DIY Rules for a WTF World: How to Speak Up, Get Creative, and Change the World
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Krista Suh took an idea and created a worldwide movement and symbol in just two months. The pussyhat...
politics social issues
Trash Cinema: The Lure of the Low
Book
This volume explores the lower reaches of cinema and its paradoxical appeal. It looks at films from...
The Genesis of Roman Architecture
Book
An important new look at Rome's earliest buildings and their context within the broader tradition of...
Sherry
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Fully revised and updated for its sixth edition, this benchmark book recounts the exciting and...
Moon Hawaii
Book
Make Your Escape with Moon Travel Guides! Unwind on the pristine beaches of Maui, hike the famed...
Marketing Graffiti
Book
Radical and unique in its approach and presentation, Marketing Graffiti turns the traditional...
Lenard (726 KP) rated Blinded by the Light (2019) in Movies
Sep 2, 2019
Two things struck me about the film. The first is the costume for the father. With the exception of the wedding party which I will discuss in my second, the father is dressed in a dress shirt, tie, and slacks, sometimes a sportcoat. This is the traditional outfit of a 1st generation immigrant. Even though he works in a factory manufacturing cars, he still goes to work or out in public dressed like a successful businessman/financial advisor. There is a belief that in order to achieve success, you must dress as though you have already attained that success. The second is the connection to Bend It Like Beckham, Chadha's previous film, which had a lot more success in the US. There is the best friend's parent who accepts the protagonist quicker than their own. But I am talking about the wedding party scene. In both films, the family is having a wedding party and the protagonist has to leave because there is something urgent that they need to do (play in a soccer game, buy tickets to a Springsteen concert). Family members assist the protagonist to get away without the parents noticing and in each case conflict ensues that brings a feeling of abandonment from the immediate family.
Hazel (1853 KP) rated Return to the Little Coffee Shop of Kabul (The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul #2) in Books
Dec 14, 2018
Five years since the publication of her fictional debut, fans of Deoborah Rodriguez will be pleased to know they can finally get their hands on the sequel: Return to the <i>Little Coffee Shop of Kabul</i>. In the first book (<i>The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul</i>) we are introduced to Sunny, a 38-year-old American, who has set up a coffee shop in the heart of Afghanistan. Now she has returned to the US, after the unfortunate death of her boyfriend, to a house on an island she did not really want. Meanwhile, her coffee shop struggles to continue in the hands of her Afghan friends.
The narrative alternates between the USA and Afghanistan, keeping the reader informed of two completely different scenarios. Sunny is dealing with the loss of Jack and her conflicted feelings over whether she should stay and live Jack’s dream lifestyle or return to her beloved Kabul. On the other hand, Yazmina and the others reveal to the reader how difficult and dangerous life is for the Afghanistan natives, especially for the women who have very little rights.
As well as the original characters, there are a number of new names introduced to the story. In Afghanistan a young girl is trying to escape an arranged marriage to an evil, rich man – something that has disastrous consequences for herself and her newfound friends. On the other side of the world, Layla, Yazmina’s sister, is experiencing Western culture living with Sunny, and is shocked at how friendly men and women are with each other.
Another new face to add to the mix is Kat, a young woman who escaped to America as a child and has turned her back on the traditions of Islam and the Afghan culture. Despite her growing friendship with Layla, she refuses to agree with Layla’s beliefs, particularly in regards to the <i>hijab</i>. Neither girl’s opinion is more valid than the other however, as they have both had completely different upbringings. Kat has spent the better part of her life relishing in the freedom of Western culture, whereas Layla finds comfort in her traditions.
<i>Return to the Little Coffee Shop of Kabul </i>contains a couple of powerful messages. Firstly, as Sunny realizes, you need to be thankful for what you have got and not assume that going back to a lifestyle you used to follow would be the same as it once was. On the flip side, the Muslim family in Kabul begins to learn that they do not have to put up with the strict, unfairness in the treatment of women, and can strive to do something about it.
It is not necessary to have read the previous book, as there is enough character description and history mentioned within the narrative for new readers to be able to follow along. It is also suitable for book groups as it contains a series of reading group questions at the end of the novel.
Despite its upsetting scenes,<i> Return to the Little Coffee Shop of Kabul </i>is essentially a happy book. The character Sunny, definitely lives up to her name; there is no over emphasis on any of the negative situations she or her friends find themselves in. In a world where it would be easy to fall into despair, Rodriguez has written a story with a positive outlook on life and hope for the future.
Upside-Down Gods: Gregory Bateson's World of Difference
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Science's conventional understanding of environment as an inert material resource underlies our...
Jonathan Swift and Philosophy
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Jonathan Swift and Philosophy is the first book to analyse and interpret Swift's writing from a...