Book of the week: Marc Levy-"STRONGER THAN FEAR (UN SENTIMENT PLUS FORT QUE LA PEUR)"

This is the first post of this year, and I had the pleasure of starting it with a great book! I received it as a present, to motivate me and cheer me up I had to be"STRONGER THAN FEAR", so I had no clue what the book was really about, but for my surprise, this is one of those books that you have to keep on reading it, until the very end, it's breathtaking, full of thrill and suspense..so a big Thank You to the ones that bought me this present! and this one is a MUST!

Marc Levy

 (born 16 October 1961) is a French novelist.

 Marc Levy is the most-read French author in the world.

Levy was born in Boulogne-Billancourt, Hauts-de-Seine. At the age of 18, he joined the French Red Cross where he spent six years. In parallel, he studied management and computers at Paris-Dauphine University.

In 1983, he created a company specializing in computer graphics in France and the United States. In 1989, he lost majority control of the group and resigned, starting again from scratch. He then co-founded an interior design and construction company with two friends; the company would become one of the first office architecture firms in France.

When he was thirty-seven, Marc Levy wrote a story for the man that his son would grow up to be. His sister, a screenwriter, encouraged him to send the manuscript to Editions Robert Laffont, who immediately decided to publish If Only it Were True. In 1999, after selling the film rights to Steven Spielberg for Dreamworks, he left his architectural firm to dedicate himself to writing.

"STRONGER THAN FEAR (UN SENTIMENT PLUS FORT QUE LA PEUR)"

..A plane crashed on snowy Mont Blanc, Suzie Baker finds the document that could do justice to her family accused of high treason. But this compromising discovery puts on alert U.S. intelligence. 

Andrew Stilman, a New York Times reporter, joins fascinating and enigmatic Suzie Baker, to follow an investigation who can kill both of them and make them vanish into the blue. Therefore, Suzie and Andrew must avoid traps and foil the plans, risking to reveal one of the most closely guarded secrets of our time. Compelling characters, suspense well-dosed ... With this new novel, Marc Levy imagines the story of astonishing modernity.

Marc Levy did his homework well because the most interesting part is that the investigation and that "guarded secret" from the book, is a true fact from the real world, about misplaced documents, and a hidden war between the great powers of the world to conquer territories and their resources..but enough said, I'll let you discover and enjoy this masterpiece!

Book of the week: "The great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald

After seeing the movie,the book has become a must,and it's such a pleasure to read it,while having all the characters in my mind...

..The dominant influences on F. Scott Fitzgerald were aspiration, literature, Princeton, Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald, and alcohol.

Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, on September 24, 1896.

Paris in the 1920s proved the most influential decade of Fitzgerald's development. Fitzgerald made several excursions to Europe, mostly Paris and the French Riviera, and became friends with many members of the American expatriate community in Paris, notably Ernest Hemingway.

His works are the paradigmatic writings of the Jazz Age, a term he coined himself.

Fitzgerald had been an alcoholic since his college days, and became notorious during the 1920s for his extraordinarily heavy drinking, leaving him in poor health by the late 1930s. According to Zelda's biographer, Nancy Milford, Fitzgerald claimed that he had contracted tuberculosis, but Milford dismisses it as a pretext to cover his drinking problems.

The Fitzgeralds spent the winter of 1924-1925 in Rome, where he revised The Great Gatsby; they were en route to Paris when the novel was published in April. The Great Gatsby marked a striking advance in Fitzgerald’s technique, utilizing a complex structure and a controlled narrative point of view. Fitzgerald’s achievement received critical praise, but sales of Gatsby were disappointing, though the stage and movie rights brought additional income.

The great GATSBY

The story has a simple line..you are drag in the 20's,the novel's events are filtered through the consciousness of its narrator, Nick Carraway, a young Yale graduate, who is both a part of and separate from the world he describes. Upon moving to New York, he rents a house next door to the mansion of an eccentric millionaire (Gatsby). Every Saturday, Gatsby throws a party at his mansion and all the great and the good of the young fashionable world come to marvel at his extravagance..Nick gets intrigued by Gasby,and starts finding out his secrets,carrying us into a great love story...

Gatsby connection to Fitzgerald

..In The Great Gatsby, parallels can be drawn between the novel and Scott Fitzgeralds own life. Parallels that can be drawn between The Great Gatsby and its author include Gatsby and Fitzgerald's desire for success through failure, the fact that Gatsby and Fitzgerald both "loved and lost", as well as Fitzgerald and Gatsby's shared quirks, such as alcoholism.

The first parallel that can be drawn between The Great Gatsby and Scott Fitzgerald's own life is the dreams of success that drive both Jay Gatsby and Scott Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald was never able to attain the fame that he pursued throughout his literary life, but was able to live out his dreams of wealth and success through Jay Gatsby. Like Fitzgerald, Gatsby came from unextrordinary begginings. Fitzgerald may not have started out Gatsby with mounds of wealth simply to make his own situation more realistic. In other words, Fitzgerald was still clinging to the hopes of prosperity despite not being born into lavish wealth.

The next similarity between Fitzgerald's life and Jay Gatsby's life is both of their strong opinions of alcohol. In the nove, Gatsby was portrayed as a strong anti- alcoholic, who never touched an alcoholic beverage, not even at his own parties. He acts this way because in his earlier life, Gatsby had to take care of a man who was drunk all the time. His experiences convinced Gatsby of the harmful effect alcohol has on the body. Like Gatsby, Fitzgerald also has his share of experiences with alcohol. Fitzgerald was a heavy alcoholic through most of his life, but attempted abstinence later in his life. His experiences of withdrawl were probably the basis of Gatsby's choice to abstain from drinking.

The last parallel that can be drawn between Gatsby and Fitzgerald is their love lives. In The Great Gatsby, Gatsby devotes his life to wooing the beautiful Daisy Buchanan. Like Gatsby, Fitzgerald also devoted much of his time to trying to impress the lovely Zelda. Unlike Gatsby, however, Fitzgerald succeeded in his quest for love and ended up marrying Zelda.

Because of the obvious similarities between Scott Fitzgerald's life and the storyline of The Great Gatsby, it is obvious that Fitzgerald has used experiences in his own life to shape the world Jay Gatsby lives in.

Quotes:

"...I am slow-thinking and full of interior rules that act as brakes on my desires..."

"There is no confusion like the confusion of a simple mind…"

“I hope she'll be a fool -- that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.”

RO:

După ce am văzut filmul, cartea a devenit o necesitate, și este o placere sa o  citesc, în timp ce pastrez ​​toate personajele din mintea...

.. Influențele dominante pentru F. Scott Fitzgerald au fost aspirație, literatură, Princeton, Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald, și alcool.

Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald s-a nascut in St Paul, Minnesota, la 24 septembrie 1896.

Paris în anii 1920 s-au dovedit deceniu cel mai influent de dezvoltare Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald a făcut mai multe excursii în Europa, mai ales la Paris și pe Riviera franceză, și a devenit prieteni cu mulți membri ai comunității american expatriat la Paris, în special Ernest Hemingway.

Lucrarile sale sunt scrierile paradigmatice ale Epocii Jazz, un termen inventat el însuși.

Fitzgerald a fost un alcoolic, deoarece zilele de colegiu, și a devenit cunoscut în anii 1920 pentru a băut extraordinar de greu, lăsându-l în stare precară de sănătate de la sfârșitul anilor 1930. Potrivit biografului Zelda lui, Nancy Milford, Fitzgerald a susținut că el a contractat tuberculoza, dar Milford se respinge ca un pretext pentru a acoperi problemele de baut.

A Fitzgeralds petrecut iarna 1924-1925 de la Roma, unde a revizuit The Great Gatsby, erau în drum spre Paris, când romanul a fost publicat în aprilie. The Great Gatsby a marcat un progres remarcabil în tehnica Fitzgerald, folosind o structură complexă și un punct narativ controlat de vedere. Realizarea Fitzgerald a primit laude, dar vanzarile de Gatsby au fost dezamăgitoare, deși drepturile de scenă și film a adus venituri suplimentare.

The Great Gatsby

Povestea are o linie simpla .. vă trageți în anii '20, evenimente noi sunt filtrate prin constiinta naratorului său, Nick Carraway, un tânăr absolvent de Yale, care este în același timp o parte din și separată de lumea a descrie. După mutarea la New York, el a închiriat o casă alături de conac al unui milionar excentric (Gatsby). În fiecare sâmbătă, Gatsby aruncă o petrecere la conacul lui și tot cel Mare și bună a lumii tinerilor la modă vin să se minuneze la extravaganța lui .. Nick devine intrigat de Gasby, și începe a afla secretele sale, ne transportă într-o poveste de dragoste mare ...

Conectare Gatsby la Fitzgerald

.. In The Great Gatsby, paralele pot fi trase între roman și Scott Fitzgerald propria viață. Paralele care pot fi trase între The Great Gatsby și autorul ei includ Gatsby și Fitzgerald dorința de succes prin eșec, faptul că Gatsby și Fitzgerald atât "iubit și pierdut", precum și Fitzgerald și quirks comune lui Gatsby, cum ar fi alcoolismul.

Prima paralelă care pot fi trase între The Great Gatsby și propria viață Scott Fitzgerald este visele de succes, care conduce atat Jay Gatsby și Scott Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald nu a fost capabil de a atinge faima pe care a urmărit de-a lungul vieții sale literare, dar a fost capabil să-și trăiască visele sale de avere și de succes prin Jay Gatsby. Ca Fitzgerald, Gatsby a venit de la begginings unextrordinary. Fitzgerald nu poate fi început Gatsby cu movile de avere pur și simplu pentru a face propria situație mult mai realist. Cu alte cuvinte, Fitzgerald a fost încă agățându-se de speranța de prosperitate, deși nu se naște în bogăție generos.

Următorul similitudine între viața Fitzgerald și viața Jay Gatsby este atât de opiniile lor puternice de alcool. În Nove, Gatsby a fost portretizat ca un puternic anti-alcoolic, care nu a atins o băutură alcoolică, nu chiar la propriile petreceri. El acționează în acest fel pentru că în viața lui mai devreme, Gatsby a trebuit să aibă grijă de un om care a fost beat tot timpul. Experientele sale convins Gatsby a efectului nociv de alcool are asupra organismului. Ca Gatsby, Fitzgerald are, de asemenea, cota sa de experiență cu alcool. Fitzgerald a fost un alcoolic grea prin cea mai mare a vieții sale, dar a încercat abstinenta mai tarziu in viata lui. Experientele sale de sevraj au fost, probabil, la baza alegerii lui Gatsby să se abțină de la băut.

Ultimul paralel, care pot fi trase între Gatsby și Fitzgerald este viața lor de dragoste. În The Great Gatsby, Gatsby a dedicat viața atragerea frumoasa Daisy Buchanan. Ca Gatsby, Fitzgerald, de asemenea, dedicat o mare parte din timpul său pentru a încerca să impresioneze pe frumoasa Zelda. Spre deosebire de Gatsby, cu toate acestea, Fitzgerald a reușit în căutarea lui pentru dragoste și ajuns să se căsătorească Zelda.

Datorită asemănărilor evidente între viața Scott Fitzgerald și povestea de The Great Gatsby, este evident că Fitzgerald a folosit experiența în propria viață pentru a modela lumea in care Jay Gatsby trăiește.

Book of the week: El silencio de Gaudi by Juan David Morgan

Today i came across this book,about Gaudi,the architect i wrote on the blog about a few days back,have not read it yet,i just order it online,hope i will get it very soon..ps: the best part about this thriller is that it is really cheap,like 2 euros and it has 384 pages..don't ask me why,because the plot of the book is very catchy!

..Juan David Morgan G. is a transcendental writer in the Panamanian literature. His career as a writer was initiated in 1992 under the pseudonym Jorge Thomas, with his first novel, “Fugitivos del Paisaje” (the Wales-Panama saga of a family). His second book, was the historical novel “Cicatrices inútiles, 1994 (about the U.S. invasion to Panama in 1989); “Entre el cielo y la Tierra”, 1996 (about Monsignor Jovane, a man “between heaven and earth”);  “Con Ardientes Fulgores de Gloria”, 1999  (the independence of Panama from Colombia and the negotiations U.S.-Panama for the construction of the Canal). In 2001 he published “La rebelión de los poetas y otros cuentos” (shorts stories).   “El veredicto” (about the role of the French negotiator, Bunau-Varilla, in the negotiations for the construction of the Panama Canal), was written by Morgan and Ernesto Endara, also an outstanding Panamanian writer.  Another historical novel was published under his real name: “El caballo de oro”, 2005 (the construction of the transisthmian railway in Panama). “¡Arde Panamá”  the Colombian edition of the novel “Con ardientes fulgores de gloria”, was published under Morgan’s real name in 2003.  The most recent work of Juan David Morgan is “El silencio de Gaudí”, 2007 (a thriller about Gaudí).

 “El silencio de Gaudí”

..Jesuit Father Manuel Otano, who works for the Vatican, is to inspect the progress made in the construction of the Holy Family abode purifier. To this end, he traveled to the capital of Catalonia, now in full dispute because a project of the municipality, which includes the construction of a railway tunnel that would pass below the Mallorca street, threatening to destroy, in a not too distant future, the foundation Sagrada Familia cathedral.

After the last trip to Barcelona, ​​priest returns to the Vatican with a document that contains an amazing testimony about mystical experience lived by Gaudi. If the church accepts as good architect revelations will be placed among the saints. Pope Benedict XVI, who has studied all the private revelations of Church history claims that she has never seen anything like it, but do not think the world is ready to assimilate Catholic so sublime a revelation, but approaching eschatology.

The plot thickens when Valera enters the scene, the Pope's personal secretary, a former terrorist who is ready to do anything to stop the construction of the suburban train speed.

RO: Azi am gasit aceasta carte,doar ce am comandat-o,inca nu pot sa va spun prea multe despre ea,decat ca e foarte ieftina,7 ron,respectiv 10 + transport,si ca are 384 pagini,asa ca nu am idee cum de este atat de ieftina..dar nici nu-mi pasa,sper doar sa fie buna,pentru ca ideea este destul de captivanta:

Tacerea lui Gaudi

Parintele iezuit Manuel Otano, care lucreaza pentru Vatican, are sarcina de a inspecta progresele facute la construirea Lacasului Purificator al Sfintei Familii. In acest scop, calatoreste in capitala Cataloniei, aflata acum in plina disputa din cauza unui proiect al municipalitatii, care prevede construirea unui tunel feroviar ce ar urma sa treaca pe sub strada Mallorca, amenintand sa distruga, intr-un viitor nu prea indepartat, fundatia catedralei Sagrada Familia.

Dupa ultima calatorie la Barcelona, sacerdotul se intoarce la Vatican cu un document care contine o marturie uluitoare despre experienta mistica traita de Gaudi. In cazul in care biserica accepta drept bune revelatiile arhitectului, va trebui asezat in randul sfintilor. Papa Benedict al XVI-lea, care a studiat toate revelatiile private din istoria Bisericii, pretinde ca nu a vazut niciodata ceva asemanator, insa nu crede ca lumea catolica este pregatita sa asimileze o revelatie atat de sublima, dar care se apropie de escatologie.

Intriga se complica in momentul in care intra in scena Valera, secretarul personal al Papei, un fost terorist care este gata sa faca orice pentru a opri construirea tronsonului suburban al trenului de mare viteza.

Enjoy!

PERFUME, THE STORY OF A MURDERER by Patrick Süskind

... Patrick Süskind (born 26 March 1949) was born in Ambach am Starnberger See, near Munich in Germany.
His best-known work is the internationally acclaimed bestseller Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (1985). This was made into a film in 2006 by Tom Tykwer. Perfume was on the bestselling list of the German weekly news magazine Der Spiegel for nine years. He is also the author of a novella, The Pigeon (1988), The Story of Mr. Sommer (1991), Three Stories and a Reflection (1996), and a collection of essays, On Love and Death (2006).
Süskind lives as a recluse in Munich, in Seeheim (Lake Starnberg), and in France. The public knows little about Süskind currently. He has withdrawn from the literary scene in Germany and never grants interviews or allows photos.

PERFUME, THE STORY OF A MURDERER

...PATRICK SUSKIND'S novel is a book of smells - the odors of history, in fact - and on the first page 18th-century Paris is anatomized into its component stinks. In its most fetid spot, beside a mephitic cemetery and beneath a fish stall, the hero of ''Perfume,'' Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, is born. But the point, the miraculous point, is that he has no smell at all. He is an orphan whose absence of body odor turns him, also, into an outcast - both damned and blessed, pariah and magician.

Grenouille himself is haunted by smells. He recognizes the odors of separate stones and of the varieties of water; he can locate even the most tremulous perfume from miles away; he can separate the simplest stench into its various elements - that of a human being, for example, being composed of cat feces, cheese and vinegar. As a child and young man, he survives as an outsider only through some stubborn instinct - deciding ''in favor of life out of sheer spite and sheer malice'' -but this means that in 18th-century France, in an age of ''reason'' and a time of ''progress,'' he is a barbaric intruder. For him, this is a world stripped bare of its more elegant trappings and organized around the one fundamental principle of smell. 

As a boy, he lives to decipher the odors of Paris, and apprentices himself to a prominent perfumer who teaches him the ancient art of mixing precious oils and herbs. But Grenouille's genius is such that he is not satisfied to stop there, and he becomes obsessed with capturing the smells of objects such as brass doorknobs and frest-cut wood. Then one day he catches a hint of a scent that will drive him on an ever-more-terrifying quest to create the "ultimate perfume"—the scent of a beautiful young virgin. Told with dazzling narrative brillance, Perfume is a hauntingly powerful tale of murder and sensual depravity.

If you don't have time for the book,the movie is pretty accurate,less details,but still one worth seen it.

Book of the week: Death in the afternoon by Ernest Hemingway

..is a non-fiction book written by Ernest Hemingway about the ceremony and traditions of Spanish bullfighting, published in 1932. The book provides a look at the history and what Hemingway considers the magnificence of bullfighting. It also contains a deeper contemplation on the nature of fear and courage.
Why bullfighting?
Because this is "the only place where you could see life and death, i. e., violent death now that the wars were over, was in the bull ring and I wanted very much to go to Spain where I could study it. I was trying to learn to write, commencing with the simplest things, and one of the simplest things of all and the most fundamental is violent death."

Still considered one of the best books ever written about bullfighting, "Death in the Afternoon" is an impassioned look at the sport by one of its true aficionados. It reflects Hemingway's conviction that bullfighting was more than mere sport and reveals a rich source of inspiration for his art. The unrivaled drama of bullfighting, with its rigorous combination of athleticism and artistry, and its requisite display of grace under pressure, ignited Hemingway's imagination. Here he describes and explains the technical aspects of this dangerous ritual and "the emotional and spiritual intensity and pure classic beauty that can be produced by a man, an animal, and a piece of scarlet serge draped on a stick." Seen through his eyes, bullfighting becomes a richly choreographed ballet, with performers who range from awkward amateurs to masters of great elegance and cunning.
A fascinating look at the history and grandeur of bullfighting, "Death in the Afternoon" is also a deeper contemplation of the nature of cowardice and bravery, sport and tragedy, and is enlivened throughout by Hemingway's sharp commentary on life and literature.

Ernest Hemingway

Ernest Miller Hemingway (July 21, 1899 – July 2, 1961) was an American author and journalist. His economical and understated style had a strong influence on 20th-century fiction, while his life of adventure and his public image influenced later generations. Hemingway produced most of his work between the mid-1920s and the mid-1950s, and won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1954. He published seven novels, six short story collections, and two non-fiction works. Three novels, four collections of short stories, and three non-fiction works were published posthumously. Many of these are considered classics of American literature.

Book of the week : "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel

I had some time off from work and everything,so i went offline for a few days,sorry for that,but now i'm back,and i prepared for you a new post the Book of the week: "Life of Pi"..what a book!!!It will change you,i'm not a religios guy,but as Yann Martel says it best,this story it will make you undertand God,and all the storyes from the bible. in my opinion this is a lifechanging book,it will show you what improvisation does for you,what imagination means,and in how many purposes can be used!
I'm sure many of you have heard about the movie "Life of Pi",and many of you saw it and didn't understand it,or didn't like it..well,that's just too bad,but i'm not here to judge anyone...the movie had some amazing visual effects,and it followed the story from the book quite close,i didn't imagined it so indian/funny in my head while i was reading it,but except the guy that played the narator(bad bad acting),it was nice,i've enjoyed it!

Yann Martel

(born June 25, 1963) is a Canadian author best known for the Man Booker Prize-winning novel Life of Pi.

Although his first language is French, Yann Martel writes in English: "English is the language in which I best express the subtlety of life. But I must say that French is the language closest to my heart. And for this same reason, English gives me a sufficient distance to write."

Martel was born in Salamanca,Spain. He was raised in Costa Rica, France, Mexico, and Canada.As an adult, Martel has spent time in Iran, Turkey and India. After studying philosophy at Trent University in Peterborough, Ontario, Martel spent 13 months in India visiting mosques, churches, temples and zoos, and spent two years reading religious texts and castaway stories. He now lives in Saskatoon, Canada.

Life of Pi

One of the things that makes Life of Pi such an extraordinary read is that it covers so many fascinating subjects like overviews of animal behavior, survival at sea, the limits of reason, and a boy's coming of age. The novel is a work of spiritual adventurism, a expression of mystical awareness, and a salute to the ample powers of imagination and the versatility of storytelling. During his long stay aboard the lifeboat with the tiger, Pi notes: "My greatest wish — other than salvation — was to have a book. A long book with a never-ending story. One I could read again and again, with new eyes and a fresh understanding each time."

This ambitious novel is stuffed with ideas, interesting people, and exciting situations. Each reader could spend quite a bit of time pondering the spiritual implications of the deep relationship that develops between Pi and Richard Parker over the course of their confinement together. At first, the teenage is scared out of his wits that the animal will eat him. Then he tries to keep the tiger happy with food, fresh water, and regular routines. The final level of their interaction is a surprise that will only startle those who haven't had the delight of close mystical relationships with animals.

Life of Pi is a multileveled exploration of the beautiful mysteries that light up our lives and have no rhyme nor reason of their own. Yet without them, we would be nothing more than wonder-deprived creatures.

Favorite quotes

“Life is so beautiful that death has fallen in love with it, a jealous, possessive love that grabs at what it can. But life leaps over oblivion lightly, losing only a thing or two of no importance, and gloom is but the passing shadow of a cloud...” 

“I must say a word about fear. It is life's only true opponent. Only fear can defeat life. It is a clever, treacherous adversary, how well I know. It has no decency, respects no law or convention, shows no mercy. It goes for your weakest spot, which it finds with unnerving ease. It begins in your mind, always ... so you must fight hard to express it. You must fight hard to shine the light of words upon it. Because if you don't, if your fear becomes a wordless darkness that you avoid, perhaps even manage to forget, you open yourself to further attacks of fear because you never truly fought the opponent who defeated you.” 

“To choose doubt as a philosophy of life is akin to choosing immobility as a means of transportation.” 

Buy Life of Pi from here!

Book of the week: Oscar and the Lady in Pink by Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt

This, my dear friends, is a MUST READ for all! And the best part is .... all it takes is probably 2-3 hours to finish this book! Isn't that grrreat?

Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt

(born March 28, 1960 in Sainte-Foy-lès-Lyon, Rhône) is a Belgian dramatist, novelist and fiction writer.
Schmitt covers a variety of themes in his work. "Golden Joe" takes a look of the cynical attitudes to life of those involved in high finance. In "Variations énigmatiques", the author gives voice to two very different men, who discuss their own philosophies of life and love - as it turns out, both were in love with the same woman. "Le Libertin" is a historical drama about the life of philosopher Denis Diderot and a film version was released in 2000.

In addition to his plays, Schmitt has written a number of successful novels and short fiction, including La Secte des Égoïstes (1994), Oscar and the Lady in Pink (Oscar et la dame rose) (1999), L'Évangile selon Pilate (2000), La Part de l'Autre (2001), Lorsque j'étais une œuvre d'art (2002), L'enfant de Noé (2004), Ma vie avec Mozart (2005).
World religions play an important role in Schmitt's writing. In "Le Cycle de l'Invisible", Schmitt attempts a harmonization of religions and cultures. "Milarepa" is the first issue in this series and depicts Tibetan Buddhism. The second volume, "Monsieur Ibrahim et les fleurs du Coran" is dedicated to Sufism, a subset of Islam, also referencing Judaism. "Oscar et la dame rose" (the third volume) concerns Christianity. "L'enfant de Noé" deals with Judaism and Christianity. "Le Sumo qui ne pouvait pas grossir" (Zen Buddhism) rounds off the series.

Oscar and the Lady in Pink

This story is about Oscar, who's only 10 years old and about to die,because his form of leukemia has not responded to treatment, he has been living in a French hospital for a very long time.Because no one talks to him about his illness or what is likely to happen, he feels isolated, alone, and miserable.

He meets Granny Rose,a very elderly hospital "pink lady", whom he loves talking to. He thinks Granny Rose is the only adult who understands him most. Oscar doesn't believe in God until one day when Granny Rose successfully convinced him to write letters to God and tell Him about his thoughts, worries and fears.

I was a little worried at one point that bringing God into the book might make this book turn into some kind of preaching exercise and it doesn’t. Instead we are given the insight into the life of an angry, upset and confused young boy as he makes sense of his situation and Schmitt gets us into the thoughts and emotions of that boy incredibly well. 

Aware of the fact that he's going to die,he starts living his life on fast forward,and takes you on an incredible emotional ride.What I liked most about this book is its honesty and witty charm. The ending is really touching and it shows how God works in mysterious ways. Don't get me wrong here. It's not a book about religion, but it's more about how we view life and death.

"The more you age 

, the more it falls to you to taste and

appreciate life. You must become refined artist. 

At

twenty years, any moron knows to enjoy

life, but at one hundred, when moveing seems

imposible, you should know to put your

intelligence at work" 

Buy book/cumpara cartea de aici

ps : i read the boog from a pdf file on the internet,unfortunately i don't own any right to that so i can't publish the adress here,but you can serch it ;)

Oscar si Tanti Roz

Această poveste este despre Oscar, care are doar 10 ani urmeaza să moară, pentru că forma lui de leucemie nu a răspuns la tratament, el ajunge sa-si petreaca viața într-un spital francez.Deoarece foarte mult timp nimeni nu vorbește cu el despre boala lui sau ceea ce este probabil să se întâmple, se simte izolat, singur, și mizerabil.
El o întâlnește pe Granny Rose, o infirmiera foarte în vârstă "tanti roz", cu care lui ii place sa vorbeasca. El crede ca Granny Rose este singurul adult care-l mai înțelege. Oscar nu crede în Dumnezeu până într-o zi, când  "tanti roz" l-a convins cu succes s-a scrie scrisori lui Dumnezeu și sa-i spuna despre gândurile, grijile și temerile lui.
Am fost un pic ingrijorat, la un moment dat că aducerea lui Dumnezeu în cartea ar putea transforma cartea într-un fel de a predica,exercițiu dar nu este vorba de asa ceva. În loc ni se da introspecție în viața unui  băiat supărat și confuz,furios care incearca sa se complaca de situația sa și Schmitt ne transpune în gândurile și emoțiile pe care băiatul le traieste, incredibil de bine.

Conștient de faptul că el va muri, el incepe sa traiasca viata pe repede înainte, și te duce intr-o cursa incredibil de emoționanta.Ce mi-a placut cel mai mult la această carte este onestitatea și farmecul spiritual. Finalul cu adevărat atinge și ne arată cum Dumnezeu lucreaza pe cai misterioase. Nu ma intelegeti gresit aici, nu este o carte despre religie, dar e mai mult despre modul în care privim viața și moartea.

"Viaţa e
un dar buclucaş. La început ai tendinţa să-l
supraestimezi crezând că viaţa pe care ai primito este veşnică. 
Apoi, dimpotrivă, îl subestimezi,
găsind că-i o porcărie, scurtă de nu-nţelegi
nimic din ea şi pe care uneori ţi-ar veni s-o
arunci de să nu se vadă. Abia către sfârşit
pricepi că nu-i vorba de nici un dar, ci de un
simplu împrumut. Pe care trebuie să încerci să-l
meriţi. La cei o sută de ani ai mei pot spune că
ştiu despre ce vorbesc. Cu cât îmbătrâneşti mai
mult, cu atâta se cade să ai bunul gust de a
aprecia viaţa. Trebuie să devii rafinat, artist. La
douăzeci de ani, orice cretin ştie să se bucure de
viaţă, dar la o sută, când nici măcar să te mişti
nu mai eşti în stare, trebuie să ştii să-ţi pui
inteligenţa la lucru"

Buy book/cumpara cartea de aici

ps: eu am citit cartea de pe un pdf pe pc,din pacate nu am drepturile de autor si nu pot publica adresa,dar o puteti cauta ;)

Book of the week : "Homage to Catalonia" by George Orwell

For this week choice of book of the week i picked my latest aquisition "Homage to Catalonia",first of all because it's about Catalonia and second of all because it is written by George Orwell also known for his political satir "Animal farm" or "1984" where he talks about a future political view of London,and he creates the term Big Brother as a president,who has absolut control.

Eric Arthur Blair best known as his pen name George Orwell was an english nouvelist and journalist.His work is marked by clarity, intelligence and wit, awareness of social injustice, opposition to totalitarianism, and commitment to democratic socialism.

                             

Homage to Catalonia

is political journalist and novelist George Orwell's personal account of his experiences and observations in the Spanish Civil War.In 1936 Orwell went to Spain to report on the Civil War and instead joined the fight against the Fascists. This famous account describes the war and Orwell’s experiences. 

Quotes from the book:

“When I see an actual flesh-and-blood worker in conflict with his natural enemy, the policeman, I do not have to ask myself which side I am on.”

“There are occasions when it pays better to
fight and be beaten than not to fight at all.” 

“All the war-propaganda, all the screaming and lies and hatred, comes invariably from people who are not fighting.” 

And here you have a link from where you can read the online book for free in english:http://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/o/orwell/george/o79h/

Pentru aceasta saptamana,alegerea mea pentru cartea saptamanii este una din ultimele mele achizitii "Omagiu pentru Catalunia", în primul rând pentru că este vorba despre Catalonia și în al doilea rând, pentru că este scrisa de George Orwell, cunoscut pentru "Ferma animalelor",satira sa politica, sau "1984 " în care el vorbește despre o viziune politică din viitor ,care se petrece in Londra, el fiind creatorul conceptului de "fratele cel mare"ca un președinte, care are controlul absolut.

Eric Arthur Blair mai bine cunoscut cu numele sau de sub stilou, George Orwell a fost un nouvelist și journalist englez. Operele sale sunt marcate de claritate, inteligenta si spirit, gradul de conștientizare a nedreptății sociale, opoziția față de totalitarism, și angajamentul  fata de socialismul democratic.

                             

Omagiu pentru Catalonia

In 1936 Orwell a mers în Spania pentru a raporta cu privire la Războiul Civil și sa alăturat in lupta împotriva fasciștilor. Acest roman descrie războiul și experiențele lui Orwell.

Citate din carte:

"Când văd un muncitor real din carne-și-sânge în conflict cu dușmanul său natural, polițistul, nu am să mă întreb de care parte sunt."

"Există ocazii când mai bine intri in lupta fiind constient ca vei  fi bătut decât să nu lupti deloc. "

"Tot războiul de propagandă, toate țipetele ,minciuni si ura, vine invariabil de la oameni care nu sunt pe campul de luptă."

Și aici aveți un link de unde puteți citi cartea online gratuit în limba engleză: http://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/o/orwell/george/o79h/

ENJOY!

Book of the week

Moarte subita - J. K. Rowling

Recent am auzit ca J.K. Rowling autoarea seriei HARRY POTTER(a carui fan ma declar,datorita cartilor,nu a filmelor) a lansat un nou roman,de data aceasta o carte pentru "adulti",desi eu as recomanda si seria cu micul vrajitor oricarei persoane,indiferent de varsta daca vrea o lectura placuta si relaxanta...asadar,in aceasta saptamana foarte incarcata,eu am ales aceasta carte pentru a ma relaxa,si sa fiu sincer sunt deja captivat de ea desi am citit doar vreo 20 de pagini..aparent e o carte ceva mai scumpa,dar sper sa ajung la concluzia ca a meritat pana la ultimul banut :D

Asadar cam astea sunt detaliile pe care le primim pe coperta..

"Când Barry Fairbrother, în vârstă de 40 de ani, moare pe neaşteptate, comunitatea intră în derivă. Idilicul orăşel englezesc, cu o piaţetă pavată şi o mănăstire străveche, ascunde de fapt un război mocnit între mai multe tabere: între bogaţi şi săraci, între adolescenţi şi părinţi, între soţi şi soţii, între profesori şi elevi... Pagford nu este deloc ceea ce pare la prima vedere. 
Cel mai mare conflict îl stârneşte însă locul lăsat liber de Barry în consiliul parohial. Cine va triumfa într-o luptă electorală plină de patimă, duplicitate şi dezvăluiri neaşteptate?

Un roman colosal despre o lume în miniatură, 

Moarte subită este prima carte pe care J.K. Rowling o dedică cititorilor adulţi. O poveste memorabilă, o carte unică."

Ramane doar sa ne facem timp pentru a putea savura aceasta lectura,iar in final va las cu un interviu interesant al autoarei..

J.K. Rowling 'Casual Vacancy' interview