نفس الفكرة....more
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