From childhood until now I have always been curious and fascinated by fallacies and the little, illogical moments which are so ubiquitously common in our world. Coming from a family of teachers and professionally a teacher myself, I can only imagine these factors added to this. Having lived in numerous countries and encountering the same conundrums, I am only more driven to explore what is generally, and acceptingly, misunderstood. A fan of reading, I have found that the best people and medium to do so is in literature, which is just what I hope my own works do; explore what is unclear, neglected, and accepted.
Who Goes There is not only a riveting, entertaining, and refreshing tale, contained in a relatively short amount of words which grasps the readers’ pure sense of curiousity and delves with them into the realm of what would or could be, should the unexpected present itself to the contemporary, which it does joyfully and effortlessly.
It is also an impactful investigation into selflessness and what is right, even when it results in no obvious benefit to the doer.
A short book, I would always recommend this as it is not only entertaining and suspenseful but also does not sacrifice any sense of development or meaning for entertainment, achieving both goals flawlessly and perfectly delivering a wonderful reading experience.
Who Goes There?, the novella that formed the basis of the film The Thing, is the John W. Campbell classic about an antarctic research camp that discovers and thaws the ancient body of a crash-landed alien.
The origin of the phrase “Catch-22” this intriguing spiral into the absurdity of reality, particularly in war, is an exceptional tale.
Although it can be somewhat protracted, it is never boring. Following and recounting the inexplicable and illogical inequalities that life often has to over through the eyes of one ‘Yossarian’, it explores the gauntlet of the commonly uncommon in any form; love, fear, empathy, sympathy, dereliction, sardonicism and, finally, hope.
What truly remained with me was the tone of the book, only changing when truly necessary. For anyone trying to make sense of the chaos of life, dealing with a hopeless situation, or simply feeling down, I would always recommend this book, if not for the insight it provides but also for its ability to elicit humor in the darkest moments.
Explosive, subversive, wild and funny, 50 years on the novel's strength is undiminished. Reading Joseph Heller's classic satire is nothing less than a rite of passage.
Set in the closing months of World War II, this is the story of a bombardier named Yossarian who is frantic and furious because thousands of people he has never met are trying to kill him. His real problem is not the enemy - it is his own army which keeps increasing the number of missions the men must fly to complete their service. If Yossarian makes any attempts to excuse himself from the…
The day the second atomic bomb was dropped, Clabe and Leora Wilson’s postman brought a telegram to their acreage near Perry, Iowa. One son was already in the U.S. Navy before Pearl Harbor had been attacked. Four more sons worked with their father, tenant farmers near Minburn until, one by…
One of the first books I had ever read in both English and the original language, this book can best be described by a comment I received from a fellow passenger when reading it; “That is the type of book which you read once and shouldn’t keep, pass it on to someone else.”
That is because this story has so much to teach any and everyone uniquely and individually. The story of the eponymously named Siddhartha who mirrors the life of the ancient Indian prince turned spiritual leader. This is an exploration into the meaning of every facet of life, comprised in a form of writing so flawless and fluent that it would leave a river jealous.
Reading this helped me tremendously in my own life and I am certain it would any other reader.
Here the spirituality of the East and the West have met in a novel that enfigures deep human wisdom with a rich and colorful imagination.
Written in a prose of almost biblical simplicity and beauty, it is the story of a soul's long quest in search of he ultimate answer to the enigma of man's role on this earth. As a youth, the young Indian Siddhartha meets the Buddha but cannot be content with a disciple's role: he must work out his own destiny and solve his own doubt-a tortuous road that carries him through the sensuality of a love…
The Master and Margarita by Bulgakov is one of my favorite pieces of Russian writing.
Encapsulating the, often deadly, absurdity of life during the 50’s Soviet system and how it is not less than the devil’s musings and doings, the story still, excellently evokes notions of hope, love, comedy, tragedy, and learning within this setting.
What still remains with me is the vivid richness in description and characters. In my words, Bulgakov and specifically The Master and Margarita are to literature what Tarantino is to cinema and films.
'Bulgakov is one of the greatest Russian writers, perhaps the greatest' Independent
Written in secret during the darkest days of Stalin's reign, The Master and Margarita became an overnight literary phenomenon when it was finally published it, signalling artistic freedom for Russians everywhere. Bulgakov's carnivalesque satire of Soviet life describes how the Devil, trailing fire and chaos in his wake, weaves himself out of the shadows and into Moscow one Spring afternoon. Brimming with magic and incident, it is full of imaginary, historical, terrifying and wonderful characters, from witches, poets and Biblical tyrants to the beautiful, courageous Margarita, who will…
Nine Stories Told Completely in Dialogue is a unique collection of narratives, each unfolding entirely through conversations between its characters. The book opens with "God on a Budget," a tale of a man's surreal nighttime visitation that offers a blend of the mundane and the mystical. In "Doctor in the…
Of Mice and Men engages the reader in a rich observation of the phrase “desperate times call for desperate measures” and leaves nothing unexplored, uncovered nor unmentioned.
Rought with life’s destruction of dreams, the prevelation of hope and the beautiful misplacement of innocence, I would always argue that this is Steinbeck’s best and most underappreciated work.
Introducing Little Clothbound Classics: irresistible, mini editions of short stories, novellas and essays from the world's greatest writers, designed by the award-winning Coralie Bickford-Smith.
Celebrating the range and diversity of Penguin Classics, they take us from snowy Japan to springtime Vienna, from haunted New England to a sun-drenched Mediterranean island, and from a game of chess on the ocean to a love story on the moon. Beautifully designed and printed, these collectible editions are bound in colourful, tactile cloth and stamped with foil.
Drifters in search of work, George and his childlike friend Lennie have nothing in the world except…
A case of complex absurdity and enigma, served in engrossing mystery and humor, The Faulty Crew is a story which hopes to shed light on the common discrepancies and mysteries found across our world. The story, propelled by varied vocabulary, unpredictable jokes, and the power of the reader’s projected imagination, envelopes into a world of absurd mystery combated by struggling logic.
It’s 2027. Rory O’Connor is the financial genius who helped create ICARUS, a quantum computer that controls the world’s stock markets with AI and algorithms. But Rory has recently suffered some tough breaks. He’s checked out of high finance and into a luxury Caribbean condo. After a former colleague finds…
This book (and its sequels) are about overcoming the odds; about learning to improve the skills and abilities you have, rather than dwelling on what you can't do. Conflict, plague, and scheming politicians are all featured along the way–but none of the characters are human!
