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Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated 100 Speeches that roused the world in Books
Oct 5, 2020
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<b><i>Boy, oh boy, do I have mixed feelings about 100 Speeches That Roused the World by Colin Salter.</i></b>
The reason I picked up this book is because I have always been in love with speeches and orators. I believe that the ability to speak in front of an audience is a very powerful skill, and I admire it as such. Many great leaders and many successful people use this skill to make people listen and act in a way they want them to. That is where the true art is, and I really admire this aspect. The fact that you can listen to two or more people tell you the same thing, and only one being able to convince you to do something or believe in something they say is a true gift.
Which takes us to the second reason I picked this book up. To find out more about the people who had this ability in history and made a difference in one way or another. And for the most part, I was pleased. There are speeches of many great (and not so great) leaders out there, speeches of people that made breakthroughs in their fields, people who fought for their rights.
<b><i>But there was a pattern I noticed in these 100 speeches.</i></b>
Most of these speeches were either from the UK or USA. And most of them were presidents, prime ministers,royalty or leaders in any other way. And all their speeches were speeches during the wars. Telling their people to fight for their nations.
And I have nothing against those speeches. They were perfect for their time and they did their purpose at the time. What I had a problem with is that there were so many more important times in history when a speech was made and it represented a change.
What about all the speeches that philosophers have given in ancient Rome and Greece? For Rome, where is Julius Caesar’s speech to the senate? For Greece, how about the movement for freedom of speech? What about the speeches during humanism and renaissance? What about some of the groundbreaking speeches that scientists have given over the years?
I was a bit disappointed with the format of the book as well, as the speeches were mostly short paragraphs, followed by a full page of the author’s notes, mostly quoting the same speech again. It was very helpful to know the background of how the speech made a difference in the world, but when most of those speeches didn’t really make any difference, and I was involved in a history lesson of the most important wars in history, it wasn’t much of a fun read.
<b><i>To conclude, this book wasn’t what I was looking for, both format and content wise. The 100 Speeches mentioned in this book didn’t do enough justice for me. I believe that title is misleading, but I can also understand that some people can still learn a lot by reading it.</i></b>
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<b><i>Boy, oh boy, do I have mixed feelings about 100 Speeches That Roused the World by Colin Salter.</i></b>
The reason I picked up this book is because I have always been in love with speeches and orators. I believe that the ability to speak in front of an audience is a very powerful skill, and I admire it as such. Many great leaders and many successful people use this skill to make people listen and act in a way they want them to. That is where the true art is, and I really admire this aspect. The fact that you can listen to two or more people tell you the same thing, and only one being able to convince you to do something or believe in something they say is a true gift.
Which takes us to the second reason I picked this book up. To find out more about the people who had this ability in history and made a difference in one way or another. And for the most part, I was pleased. There are speeches of many great (and not so great) leaders out there, speeches of people that made breakthroughs in their fields, people who fought for their rights.
<b><i>But there was a pattern I noticed in these 100 speeches.</i></b>
Most of these speeches were either from the UK or USA. And most of them were presidents, prime ministers,royalty or leaders in any other way. And all their speeches were speeches during the wars. Telling their people to fight for their nations.
And I have nothing against those speeches. They were perfect for their time and they did their purpose at the time. What I had a problem with is that there were so many more important times in history when a speech was made and it represented a change.
What about all the speeches that philosophers have given in ancient Rome and Greece? For Rome, where is Julius Caesar’s speech to the senate? For Greece, how about the movement for freedom of speech? What about the speeches during humanism and renaissance? What about some of the groundbreaking speeches that scientists have given over the years?
I was a bit disappointed with the format of the book as well, as the speeches were mostly short paragraphs, followed by a full page of the author’s notes, mostly quoting the same speech again. It was very helpful to know the background of how the speech made a difference in the world, but when most of those speeches didn’t really make any difference, and I was involved in a history lesson of the most important wars in history, it wasn’t much of a fun read.
<b><i>To conclude, this book wasn’t what I was looking for, both format and content wise. The 100 Speeches mentioned in this book didn’t do enough justice for me. I believe that title is misleading, but I can also understand that some people can still learn a lot by reading it.</i></b>
BTPBookclub (18 KP) rated Still Me in Books
May 11, 2019
Had me feeling a range of emotions throughout.
Yay. Feels like I have waited forever for this book! Finally. What a brilliant book! It was so good to be back in Lou’s crazy world, she is one of those characters you just cant help falling in love with. She yet again faces every challenge she can think of in this story but in the big city New York, making it even more daunting. However, Lou makes it through, she always does.
Still Me is a lovely book to read with a hidden message for all us readers within the story – BE YOU. Don’t be who others want/need you to be. I found it an easy read, fast paced and to round it up with that beautiful ending! Perfect. I would say read these books in order though as it does make references to the previous books and characters. If you enjoyed Me Before You or After You then you will love Still Me. I would highly recommend this story to you all, a well deserved five stars.
Still Me will have you feeling all the emotions. Happy, sad, upset, laughing out loud, regret and anger. Brilliant!
Still Me is a lovely book to read with a hidden message for all us readers within the story – BE YOU. Don’t be who others want/need you to be. I found it an easy read, fast paced and to round it up with that beautiful ending! Perfect. I would say read these books in order though as it does make references to the previous books and characters. If you enjoyed Me Before You or After You then you will love Still Me. I would highly recommend this story to you all, a well deserved five stars.
Still Me will have you feeling all the emotions. Happy, sad, upset, laughing out loud, regret and anger. Brilliant!
Sarah (7800 KP) rated Blinded by the Light (2019) in Movies
Apr 26, 2020
Clumsy and unoriginal
Watching this film would never be my choice, as despite my love of musicals I've never been particularly interested in the music of Bruce Springsteen. And I'm afraid to say this film hasn't changed my opinion on this either.
This film is so cheesy and cliched that I spent most of the time watching it cringing in horror. It seems to copy virtually every other type of film that has come before it that looks at coming of age in a Muslim and Pakistani background - it's like a poor version of East is East, with barely any laughs & a bit of Springsteen thrown in. The production values in this too are rather poor. You can tell it's low budget, from the dodgy dance scenes to the cinematography as a whole.
There is a decent cast thrown into this like Hayley Atwell, Rob Brydon and Dean Charles Chapman but I felt like they were sadly underused and letdown by the poor and ridiculously cheesy script. There are some likeable parts in this that makes it a little bit feel good but overall I could've quite happily turned this off and not felt like I was missing out.
This film is so cheesy and cliched that I spent most of the time watching it cringing in horror. It seems to copy virtually every other type of film that has come before it that looks at coming of age in a Muslim and Pakistani background - it's like a poor version of East is East, with barely any laughs & a bit of Springsteen thrown in. The production values in this too are rather poor. You can tell it's low budget, from the dodgy dance scenes to the cinematography as a whole.
There is a decent cast thrown into this like Hayley Atwell, Rob Brydon and Dean Charles Chapman but I felt like they were sadly underused and letdown by the poor and ridiculously cheesy script. There are some likeable parts in this that makes it a little bit feel good but overall I could've quite happily turned this off and not felt like I was missing out.
The Rising
Book
They called me Jax. That was the name given by those who built me and enslaved me. But a miracle has...
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Sweetwater (The Kihn #1) in Books
Jul 11, 2020
125 of 200
Kindle
Sweetwater ( The Kihn book 1)
By Rivi Jacks
They say you can never go home again that what we remember, is just that—a memory. Well, I’m on my way home, and I’m eager to test that theory. Little do I know that what awaits me will change my life forever.
Sofie Reece is returning to Sweetwater, a sleepy little town nestled in the Ozarks to discover evil waiting for her. As supernatural beings, both good and evil, arrive in town, so does Lucas Santiago. Sofie senses a danger in Lucas but finds herself powerfully attracted to him. Though intimidated by his sexual appeal and power, she cannot help but fall for Lucas. As both the danger and their passion intensify, Sofie is unaware that Lucas has a dark secret – a secret that will blow her world apart…
I loved it!! It was so addictive to read and unlike what I’ve read before. The supernatural element is not always forefront in the story which I found I liked. The different relationships in this book are just brilliant from the best friends and family to the romantic relationships. I’m so looking forward to the next book.
Kindle
Sweetwater ( The Kihn book 1)
By Rivi Jacks
They say you can never go home again that what we remember, is just that—a memory. Well, I’m on my way home, and I’m eager to test that theory. Little do I know that what awaits me will change my life forever.
Sofie Reece is returning to Sweetwater, a sleepy little town nestled in the Ozarks to discover evil waiting for her. As supernatural beings, both good and evil, arrive in town, so does Lucas Santiago. Sofie senses a danger in Lucas but finds herself powerfully attracted to him. Though intimidated by his sexual appeal and power, she cannot help but fall for Lucas. As both the danger and their passion intensify, Sofie is unaware that Lucas has a dark secret – a secret that will blow her world apart…
I loved it!! It was so addictive to read and unlike what I’ve read before. The supernatural element is not always forefront in the story which I found I liked. The different relationships in this book are just brilliant from the best friends and family to the romantic relationships. I’m so looking forward to the next book.
David McK (3895 KP) rated Jungle Cruise (2021) in Movies
Aug 8, 2021
Another film gettign the concurrent cinema/Disney+ (behind a paywall) release date, this one is very much a throw-back to the days of yore: the most relevant comparison I can come up with, perhaps, is my understanding of what 'The African Queen' is like (never seen that film) in that both films rely on the star power of their respective leads (here Johnson/Blunt, as opposed to Bogart/Bacall).
Like Disney's earlier 'Pirates of the Caribbean' films, this is also - loosely - based on a theme ride: this time, the setting being a cruise down the Amazon. Like 'Pirates...', this also injects a fair does of the supernatural into the proceedings: I have no idea whether or not that is part of the ride, never having been to any of the Disney resorts.
I also have to say that I felt, at times, that Dwayne 'the Rock' Johnson and Emily Blunt came across more as bickering siblings rather than falling-in-love, and that Jack Whitehall's character (the brother of Emily Blunt's character) more-or-less faded into the background for a fair chunk of the movie ...
Like Disney's earlier 'Pirates of the Caribbean' films, this is also - loosely - based on a theme ride: this time, the setting being a cruise down the Amazon. Like 'Pirates...', this also injects a fair does of the supernatural into the proceedings: I have no idea whether or not that is part of the ride, never having been to any of the Disney resorts.
I also have to say that I felt, at times, that Dwayne 'the Rock' Johnson and Emily Blunt came across more as bickering siblings rather than falling-in-love, and that Jack Whitehall's character (the brother of Emily Blunt's character) more-or-less faded into the background for a fair chunk of the movie ...
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David McK (3895 KP) rated Oppenheimer (2023) in Movies
Mar 14, 2024
"Today I am become death, the destroyer of worlds ..."
I meant to see this during the summer of 2023, but missed it.
Only saw it on a re-release, following loads of Oscar wins, in March 2024.
If I could compare it to a single other movie, that would probably be "Schindler's List": this (and that), I feel, is one of those movies that you can say you've seen, probably be glad you did, but wouldn't be rushing back to anytime soon.
As a Nolan movie, this is also told with lots of out-of-sequence shots, and jumping quite a bit between time: we have whole sections set in the 19402 (in colour) intercut with 1950/60s(? I'm not sure on the exact date) black and white segments.
The movie is also largely (but not exclusively) told through the eyes of Oppenheimer, following the work of a team of scientists who developed the first A-bomb, and only lightly touching on the effects of said bomb(s) being dropped on Japan.
It's a well shot and well acted movie, undeniably, but - as mentioned above - not one I'd be rushing back to see any time soon.
Only saw it on a re-release, following loads of Oscar wins, in March 2024.
If I could compare it to a single other movie, that would probably be "Schindler's List": this (and that), I feel, is one of those movies that you can say you've seen, probably be glad you did, but wouldn't be rushing back to anytime soon.
As a Nolan movie, this is also told with lots of out-of-sequence shots, and jumping quite a bit between time: we have whole sections set in the 19402 (in colour) intercut with 1950/60s(? I'm not sure on the exact date) black and white segments.
The movie is also largely (but not exclusively) told through the eyes of Oppenheimer, following the work of a team of scientists who developed the first A-bomb, and only lightly touching on the effects of said bomb(s) being dropped on Japan.
It's a well shot and well acted movie, undeniably, but - as mentioned above - not one I'd be rushing back to see any time soon.
Debbiereadsbook (1821 KP) rated A Late Summer Night's Dream in Books
Mar 7, 2019
too stinking cute AND warm and fuzzies!
A mix up with pocus leads Simeon and Anthony to have a bit of an uncomfortable first half, but after the interval, they share a giggle, and after the play, they share a pie and a pint. It's clear they want each other, but Anthony is still hurting following the death of his husband 4 years ago. Can the much younger Simeon unfreeze his heart?
I came across the book on Facebook, and something called to me about it, not exactly sure what, but you know I'm all about sharing my book feelings and I felt this book PULLED me. And I'm so glad it did!
Simeon is late for the play and finds someone else in "his" seat. Only they aren't. Seat Sixteen is just the the of man who makes Simeon swoon and after the interval, they bond over the bad acting on stage. Simeon makes a move and takes Anthony home. But Anthony runs and Simeon's heart is broken.
Why he runs, is because he is still hurting after his husband died and Anthony has been alone since then. That much is obvious. But meeting Simeon knocks Anthony off his axis and it scares him. At least, that's what I think.
Because Anthony doesn't get a say, only Simeon, and that's why I knocked that star off. I wanted Anthony to explain how he was feeling in more depth, especially his reaction to Simeon, to the visit to the pub, and after, at Simeon's flat. I needed him, and I didn't get him.
It's not overly explicit, just the right amount for these two. It's not about the sex between them, it's more about the love that blooms, so very quickly. And it is quick! Two meetings, is all but I liked that here.
Plonking itself firmly on both the warm and fuzzies AND too stinking cute shelf, I thoroughly enjoyed this and hope to read more by this pair of authors, maybe something longer and more in depth.
4 solid stars, but ONLY because Anthony doesn't get a say!
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
I came across the book on Facebook, and something called to me about it, not exactly sure what, but you know I'm all about sharing my book feelings and I felt this book PULLED me. And I'm so glad it did!
Simeon is late for the play and finds someone else in "his" seat. Only they aren't. Seat Sixteen is just the the of man who makes Simeon swoon and after the interval, they bond over the bad acting on stage. Simeon makes a move and takes Anthony home. But Anthony runs and Simeon's heart is broken.
Why he runs, is because he is still hurting after his husband died and Anthony has been alone since then. That much is obvious. But meeting Simeon knocks Anthony off his axis and it scares him. At least, that's what I think.
Because Anthony doesn't get a say, only Simeon, and that's why I knocked that star off. I wanted Anthony to explain how he was feeling in more depth, especially his reaction to Simeon, to the visit to the pub, and after, at Simeon's flat. I needed him, and I didn't get him.
It's not overly explicit, just the right amount for these two. It's not about the sex between them, it's more about the love that blooms, so very quickly. And it is quick! Two meetings, is all but I liked that here.
Plonking itself firmly on both the warm and fuzzies AND too stinking cute shelf, I thoroughly enjoyed this and hope to read more by this pair of authors, maybe something longer and more in depth.
4 solid stars, but ONLY because Anthony doesn't get a say!
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Amanda (96 KP) rated An Assassin's Guide to Love and Treason in Books
Mar 12, 2019
Katherine's father was killed for being an illegally practicing catholic and Katherine wants revenge on the person who ordered his death; the queen herself. Toby, on the other hand, is picked by the queen to find this supposed assassin. To lure the assassin and other Catholics, they enlist William Shakespeare to produce a play called, The Twelfth Night.
The story was detailed and beautifully written. You can really get a sense of the amount of research the author put into writing this book. I've never been a huge historical fiction fan, but I did enjoy this book in particular.
Not only did Katherine (Kit as a boy) commit an illegal act (dressing up as a boy to be in a play - yes, I know, but women were not allowed to act in plays) but if Toby's secret ever came out about him liking men and women, the queen would hang him, whether she favored him or not. I felt badly for both of them. Although, sometimes, Kit was rather reckless and probably shouldn't do certain things - such as going to a dark alley and witnessing a fight so you could learn how to. Male or female, don't do that, seriously.
The plot twist, however, I wasn't expecting but it left me more confused than awed. I didn't quite understand the twist and I feel like it wasn't really explained. The ending was not too bad, but then again, I myself couldn't think of a better way to end a story like that.
I know Boecker has a witch hunger series, so I'm curious about that and hope to pick up the first book soon.
All in all, the book was a great detailed story. There are some parts where it felt like it trailed off, but it's historical fiction, and the plot twist I wasn't really that impressed. The story as a whole was good - I'd say 3.5/5 stars. This is more for people who are huge into historical fiction, but if you like the whole premise of a story with Shakespeare, I'd say give it a try at least.
The story was detailed and beautifully written. You can really get a sense of the amount of research the author put into writing this book. I've never been a huge historical fiction fan, but I did enjoy this book in particular.
Not only did Katherine (Kit as a boy) commit an illegal act (dressing up as a boy to be in a play - yes, I know, but women were not allowed to act in plays) but if Toby's secret ever came out about him liking men and women, the queen would hang him, whether she favored him or not. I felt badly for both of them. Although, sometimes, Kit was rather reckless and probably shouldn't do certain things - such as going to a dark alley and witnessing a fight so you could learn how to. Male or female, don't do that, seriously.
The plot twist, however, I wasn't expecting but it left me more confused than awed. I didn't quite understand the twist and I feel like it wasn't really explained. The ending was not too bad, but then again, I myself couldn't think of a better way to end a story like that.
I know Boecker has a witch hunger series, so I'm curious about that and hope to pick up the first book soon.
All in all, the book was a great detailed story. There are some parts where it felt like it trailed off, but it's historical fiction, and the plot twist I wasn't really that impressed. The story as a whole was good - I'd say 3.5/5 stars. This is more for people who are huge into historical fiction, but if you like the whole premise of a story with Shakespeare, I'd say give it a try at least.